[Tuscan1408]

Hi All,

I'm based in Buckingshire, UK, returning to riding after about 4 years and ordered 821.

Undecided if I rushed into ordering a new bike and wondering what new Ducati's are like to own. May I ask the forum for some advice/basic questions?

Has anyone had any regular issues with reliability on the 821 ?

In the UK, servicing costs are around £200/service ?

Is there any solution to the right heel rubbing on the rear peg/exhaust guard?

For some occasional touring, I noticed the Ducati bags looked like nearly £1000, does anyone have any other recommendations, which aims to keep to the look of the bike?

Out of interest, are there any regular Ducati owners meets in Bucks ?

I'm torn between this and the BMW S1000R, absolutely no real complaint about either bike, just finding it very hard to take final decision. The character and V Twin sound is thrilling, whilst the everyday nature of the BMW (heated grips, cruise control) and all the electric toys, including suspension adjustment and the sound of the in-line 4 heading towards 160bhp is also addictive!

I think the only way is to try them back to back but appreciate any tips.

Many thanks and apologies if the questions are too basic for this forum!

 

[SilverMonster]

Having never ridden the S1000R, I couldn't comment on that, I'm sure if you have asked the same questions on the BMW forum, they will give you a similar slightly biased set of answers as you are probably about to get on here ;-)

Firstly, the 821 is a phenomenal bike. I've had no reliability issues at all but it's still a very new bike and only done just over 1200 miles so wouldn't expect any issues at this point. The only minor issue was a spring that had gone on the rear brake pedal, that was fixed / upgraded by the dealership with no issues.

I can't remember exactly the price of the first service but it was close to what you mention. At the same time I had them fit some heated grips also which work perfectly well and they have done a very neat job of installing them also.

I think the right heal rubbing issue depends on your riding style, I've never had any issues at all.

The price of the touring bags from Ducati also put me off buying those but with some advice have purchased some Kriega bags which look great and are very well reviewed.

As you say, the character and sound of the Monster engine is amazing. That stock exhaust is so good and in my opinion sounds better than the 1200. It spits, pops and burbles at all the right times and when you wind it up, is absolutely amazing.

I was sold after one test ride on the 821. I went for the Stripe version after some consideration and am very pleased. Do I think about other bikes? Yes. Until I'm on the 821 and realise it's everything i could want in a bike at the moment. It's got way more to give than I could probably ever get out of it on the roads, and for that reason am planning to take it to the track to try it out there also. It will do the around town stuff very comfortably especially if you change the modes, flip it back into Sport where the roads / conditions permit and I guarantee it will put a smile on your face.

I'm sure you will make the right decision for you and I'm sure everyone here will be pleased to help.

 

[JosephHanna]

Hi All,

I'm based in Buckingshire, UK, returning to riding after about 4 years and ordered 821.

Undecided if I rushed into ordering a new bike and wondering what new Ducati's are like to own. May I ask the forum for some advice/basic questions?

Has anyone had any regular issues with reliability on the 821 ?

In the UK, servicing costs are around £200/service ?

Is there any solution to the right heel rubbing on the rear peg/exhaust guard?

For some occasional touring, I noticed the Ducati bags looked like nearly £1000, does anyone have any other recommendations, which aims to keep to the look of the bike?

Out of interest, are there any regular Ducati owners meets in Bucks ?

I'm torn between this and the BMW S1000R, absolutely no real complaint about either bike, just finding it very hard to take final decision. The character and V Twin sound is thrilling, whilst the everyday nature of the BMW (heated grips, cruise control) and all the electric toys, including suspension adjustment and the sound of the in-line 4 heading towards 160bhp is also addictive!

I think the only way is to try them back to back but appreciate any tips.

Many thanks and apologies if the questions are too basic for this forum!

I have an s1000r and a Monster 1200. Don't ask me how that happened...it just did. They're (as you might imagine) very, very different takes on the naked bike theme. One thought comes to mind in regard to your post, the s1000r doesn't really strike me as a bike with an everyday nature about it. Not that it wouldn't make an everyday bike but it's first and foremost beastly by nature. It's mayhem managed in a naked disguise. For me the 821 (despite it not having heated grips and BMW electronics) would make a better everyday machine.

I'd be very hard pressed if I had to pick only one but I think for me I'd probably pick the Ducati over the BMW. The BMW is smooth and precise and teutonic. It's taller (if that matters) and much more linear across it's rev range. As I mentioned it's frighteningly fast. Honestly it does nearly everything dang near perfect. The Ducati is kinda the polar opposite. It's visceral and noisy. It's completely snarky in first gear and mostly snarky in 2nd. The suspension isn't nearly as perfect both in feel and capabilities. I don't think the Monster 1200 is as brutally fast as the BMW but still makes power in a totally invigorating way.

In the end I'm pickin' the Monster for the very simple reason that nothing out there "feels" like a Ducati. It's a rewarding riding experience despite not having the specs of the BMW.

You won't go wrong with either!

 

[Tuscan1408]

Thanks Both,

Very helpful. Yes, while the S1000R has all the toys, and I take the point, able to to town, predominantly it's a beast, very interesting to hear you would stick to the Monster's.
Especially since Joseph is lucky enough to have both and would still pick the Monster!
Will have to give them a final go back to back and take a final call.

But... Thanks to the administrators of this site, I had no idea that a simple post would return real practical advice so quickly, thanks again all.

 

[rz33v4]

Interesting you would compare the Monster 821 to the BMW S1000R. Surely the Monster 1200 is the better match in size, performance and price.

 

[hondacrazy]

Check out SW Motech for another bag option. I just got their tank lock bag, and plan on doing the panniers in the near future. Cheaper, and looks streamlined when removed.

 

[JosephHanna]

Interesting you would compare the Monster 821 to the BMW S1000R. Surely the Monster 1200 is the better match in size, performance and price.

You know it's funny..when I bought my 1200 I rode the 821 and the 1200 for most of an afternoon. Granted I was very new to the machines but at that point in time I didn't think there was a massive gap between the performance of the two bikes. There probably is but in that moment of buying frenzy I didn't think so. Both the 821 and the 1200 grunt so wonderfully down low that maybe I didn't get to the raw top end speeds of the bikes for a proper comparison. In the end I got the 1200 not so much on performence but the simple fact the 1200 was a better deal. As to the OP's question either bike (821 or 1200) is just a very, very different experience than the s1000r. I'm not sure 821-vs-1200 really matters in this comparative scenario. The Ducati's feel like...well...Ducati's. The BMW is in a completely different place. Not good or bad just really different.

 

[Watky]

I went from a street triple r to the 821. In the beginning I thought it was a great switch but didnt take long to realise the faults of the 821.
Suspension is crap.
Commuting heat is terrible.
Unsolvable missfire and low speed surging on my bike

In our country the 821 is an expensive bike with subpar performance compared to certain other bikes.
Id love a 1000r if I was taller

 

[JosephHanna]

I went from a street triple r to the 821. In the beginning I thought it was a great switch but didnt take long to realise the faults of the 821.
Suspension is crap.
Commuting heat is terrible.
Unsolvable missfire and low speed surging on my bike

In our country the 821 is an expensive bike with subpar performance compared to certain other bikes.
Id love a 1000r if I was taller

I'm not sure what you mean by you'd love the s1000r if you were taller especially coming from your previous bike the Street Triple R. The seat height is taller on the Street Triple R than it is on the BMW? I've heard the "suspension is crap" mantra for awhile now. I can say for sure the BMW variable is better but it's not worlds better. The Monster is of course non-adjustable but it's absolutely well planted and most importantly I trust it every bit as much as I trust the BMW. I've ridden bikes recently where the suspension is real world, without a doubt, crap (Fz-09) but the Monster is worlds removed from that. I have a real difficult time calling it "crap".

Yes it's hot as has been all Ducati's since the dawn of history. If that's makes the bike inferior then you'd have to throw that same blanket across every Ducati ever to roll of the line. If you think the Monster is hot you should sit on a Panigale for a hot afternoon The same goes for snarky 1st and 2nd gear. Every Ducati ever made has snachiness low down. I understand that may be a problem for many but the correct answer to these problems is to steer clear of Ducati's. You can't change the spots on a Lepoard

As far as misfires I'm not sure what you mean? That's unfortunate that your dealer can't sort that out though. Sorry to hear. I've fortunately never had any mechanical/engine problems on the Monster.

 

[Watky]

Street triple r was too tall for me.
821's suspension is harsh, dives during braking compared to the street triple r suspension.
Ducati had the bike for 6.5 weeks trying to fix it but haven't a clue. I just put up with it now.
If your using it as a weekend bike and not a commuter you can ride around its engine problems.
Now if you add up the issues ive got you might also be a bit peeved.
Perhaps the 1200 or stripe 821 would be the better option to give adjustability.

 

[JosephHanna]

Street triple r was too tall for me.
821's suspension is harsh, dives during braking compared to the street triple r suspension.
Ducati had the bike for 6.5 weeks trying to fix it but haven't a clue. I just put up with it now.
If your using it as a weekend bike and not a commuter you can ride around its engine problems.
Now if you add up the issues ive got you might also be a bit peeved.
Perhaps the 1200 or stripe 821 would be the better option to give adjustability.

Yep that's a drag if your bike is not able to be tuned correctly. Has your dealership been able to document the problem? Impossible to tell from here but that sounds like a computer ECU issue. I'll assume you trust your dealership to be using the latest and correct flashes?

My 1200 doesn't dive much more than my BMW. More yes, but a lot more no. Often times riding styles do reflect the need for more or less adjust-abilities. The Street Triple R, as you know, is a great suspension that is fully adjustable. That accommodates a much broader variety of riders. I could be wrong since I don't personally know you but it sounds as if front end adjustability is a must for you. There are front fork cartridge kits available for the 821. Not cheap but if I was having front end dive issues might be a lot better solution than losing money on buying a new bike.

 

[Watky]

1200 has better forks then the standard 821 the 1200s better forks again. Honestly the 821 was meant to be a stepping stone to help get used to bigger engine road bikes before moving into a diavel.
There are many happy monster owners out there and a few disgruntled ones with electrical issues such as mine.
The 821 is a sublime engine when it works. Lots of character. But if you commute in heavy traffic, lots of character can become an annoyance.
Id recommend spending several test rides on the bikes your interested in across varying riding conditions to gauge what feels best for you.

 

[Tuscan1408]

Decision made between the S1000R and Monster 821

Thanks to all the replies, including advice on luggage.

Only way to resolve S1000R vs Monster was to take the day off today and try them back to back.

Thanks to the superbly helpful guys at both BMW Bahnstormers Maidenhead and Ducati Aylesbury, arrangements made.

First 821 vs 1200
Both are brilliant, I found the 1200 very easy to ride but between the two, eliminated the 1200 on the basis the power and growl of the 821 was enough and reaching red line on the smaller bike was much easier and therefore fun.

Then BMW S1200R
Superb machine, loved the quicker shifter, sounds like a formula 1 jet engine taking off, so easy to change the suspension between hard, soft, normal and you can feel the difference. Simple to change between the engine modes and heated grips a luxury. Acceleration mind blowing, that's in every gear.
Real Jenkyl and Hyde and most of the time, brilliant at somewhere in between... I felt faster in the corners (for me, not for everyone I'm sure) So NO faults at all apart from the Cat being visibly ugly.

Then the 821
Not as many toys as the S1000R, felt a real handful and demanded much more concentration; very hard to deal with the wind blast towards upper ends, compared to the S1000R. But the seating position felt a little more upright and more comfortable (I'm 6" or 180cm), the stock pipes sound gorgeous, but the Termi pipes sound like all hells broken loose. Despite the 3 engine modes which all work effortlessly (I didn't have any problems in town riding with Touring or urban modes), somehow, they all felt like one mode - Attack!!

Then the very hard choice and which of the very helpful dealers to let down??

It suddenly became very simple (as some of you commented and I know understand). The S1000R felt like the better bike if I was looking for a smooth Porsche , brilliant at every day commute and playing hard) but most of the time felt normal and easy.

This was my 3rd ride on the 821 and for the first time, I started to gel with the character (Attack mode!!) and despite not having as many toys as the S1000R, was simply more engaging... So if instead of the smooth Porsche, you would go for the utter neck snapping, gut wrenching feel and sound of a TVR (Attack mode!!), then this was the one which provokes a bigger smile.
So despite both being superb but different, I'm thrilled to confirm my order for 821 Stripe with the Termi!

Now can't wait till 1-Mar to collect!!

 

[hostile]

Thanks to all the replies, including advice on luggage.

Only way to resolve S1000R vs Monster was to take the day off today and try them back to back.

Thanks to the superbly helpful guys at both BMW Bahnstormers Maidenhead and Ducati Aylesbury, arrangements made.

First 821 vs 1200
Both are brilliant, I found the 1200 very easy to ride but between the two, eliminated the 1200 on the basis the power and growl of the 821 was enough and reaching red line on the smaller bike was much easier and therefore fun.

Then BMW S1200R
Superb machine, loved the quicker shifter, sounds like a formula 1 jet engine taking off, so easy to change the suspension between hard, soft, normal and you can feel the difference. Simple to change between the engine modes and heated grips a luxury. Acceleration mind blowing, that's in every gear.
Real Jenkyl and Hyde and most of the time, brilliant at somewhere in between... I felt faster in the corners (for me, not for everyone I'm sure) So NO faults at all apart from the Cat being visibly ugly.

Then the 821
Not as many toys as the S1000R, felt a real handful and demanded much more concentration; very hard to deal with the wind blast towards upper ends, compared to the S1000R. But the seating position felt a little more upright and more comfortable (I'm 6" or 180cm), the stock pipes sound gorgeous, but the Termi pipes sound like all hells broken loose. Despite the 3 engine modes which all work effortlessly (I didn't have any problems in town riding with Touring or urban modes), somehow, they all felt like one mode - Attack!!

Then the very hard choice and which of the very helpful dealers to let down??

It suddenly became very simple (as some of you commented and I know understand). The S1000R felt like the better bike if I was looking for a smooth Porsche , brilliant at every day commute and playing hard) but most of the time felt normal and easy.

This was my 3rd ride on the 821 and for the first time, I started to gel with the character (Attack mode!!) and despite not having as many toys as the S1000R, was simply more engaging... So if instead of the smooth Porsche, you would go for the utter neck snapping, gut wrenching feel and sound of a TVR (Attack mode!!), then this was the one which provokes a bigger smile.
So despite both being superb but different, I'm thrilled to confirm my order for 821 Stripe with the Termi!

Now can't wait till 1-Mar to collect!!

Congrats.

I just picked mine

 

[JosephHanna]

Thanks to all the replies, including advice on luggage.

Only way to resolve S1000R vs Monster was to take the day off today and try them back to back.

Thanks to the superbly helpful guys at both BMW Bahnstormers Maidenhead and Ducati Aylesbury, arrangements made.

First 821 vs 1200
Both are brilliant, I found the 1200 very easy to ride but between the two, eliminated the 1200 on the basis the power and growl of the 821 was enough and reaching red line on the smaller bike was much easier and therefore fun.

Then BMW S1200R
Superb machine, loved the quicker shifter, sounds like a formula 1 jet engine taking off, so easy to change the suspension between hard, soft, normal and you can feel the difference. Simple to change between the engine modes and heated grips a luxury. Acceleration mind blowing, that's in every gear.
Real Jenkyl and Hyde and most of the time, brilliant at somewhere in between... I felt faster in the corners (for me, not for everyone I'm sure) So NO faults at all apart from the Cat being visibly ugly.

Then the 821
Not as many toys as the S1000R, felt a real handful and demanded much more concentration; very hard to deal with the wind blast towards upper ends, compared to the S1000R. But the seating position felt a little more upright and more comfortable (I'm 6" or 180cm), the stock pipes sound gorgeous, but the Termi pipes sound like all hells broken loose. Despite the 3 engine modes which all work effortlessly (I didn't have any problems in town riding with Touring or urban modes), somehow, they all felt like one mode - Attack!!

Then the very hard choice and which of the very helpful dealers to let down??

It suddenly became very simple (as some of you commented and I know understand). The S1000R felt like the better bike if I was looking for a smooth Porsche , brilliant at every day commute and playing hard) but most of the time felt normal and easy.

This was my 3rd ride on the 821 and for the first time, I started to gel with the character (Attack mode!!) and despite not having as many toys as the S1000R, was simply more engaging... So if instead of the smooth Porsche, you would go for the utter neck snapping, gut wrenching feel and sound of a TVR (Attack mode!!), then this was the one which provokes a bigger smile.
So despite both being superb but different, I'm thrilled to confirm my order for 821 Stripe with the Termi!

Now can't wait till 1-Mar to collect!!

Yea as you're aware that pretty much echoes my thoughts exactly. Congrats on your new bike as you will love it! You can't go wrong with either machine. Some days I'm in s BMW frame of mind but honestly most days I take out the Monster. Like I did this morning!

 

[Dennistoun Dark]

My son and I both ride. I had a VFR800 and GSXR 600 in the garage and decided to have a look at at the 821. My son came with me and was taken by the Panigale. To cut a long story short, we looked at the 821 and 1200s after considering the Panigale. The upshot was that I traded in both bikes and got an 821 and 1200s last week. Suffice to say that initial impression is that both are blinding bikes and a bit different. I've been commuting on the 821 (in rainy Glasgow) and it is a fantastic bike handling great in town on urban mode but is a hooligan bike in sports mode.

The 1200 is a beast and makes me smile all day long! I have Termi race cans on both. The Ohlins uspension on the 1200s is awesome and worth the money but the stock suspension on the 821 is absolutely fine - I've just got rid of 2 bikes with Ohlins suspension and it's comfy enough for my 17 stone frame. I would suggest that a new bike with problematic suspension should go back to the dealers!

This is the first Ducati I have bought and would recommend that you go for it!

 

[magpie]

You can get an aftermarket adjustable cartridge kit put in the front of the 821 if the suspension is annoying. (Andreani is the brand.) I just did that to mine and highly recommend it.

Congrats on your purchase! I test rode a bunch of bikes, including the street triple. It felt so smooth and brilliantly put together (and has adjustable suspension) but the character of the 821 won me over every time. I love my bike.

 

[Dennistoun Dark]

the character of the 821 won me over every time. I love my bike.

Absolutely! I ride to work every day with a smile on my face now - even in the rain and wind! It's so much lighter than the VFR and hugely enjoyable. I also feel that I am more involved with my riding as well!

I have looked at the cartridges for the front suspension and am seriously considering it, though I will use the 1200S for the longer journeys!

 

[Jack308]

Congrats Tuscan, you wrote up a great comparison for future buyers, but you gotta go with the beast, your gonna love it.