<hr style="background-color: #d1d1e1; color: #d1d1e1;" size="1" /> We've 848SE for about a month now, but I've had limited seat time due to the weather, size of our fleet and the fact that my lady has proclaimed the Corse her "favorite motorcycle of all time." I'm a bit less enthusiastic but here are some quick impressions:
1) Bike is deceptively fast. Accelerates smoothly and briskly. More like a 1K than a 600. But more grunt than our 2011 750 GSXR. No where near the 2011 CBR1000RR, which simply walks away on roll-ons.
2) Stable at triple digits, but squirmy in cross-wind/truck backwash (could be the new tires). This HAS cleared as the tires got more wear.
3) Excellent brakes with very linear feel. Probably the bike's best feature, which is saying a lot since the Ducati is very good as a total package. I'd rate the brakes tops in the fleet.
4) Excellent suspension. Don't feel road ripples. No "baby jack hammer" effect, which happens with some front ends, including the big CBR when I lowered it an inch (lol) for grins and giggles.
5) You ride on it (like most Hondas), not in it (like a Suzuki). It's comfortable for me. Fits well at 5-foot-9. But I do get some numbing bar buzz and wrist pain. This forces me to improve my riding posture and use my core muscles, not arms! This is a good thing.
6) Point and shoot. You look there, it goes there. Very stable in corners, but I haven't track it since engine is still being broken in. 7) Not really happy under 4k. I'm sure it will ride around town all day in 2nd gear.
Not a bike to short-shift. Comes alive at 5k, but only took it to 7 k per break-in limit.
8) Enjoy the exhaust note.
9) Bit tall. Stop lights are tip-toe ballet. Not for the timid or severely vertically challenged.
10) Much better package than the 848 Street Fighter (or whatever that naked bike is called) I test rode a couple days before we got the Corse. SE is more comfortable, better tuned, better brakes, suspension and riding position. Simply better all around. In fact, Street Fighter flat-out sucks!
For those wondering, I prefer this Ducati to the R6, which we also have (along with a GSXR600, CBR600RR and CBR1000RR). Easier to ride on street. Can't say yet on the track.
That's it for now. <div class="alt2 vbseo_liked" style="display: none;">
