Desert X & Hypermotard SP test ride

[weeksy]

This thread has merit

[weeksy]

That SP is absolutely stunning ! I'm impressed you've not bought it

[Supermofo]

No contest between the 2 on looks the HSP all the way.

Nice write up. Re - the side wind on the DX, when I test rode the Tracer 900 I hadn't ridden any fared bikes for years and the first dual carriageway I felt like I was being blown off the road due to the side wind. I did the same route back on the shops GSXS 1000 and didn't even notice it. I'm guessing it's just something I've forgotten after so long being naked.

[mangocrazy]

I like the look of that Hypermotard SP...

[KungFooBob]

Is the display on the SP red and white striped, or is it the reflection from your Brentford kit shirt?

Looks unreadable.

[Yorick]

The Desert X is absolutely hideous.

T'other looks really cool.

[Couchy]

The DX is no better or worse than my £5k 800GS. In fact it's prob worse as the GS engine is fine at very low revs for off road work. The SP looks a lot nicer but the engine in both is from my experience rubbish. If I'm going to put up with rubbish running below 3k revs and other Ducati idiosyncrasies I want the big HP hit of the bigger engines.
As pretty as the SP is as a bike to go anywhere on it's flawed in comfort and wind protection. On track it's flawed as it's not a sportsbike.

For two potential places to put my money neither of these would be anywhere near the top of a list, if they didn't have the Ducati badge no one would consider them tbh

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I've sat on the HSP, and it just feels right, riding position and balance are spot on, suspension feels right, everything just feels right, I'd test ride one if they were in my toy budget.

[Mr Moofo]

The HSP does look rather good
Following on from Couchy's comments - my Diavel hates being below 3k. To ride it you have to pretend it is an IL4 (it has taken me 10 years to realise this), knock it down one gear from where you think it should be, and rev the bollocks off it.
And it is not just the diavel engine that has this trait. It was expected / liveable with in the 998s - but I would bet it will come over as a PITA on the Desert X.
I am not too sure why Ducati don't sort it - because it is not an endearing part of the character.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I've sat on the HSP, and it just feels right, riding position and balance are spot on, suspension feels right, everything just feels right, I'd test ride one if they were in my toy budget.

The Dragster RC was £20k, it looks like I could get a HSP for £15k and with the other £5k I could get some carbon wheels and a low seat.

Although in comparison the triple engine in the Dragster is a peach and the Ducati engine is straight out of a Massey-Ferguson tractor, so it's never going to feel as nice in that department.

I think the one I sat on was £15K, my experience of Ducati engines and gearboxes hasn't been good, so I would definitely want a test ride before I bought one, the Dragster is very pretty, it has weird triangles on the tank that dig into my inner thighs, apart from that I'd buy one over the HSP assuming I wanted to spend that much on a motorcycle (which I don't, mostly because the money is better spent on putting my children through university)

[The Spin Doctor]

Good write up... thanks.

[Yorick]

Come on , stop pissing about.

Weeksy would have bought it, cleaned it and sold it by now

[Supermofo]

The HSP does look rather good
my Diavel hates being below 3k. To ride it you have to pretend it is an IL4 (it has taken me 10 years to realise this), knock it down one gear from where you think it should be, and rev the bollocks off it.

Not on mine, at 2k through towns it's happy as Larry and pulls well even from there. After the 690 it's been nice to roll around in 3rd or 4th at 2k with not a worry and not even need to knock it down coming out the village on the other side I'm not an IL4 fan boy but I'm definitely not a hater either. If anything I've noticed a lot of other engine configurations are becoming more IL4 like in delivery. The difference between the traditional single experience with the Duke II 640 engine and the all top endy Duke IV 690 was chalk and cheese. Several parallel twins are like this now too, all free reving with more power up top.

[Yorick]

Come on , stop pissing about.

Weeksy would have bought it, cleaned it and sold it by now

I don't think it's special enough, within minutes of seeing the Dragster RC I'd put my money down and had one flown in from Italy, I'd never even ridden one, but I think I have the answer I wanted on either of these two Ducatis, I've mulled it over for a few hours but if I really wanted one I'd have ordered it by now.

Yup, that dragster was special.

When I went over to Gran Canaria for my GasGas stuff I was drooling over the GadGas SM. It looks a hoot.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I get the impression that what you're after is an MX riding position, enough power, crisp power delivery and high quality suspension.

[Mr Moofo]

The HSP does look rather good
my Diavel hates being below 3k. To ride it you have to pretend it is an IL4 (it has taken me 10 years to realise this), knock it down one gear from where you think it should be, and rev the bollocks off it.

Not on mine, at 2k through towns it's happy as Larry and pulls well even from there. After the 690 it's been nice to roll around in 3rd or 4th at 2k with not a worry and not even need to knock it down coming out the village on the other side I'm not an IL4 fan boy but I'm definitely not a hater either. If anything I've noticed a lot of other engine configurations are becoming more IL4 like in delivery. The difference between the traditional single experience with the Duke II 640 engine and the all top endy Duke IV 690 was chalk and cheese. Several parallel twins are like this now too, all free reving with more power up top.

But that's a KTM, right?
My 950 SM never had low down grunt issues, neither did my Buell M2 or GSA 1150
My Triumph 1200 Scrambler is all low down grunt

[Yorick]

I get the impression that what you're after is an MX riding position, enough power, crisp power delivery and high quality suspension.

20221203_144029.jpg (1.26 MiB) Viewed 293 times

[Yorick]

I get the impression that what you're after is an MX riding position, enough power, crisp power delivery and high quality suspension.

20221203_144029.jpg

Are they any good on the road though, my KTM300EXC was mint off road but so bad on the road with vibration that my vision blurred up after 2nd gear and I literally couldn't see where I was going.

This engine is fantastic. The Husky was horrible on the road. Must have changed things in last few years.

[crust]

If you want a laugh, compare Potter's review of the DesertX with Carl Fogarty's, wonder what they pay him to spout that much bs?

https://ducatiworcester.co.uk/detail/20 ... ti-desertx

My monster is a pig around town, constantly slipping the clutch to stay below thirty, doesn't sound like they've improved over the last thirty years

I like the looks of the DX but for £15k I could buy an original style 650 Africa twin, give it a good engine refresh and have the money left over for a trip to the Sahara.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/165795168649 ... R7i6qv6lYQ

[Couchy]

Def go try the gasgas 690, that bike in any guise is superb fun. The big single is well behaved at low revs too which makes me wonder why Ducati can’t do that…but as a fun bike that looks cool and feels like a big mix bike the 690 is as close as you’ll get with some creature comforts for road use