The next saga of my biking journey

[menzies3032]

Ok so its test ride time.
Now just keeping my fingers crossed for the bloody weather that its not pissing it down the entire time.
Thanks to Bkingalan for the recommendation of Moto Corsa
and thanks to Moose for the suggestion of the MV Brutale

WIll be taking the GoPro for each of the test rides and recording everything so that i can look back and compare them all.

Brutale 800RR - Monday 17th - Moto Corsa Gillingham
Triumph 765RS - Tuesday 18th - Bridge Motorbikes Exeter
Kawasaki Z900 - Tuesday 18th - Bridge Motorbikes Exeter
BMW F900R - Friday 21st - Ocean BMW - Torquay
Suzuki GSXS 750 - Tuesday 25th - Fowlers Bristol
Yamaha MT09 - Tuesday 25th - Fowlers Bristol

KTM890 DukeR - Looks great and getting great reviews and i think i might be interested in it however KTM have made the decision with all dealerships that they will not supply ANYBODY with a demonstrator so they are expecting and knowing that people will buy the bike without riding it. unfortunately not me so will be dropping this from the list as cant get a test ride.

[Streetmann]

Surely you could have tested the brutal in Torquay (davant) saves going to gillingham?

[Jug]

Rob - I'm actually starting to hear some 'not so good' reports back on the 890 DukeR (issues not yet sorted) so I think that might be one to avoid for a year or so anyway. I do wish KTM would stop using it's customers as beta testers.

Is the MT-09 the SP version?

[Ming]

I wouldn't buy a new to market KTM again after the saga I had with the 790 Adventure.

Personally I'd go for a new 790 Duke. Issues will have been mostly ironed out, they're still pretty quick with 105bhp and light at about 165kg. Suspension might be a bit basic compared to the others but you can get aftermarket stuff and still come in way under the cost of the MV, Triumph etc. £7k new, a grand on Ohlins/K Tech etc and a fruity pipe. It's got an uo/down quickshifter as standard as well.

[menzies3032]

Is the MT-09 the SP version?

I am assuming that’s what I am testing. I have seen reviews saying that the SP is way better then the non SP model I understand the Non SP had very soft suspention which was an issue mid corner and have the bike bouncing around all over the place

[menzies3032]

Surely you could have tested the brutal in Torquay (davant) saves going to gillingham?

It would seem not. Was a struggle getting any test rides from anywhere. The only dealer that really has made a real effort is Ocean BMW. Everybody else is telling me how due to Covid they don’t have the normal demonstrator fleet and I will need to ring around to find one. Anyway all booked now and from the sounds of the reports seem good I’m missing the 890. Have to say in the looks department it’s my least favourite. But that’s personal choice.

[billinom8s]

Is the MT-09 the SP version?

I am assuming that’s what I am testing. I have seen reviews saying that the SP is way better then the non SP model I understand the Non SP had very soft suspention which was an issue mid corner and have the bike bouncing around all over the place

I had one of these in recently and sorted that out for the owner.

Very basic Suspension though.

[MikeZ]

I would have met u for a coffee and heard your thoughts on them all at Fowler's on 25th but i will not be around on that date. Still interested to see your comments on here when you've done them all.

[Jug]

I'm just reading the June 2018 issue of Performance bikes and they actually did a test of the Brutale 800RR, Street Triple RS and MT-09 SP.

Result was MT-09 as best 'bang for buck' but the Street Triple RS was their favourite.
Brutale was fun but flawed... and expensive.

[menzies3032]

I would have met u for a coffee and heard your thoughts on them all at Fowler's on 25th but i will not be around on that date. Still interested to see your comments on here when you've done them all.

Going to be taking the GoPro will try and record some riding and then do a walk around and a review of each. More to make sure that I have my own thoughts straight and i am impartial as can see me buying the last one just because its the last that thing i will have ridden. shiny new metal all looks good and want to way up the pros an cons to reach a final choice.

Will keep the updates coming on here as I go and will post vids to youtube and include links here.

[Tractorwackyracer]

Will keep the updates coming on here as I go and will post vids to youtube and include links here

I am sure you will rob can’t beat a little self promotion of a you tube channel

[TLS-Moose]

So how did the day go then Rob?

[menzies3032]

Well 2 down 1 cancelled (so will need a rearrange) and still another 3 still to ride.

1st was the MV BRUTALE 800 RR I spent most of my time on this test ride picking faults in the bike but without really realising until afterwards just how much I loved it. Looks amazing, has all of the ride-ability that I was after you can be totally happy riding it slowly but if you want to have a turn of speed its totally up for it, lots of trick parts so you know your buying quality and also the dealership Moto Corsa in Gillingham were fantastic.

You Tube Plug time - watch this vid for the full review - https://youtu.be/2sJFzXsE_Xw

[menzies3032]

2nd up was the Triumph Street Triple 765 RS. This was the bike that I thought at the end of all the test rides that I was going to buy. Everything about this bike is good and it has the best of everything at a price to match everybody else. Having ridden the bike I have to say that it does everything fantastically you really cant fault anything on the bike at all...... However..... it felt like a bike I had already owned and it did not feel like a new bike it felt like getting back on a bike I have ridden for years and due to that the experience was really flat.

I don't know if this is due to the hire of the 765 RS from Small Boys Track bikes because it is obviously the same bike however it is in race trim with drop handle bars so expected it to feel different.

You Tube Plug Time - Watch the video for the full review - https://youtu.be/AhozPTNJ5_w

Then of course there is the dealership. I had my doubts before heading to Bridge in Exeter and it seems they were well founded.
1) He could not wait to kick me out the door quick enough as he had another customer he wanted to deal with
2) When i wanted to talk to him about rider modes and the electronics and the dash lay outs to have a play his answer was basically you don't want to piss about with that just ride it (not helpful)
3) He must have told me 5 times that you cant change the rider modes whilst riding. WRONG you can of course change them on the move

[menzies3032]

ok and part 3 of this was supposed to be a test ride on a Kawasaki Z900 Performance.
What was at Bridge waiting for me to ride was a Kawasaki Z900 RS

These bikes are totally different. One is a modern naked the other is a retro cafe racer.
So will now need to rebook with a proper dealer