If you were to decide between a Street and a Monster, which would it be?
I love my '07 Street Triple to bits, although have toyed with the idea of ‘upgrading’ to a Street R. I’m not keen on the new 2013 Street model either, or the modifications that seem to have toned it down from the original.
The Ducati Monster 696 has great reviews - although I have heard the 796 is closer to the Street’s performance. So - out of interest - which would you choose? Although I love my Triumph and have had it for coming up to three years (prior to that I had a Hornet) - I am toying with the idea of change.
Anyone here had both? Or any Ducati fans about? Would be interested to hear your thoughts.
Ducatis are very nice and as a Woman on a Ducati you’d get lots of attention I think. They are even less reliable than Triumph though so you’d probably make it as far as the Ace but you’d miss out on the day’s rideout as it wouldn’t get much further than that.
I test rode the monster, hornet, F800, ZX 750, Street Triple R, FZ8 & GSR 750 back to back all in one day and the best bikes were the Triple and the GSR. The Duke was too agricultural and the clocks are positioned below your chin so you have to look down to see what speed you are doing then look back up to see where you are going. The Duke had near enough straight bars which felt good but it just didn’t put a smile on your face like the street or the GSR.
GSR had the most torque of the lot, very sporty, super comfy, easy to live with and was awesome to ride because of the GSXR 750 K5 engine. The street triple edged it with the characterful engine and awesome british design touches. The new street triple has followed Suzuki’s path and moved the pipe from underneath the seat to traditional side mount as this lowers centre of gravity, which in turn improves handling and flickability.
The duke is a good bike but it’s not as great as the others are. Test ride some the above bikes and then ride the duke last. You will see what I am trying to say …
Hels, please dont get rid of your triumph for a Ducrappy! if you want to upgrade to the R model im sure there are still dealer stock of the old model somewhere that you could get at a good price/trade in.
also, for the money, (considering you have one already and for a great price) i cant see any real point in upgrading to the R. yeah it has adjustable suspension, and slightly better brakes, but for the thousands you are going to be paying to trade in for a new one is it really worth it? engine makes no more power, and character is the same.
if it was me, and the bike has no issues, i wouldnt bother
I agree. If you buy the current copy of Performance Bikes (if it’s still in the shops) they have done a great article on reader’s modified street triples over 5 pages. The summary is to ditch the catalytic converter and fit an after market exhaust, then remap the ECU. This lowers the weight of the bike and can increase power by 8-10BHP. Also, Daytona Monoblock calipers, rear shock and forks will improve handling and braking (they fit straight in). Fit a good set of tyres and have all your suspension set up by a specialist (like B) to your weight. It will be a great adventure and you can improve your bike monthly from pay-day to pay-day. Pretty sure this path will make your bike better than a 2013 street triple R if done well.
Cheers all for your advice! I have an arrow can (low boy) already and Matt (OMC) recently sorted out the tail tidy, but the other modification ideas look great. From what people have said on the thread and PM it would be madness to go for a Ducati because the Street is an all round better ride. What I might do is test ride an R and see what the difference is between that and the 07 Street, plus look into some of the mods suggested.
Happy New Year all - always good to come on here for some sensible advice as always:)
I have ridden both and the Ducati wins in terms of looks and character. Reliability wise a neighbour did 16000m in 2 years on his 796 in all weather conditions, bike left outside all the time, not even covered and never had any probs with it.
Both bikes are fun and easy to ride so up to you so go on a test ride and see for yourself.
Funnily enough, seeing your post Barry reminded me of how clean the bike was when you borrowed it. So - just spent time cleaning all the mud, grease and grime of the road off it and drying it off with a towel and a hairdryer
Having read all the above am pretty sure I’ll stick with the Triple and make a list of Joey’s suggested mods to look at with Matt at OMC. However - Westie does have a very nice Street R going at the Triumph store - so am also considering the upgrade option (having coveted Thamer’s R also for a while too!). I would like to test ride the Ducati though just to make sure, so as I have until the 7th Jan off am going to book some in.
One of the things I find tricky about my street is the stiffness and reach of the clutch / front brake, which is fine when riding out in the countryside / motorways when progress is faster, but not so good on commutes in town.
I’m with Joey R1 on this. If you like the bike, why not just update the thing and fix the niggles?
You might think spending £lots is a bit daft but if you work out the true cost of changing vehicles (commonly works in spades for cars too) and factor in depreciation over, say the next three years, it’s commonly cheaper. More environmentally friendly too, if that helps.
Odd tip. If you go that route, keep all the standard parts and store them carefully, you will either get a better price for the bike by including the original bits in the sale, or you can return it to standard and sell the trick bits separately.
