Sold my DRZ a few weeks ago and I'm looking to upgrade to something that gets solid gas mileage doesn't squirm on the highway like an 8 year old being raped by the Pope. I've looked a number of bikes and naked seems to be the best fit for me. I like the upright riding position and comparable weight to my DRZ. The fact that they're very unique and obscure is nice too.

Both the Triumph and Ducati have positives and negatives that I'm not too sure about. Both seem to get similar fuel mileage and are in a similar power bracket. I've sat on both but haven't had time to ride them yet. Not filling out an hours worth of BS paperwork just to test ride a bike I would put on my credit card. I figure I could get either for $9600ish OTD this winter or possibly used.

Thoughts, opinions, recommendations?




Ducat Monster 696: $8775

Feels very nice. Like the hydro clutch, adjustable suspension and Brembo brakes over the Triumph's hardware. Looks amazing. Looking at used bikes, not sure how a desmodromic valvetrain and air cooling affect service intervals or reliability. I live in Colorado now so no more ultra high temps.



Triumph Street Triple: $8299

More powerful than the Ducati, and slightly cheaper, but not as well equipped as far as I'm concerned. Suspension and brakes are lacking on all but the brand new bikes and upcoming/impossible to ever find R. Look good only with the front cowl and belly pan, but with that on, it looks f'ucking amazing. I imagine mechanical parts would be slightly cheaper, too. Water cooled is a plus.

 

SV650 comes to mind.

I'm curious, why'd you sell the DRZ?
I'm going to buy one as soon as I sell my superhawk.

 

i love ducati monsters but i think the redesigned model is uglier than the previous. If i were to buy a monster it would definitely not be the 696

also, i hear that the current model sv650 has better power output than the 696..

if i could only choose those two bikes it would be the triumph. just based on looks alone.

They redesigned that monster so that it would be easier to ride (like a scooter). It loses its class with me

 

id def go with the street triple. its quicker, cheaper, faster, and water cooled. plus if you want better suspension the daytona 675 rear shock is a direct bolt-in which you can get on ebay. i rented a 600rr out in colorado last year and with that elevation out there it really kills the power of the bike. i might be moving out there next year and im def getting rid of the 600 and going with a liter size. also id look into the speed triple, alot more torque than the street triple, and you get the nice sssw.

 

Personally i think its the best monster ever, the headlight is was kills it for me. I think with a new headlight the 696 would be so00oper seckzy.

Some of the most reliable bikes in the world are air cooled (dont believe me? look at Honda's XR's) so dont worry about it being bad. Its not the best power wise but it keeps things light, with less fluid to worry about. Also, it being naked, maintanence should be very easy or at least easy to get to (not as easy as a DRZ though).

 

you cant teat ride w/o doing paper work and such??

 

every dealer is different. ive had dealers just put a key in and say take it out. i took an 04 vfr out before and just had to sign one paper. some dealers want you to practically buy the bike first, then they will let you take it out.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by The Hooligan &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">every dealer is different. ive had dealers just put a key in and say take it out. i took an 04 vfr out before and just had to sign one paper. some dealers want you to practically buy the bike first, then they will let you take it out.</TD></TR></TABLE>

lol, no refund bye now.

i'd say check out both forums. they got some good reading about their bikes.

http://www.ducati.ms/forums/index.php

 

I have a 07 ducati 695 and i love it. It's so light and nimble, I just kinda think about turning and it dives in. powerwise the 696 has about 10hp on mine and I don't really have too many complaints about lack of power.

 

hows 695 on reliable side, i dont mean how often/soon mantain, just how well built bike is.

 

Threads like this have had me strongly considering a Duke lately:

http://forum.svrider.com/showthread.php?t=80288

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by rochesterricer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Threads like this have had me strongly considering a Duke lately:

http://forum.svrider.com/showthread.php?t=80288
</TD></TR></TABLE>

For sure, you should look at a KTM Duke too. Fantastic bikes, looks really sharp too!

 

Thanks for the input. Guess I'm just gonna have to bite the bullet and fill out their forms so I can test these things out...

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by knockout &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">SV650 comes to mind.

I'm curious, why'd you sell the DRZ?
I'm going to buy one as soon as I sell my superhawk.</TD></TR></TABLE>

SV650s are to plain to me. The exhaust looks retarded, too. But they are cheaper and plentiful...

My DRZ had issues with an Athena 440 kit that I didn't want to deal with. That and the stock carb gives it the throttle response of a scooter. They are kick *** bikes, if you dump about $2K into them.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by The Hooligan &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">id def go with the street triple. its quicker, cheaper, faster, and water cooled. plus if you want better suspension the daytona 675 rear shock is a direct bolt-in which you can get on ebay. i rented a 600rr out in colorado last year and with that elevation out there it really kills the power of the bike. i might be moving out there next year and im def getting rid of the 600 and going with a liter size. also id look into the speed triple, alot more torque than the street triple, and you get the nice sssw.</TD></TR></TABLE>

The Speed is nice, but not as fuel efficient and out of my price range. If I could find one used then that might be an option.

Didn't know how easy it was to find a Daytona shock on ebay! Probably could get the forks and shock for under $1000.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by __oversea &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">you cant teat ride w/o doing paper work and such??</TD></TR></TABLE>

The Triumph and two Ducati dealers I went to would not let me ride the demo without filling out a credit app. I told them I had a MasterCard with a $15K limit but that didn't ease their ******** either. It's not like I look like a trashy **** gobblin either, and I rode up on my pretty nice and very clean DRZ, too.

 

What issues did you have with the Athena 440 kit? Thats the kit I was thinking of getting.

Also, the SV650 is very cheap and in the long run when you feel like modding (you know you will get that itch to mod again) there is plenty to do with it and it'd be cheaper in the long run still.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JDMHN8 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
SV650s are to plain to me. The exhaust looks retarded, too. But they are cheaper and plentiful...
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Who keeps the stock exhaust? An sv650 is cheaper all around then any of the other alternatives, and after a couple simple mods it looks different than most bikes on the road and feels like "your own."

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by rdblckSV650S &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Who keeps the stock exhaust? An sv650 is cheaper all around then any of the other alternatives, and after a couple simple mods it looks different than most bikes on the road and feels like "your own."


</TD></TR></TABLE>

yeah, who keeps the stock exhaust, forks, rear shock, etc... on an sv anyways?!?! everyone knows they swap that stuff out for gixxer stuff. duh!!!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by life sux die &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

yeah, who keeps the stock exhaust, forks, rear shock, etc... on an sv anyways?!?! everyone knows they swap that stuff out for gixxer stuff. duh!!! </TD></TR></TABLE>

haha yep

the difference is night and day with decent suspension on it

thats why so many people race sv650s despite the common misconception that everyone has (girls bike)

i have friends who ride sv's who have bigger cajones than other buddies who ride 1ks

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JDMHN8 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
The Triumph and two Ducati dealers I went to would not let me ride the demo without filling out a credit app. I told them I had a MasterCard with a $15K limit but that didn't ease their ******** either.</TD></TR></TABLE>

-fay meyers? odd.

-get the ducati, the warranty alone is better than the triumphs. the 696 is a good bike...hell everything is good now a days. i'm biased when it comes to discussions like this.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by The Hooligan &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
i rented a 600rr out in colorado last year and with that elevation out there it really kills the power of the bike. </TD></TR></TABLE>

-i LOL'd, thanks for the comedy.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by rochesterricer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Threads like this have had me strongly considering a Duke lately:

http://forum.svrider.com/showthread.php?t=80288
</TD></TR></TABLE>

sure it's nice, but $9k?

 

is the oil filter the lowest part on the duc?

 

I'd go for the Street Triple if I was planning on buying new.

 

Where's the choice for Neither

 

for the money, i wouldn't get either as well.

 

go with the monster, if i were you i would buy a used <U>S4R</U>.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by wesvailco &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

-fay meyers? odd.

-get the ducati, the warranty alone is better than the triumphs. the 696 is a good bike...hell everything is good now a days. i'm biased when it comes to discussions like this.

-i LOL'd, thanks for the comedy.</TD></TR></TABLE>

hey mr. ducati drag racer, leave the mile high state sometime and come to sea level, you might do better on your 1/4 mile runs