So what does a DD bike ride like ?

[couchcommando]

Having never ridden one and having bought one I thought I ought to ask how they ride,handle,brake,go etc.. ?
I've owned/ridden most bikes so direct comparisons are good. We've got a 1998 Aprilia RS250 so I'm imagining it's similar but with a torquey 4 stroke engine ?

[phil_h]

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: :lol::lol:

[Jools]

Errrr....ride like an Aprilia 250 :o:o:o

Wouldn't have thought so mate. I've never ridden a DD bike either, but I would've thought they's ride like a 900SS or a Monster but slower.

They'll definitely take more steering input than a 'prilla to flick onto their side, be slower to turn but a whole lot more stable when they are on their ear.

I'm only going by having ridden the road versions, somebody might come along and tell me they've got their race bike set up to be as nimble as an aprilia...but I doubt it

[couchcommando]

I dunno I'm just guessing going by the weight of the things ;) Similar in race spec to the RS. Brakes are the same. Riding position is also similar. Hard to find road tests on them so keep firing away ;)

[phil_h]

well, for starters, the monster and the ss handle quite differently, and the carby and the ie engines perform very differently.

the ss is quite slow to turn in, but very forgiving to heavy-handedness. It can be set up to suit you sir, but will prob never feel like a prilla cos of the trail difference etc.
the monster feels quite flighty in comparison, and seems to need you to get your weight forward to take control, but I've not run one with clipons yet.

the 620 engine has a much wider powerband than a prilla, and keeps on delivering after its peak power revs too, so that'll feel good for you
you're prob not bothered with the carby engine feel, but its completely different, feeling as if its run out of steam quite early, but it still keeps revving ! It _feels_ as if it has more midrange than an ie, but watching people exit from corners tells a different story.

Now what do the fast people think :saint:

[Edited on 21-10-2005 by phil_h]

[couchcommando]

bugger ok lets be specific and go for the 620ss :)

[AK]

our 2 (2005 M620 & 2001 M currently 620, but just going back to 583) are as slow as the proverbial, compared to all the other bikes we have.

Both feel much slower than the NC30 we ragged about last year too
Handle great, but power delivery is dire.

HTIOH?

[couchcommando]

Handling opinions are prob what I'm after, I'm well used to 60hp and less bikes so kind of know what to expect from the engine :)
I just wanna talk bikes :)

[Edited on 21-10-2005 by couchcommando]

[phil_h]

I think you need a chat with ali

[Scooter916]

HMM kind of depends on your setup, I have Ohlins rear with 10mm of ride height and front dropped a further 17mm. The bike still feels a little too stable:smug: but once layed over it feels very planted, Only problem i have encountered is turning in on the brakes, It seems to want to run wide a fair bit, but hopefully that will be sorted with a revalve over winter. As to comparing it to any other bike i have ridden and thats quite a few (own a bike shop) I cant think of a single one, closest for comparison is possibly a C90:o
Glyn#13

[couchcommando]

wooohooo as I reckon the C90 is one of the best all time bikes ever made I'll go with that, shame I can't do a leading link front axle conversion on mine ;) ;)

[electricsheep]

I think that this show tell you all you need to know


http://img489.imageshack.us/img489/8210/handling9ri.jpg

[TP]

Well - in standard trim they steer slow, and feel like lard. Once they are lifted up a bit and the suspension firmed up they are awesome handling bikes - it's basically a 888 frame.

Brakes - they are good standard but with decent pads in them, like performance friction, they are simply AWESOME! :D

The engine is ok, torquey out of corners but it's still slow. Slow, slow, slow .... but with the good chassis setup, nice brakes etc you can still hustle them around in a respectable time.

[ali]

Having ridden an old SS, a new SS, and two monsters on track this year I can honestly say they all handle completely differently! As far as I'm concerned my old SS handled the best (after I lashed out £500 on an ohlins), but this was mostly due to the increased rear ride height.

At 6'1" I find monsters with clipons to be a bit of a squash, so the longer SS seems to fit better. I also find it easier to get weight over the bars, which helps a great deal for front end feel.

Despite spending all weekend at Cadwell fiddling with the ohlins on the back of my new SS I couldn't get it to change direction anywhere near as quickly as my old bike. I think the whole bike needs lifting which'll mean thinner clipons above the yokes.

As far as comparing them to a 900, the key difference is the rear tyre profile. The 160 gives them a much more flickable nature that their bigger brothers (but not exactly rs250 flickable!), makes my 900SL feel like a bus. :o

Jools: You'll have to ride my SS when it's sorted. I think you'll find it errrr... lively!! :devil:

Cheers,

Ali

[paynep]

I rode a 675SS and 620ie Monster with clip-ons and rearsets back to back.

The SS benefitted from an Ohlins rear, measured fork oil and 60 profile front tyre while the Monster suspension was 2002 vintage, 4500 miles old and had a 70 profile front.

The riding position felt more natural on the SS (I'm only 5'8") but with a bit of work I reckon I could have got the Monster feeling the same. Mind you I'm not in Ali's league speed-wise ;)

As for the new SS, it was interesting that Geoff's 620S had an old-shape tank.....

(PS I have a number of interestingly shaped tanks available following a productive year falling off)

[domski]

I think it's just like riding a bike, and after 3-4 laps on any bike it's all natural and you forget what you're on. The controls are all the same aren't they. Obviously some are faster and some handle differently.

If you rode 10 620 Sports, they'd probably all feel different.

I would think your new one should feel pretty good though ;)