ST2 v 749S
 

tucked the 749S up for the winter on saturday as we've got the grit on the roads now. Dug the old st2 out from the garadge gave it a quick once over, fluid,oil etc. got me kit on and went for a spin.
I must admit that as i pulled out of the drive i thought sod this!! it was all i could do to ride it in a straight line. After the 749 the lightness of the steering nearly caught me out big time, as did the instant surge of power at low revs.
gave it a few miles once i got outside town to get used to it, then started to put the old girl through her paces. I must say i loved every moment, there is just some thing special about the ducati two valve engine.
So a quick break down of what i found after riding the st for the first time in a while.
The steering is so light comparerd to my 749 that at first you find yourself nearly laying the bike on it's side when you don't want/need too
Bridgestone 020's slide much easier than michilin 2ct's
Even though the 749 is a lot quicker than a st2, a st2 feels a lot quicker
It's much harder to get your knee down on a st2
The gearbox is smoother on a st2 !!
It's so nice to be able to go out for a ride on a bike and only stop at the petrol station once
When you are used to a DP rubber race seat it's very easy to nearly fall off the side off the bike when you get back onto plastc
God an st2 can really fire it's way out of a bend
A st2 jumps and judders all over the place when you get it crancked over in a bend
a 749s seems too do it almost too well. a st2 although a bit slow up top can really excite you on every day roads
i still love my 749 too bits, but i'm glad i didn't flog the st2

Me too ;)

Just gotta get the old girl MOT'd and we'll have an ST2 day out eh?

Glyn mate,just substitute ST2 for Multistrada,and you know how I feel.:D
Had a great rideout with Marko over to Mablethorpe at the weekend,.....just love them 2 valve motors.:D

Shurely this *ought* not to be the case? I would have expected that a 749 gearbox (quite apart from being newer, although that should have an effect too) ought to be significantly smoother than the "big gobbets of torque" ST2.

I have no complaints about the gearchange on my ST2 at all, but I certainly wouldn't say it was better than my old 748. The 748 would snick into first quite silently, for one thing.



Thus far my ST2 seems to have a smaller tank range than my 748 :rolleyes:

This wasn't what I was expecting at all, but io be fair, that's only over one tankful. I'll be monitoring the fuel consumption as the miles clock up, but I'd be hoping for better than 110 miles before the fuel light comes on, especially as I often used to manage 130+ before that happened on the 748 (with a smaller tank?).

i was quite surprised at how smooth the gearbox felt on the st, i think some adjustment might be needed on the tie bar for the gear change on the 749 as the st also feels a hell of a lot closer aswell
as for fuel consumtion i can get a good 130 thrashing the st up to about 180 if i'm on a long cruise
i've never seen more than 95 before i get the light on the 749

Ive never felt the gearbox on my 749 was great.... 5th to 6th sometimes finds neutral which is a nightmare and 1st to 2nd cannot be called smooth!

I get at least 10 miles to a litre and with 17 litres to go before the 6 litre reserve, I've easily had over 200 miles before I filled up.
Even when thrashing it I've still got over 130/140 before reserve came on.