v-twin or inline motor????
- Thread starter jixerking
- Start date
RyanITV
Admin
It takes a ton of effort to keep it under control. I just got done doing 2 days @ VIR North (semi-annual Mid-Atlantic Ducati thing) with both bikes. Within 2 sessions, I had dropped to 1:39.7 on the 848 and was fairly confident I'd pick up more time... needed to switch the front tire at lunch, as it was starting to get that lip that's plagued some tires this season and pushing in spots. Figures that I proceeded to channel my inner Chad and lost the front going into T1 on the last session before lunch... ooops!
For the next day and a half, I rode the 1098R... the bike is downright brutal in its power delivery. Not I4 top-end power, but raw, torquey, throw you off the bike power... I'd wheelie between 3 and 4 if I wasn't careful. It's going to take some time to get acclimated - I've put 3000 miles on the 848 this season, and now just passed 300 on the 1098R. Still managed to get to consistent low 1:39s, with a best of 1:39.3. There's much more to be gained - I'm being a little bitch on the front straight because of it coming up pretty high out of T17 and holding back coming out of the esses because it keeps coming up...
Ryan
jixerking
New Member
hmmmm? well, right now im leaning heavily twoards an sv 650 mainly cause its chep and it would be a first time on the track. a guy told me its easier to learn the track environment on that type of bike because of the wider torque spread i could focus on carrying good lines more than shifting.... im trying to get a secoond opinion.
on one.
itaintall
New Member
For what it's worth:
I bought a clean 01 SV650 for $2750.00 and have put about $30.00 (other than tires) in performance mods into it (jetting, front spring spacers, thicker fork oil), and just have a flat-out blast on track days. You can spend twenty times as much and have a small increase in fun, but as far as bang for the buck goes, it's been great. Not that the same kind of bargain can't be found on an I-4, but this is just my example. Maintenance hasn't been bad either. All I've had to replace as far as parts going bad, are one fork seal and a regulator/rectifier--$10.00 on ebay for a GSXR650 part part and 10 minutes rewiring it for the SV. Doing fun stuff on a budget is like a sport with me. I could afford better stuff, but for some sick reason, I enjoy it more when I do it on the cheap.
One related issue: tires. I may be wrong, but my own personal opinion is that using crappy tires--not unsafe tires, but street compounds--when you start out, teaches you how to manage traction at lower speeds; kind of like learning on dirt bikes. My observation has been that guys who start out on today's fantastic sporting rubber, often don't learn how to manage small slides until they get spit off. I guess I've gotten off topic. To sum up, I'd say that my approach is to focus less on the hardware, and more on getting out there, having fun and learning better technique each time I ride. Hunting down and passing bigger bikes on tighter tracks is kind of fun too! again, like a sport.
I bought a clean 01 SV650 for $2750.00 and have put about $30.00 (other than tires) in performance mods into it (jetting, front spring spacers, thicker fork oil), and just have a flat-out blast on track days. You can spend twenty times as much and have a small increase in fun, but as far as bang for the buck goes, it's been great. Not that the same kind of bargain can't be found on an I-4, but this is just my example. Maintenance hasn't been bad either. All I've had to replace as far as parts going bad, are one fork seal and a regulator/rectifier--$10.00 on ebay for a GSXR650 part part and 10 minutes rewiring it for the SV. Doing fun stuff on a budget is like a sport with me. I could afford better stuff, but for some sick reason, I enjoy it more when I do it on the cheap.
One related issue: tires. I may be wrong, but my own personal opinion is that using crappy tires--not unsafe tires, but street compounds--when you start out, teaches you how to manage traction at lower speeds; kind of like learning on dirt bikes. My observation has been that guys who start out on today's fantastic sporting rubber, often don't learn how to manage small slides until they get spit off. I guess I've gotten off topic. To sum up, I'd say that my approach is to focus less on the hardware, and more on getting out there, having fun and learning better technique each time I ride. Hunting down and passing bigger bikes on tighter tracks is kind of fun too! again, like a sport.
LOrtega
Control Rider
Maybe a jap V-twin is as reliable as a jap I-4
but italian bikes are high maintenance BITCHES.
As much as i love my DUC to do track days on her
will require more time and effort than I am willing to commit.
Track bike ratings
JAP I-4 YEEEEEEAAAAAHH!!!!!
SV650 Yeeeah!
DUC Yep.
hank
Member
If you believe that ALL Italian bikes suffer from high maintenance issues, you have never owned an Aprilia Mille... The bike is damn near bullet-proof. They have Japanese/BMW type build quality & reliability.
Since 1999, I have owned both a Duc & an Aprilia, there is absolutely no comparison in terms of reliability....
sternsi
Control Rider
I would take a new mille over alot of other inline 4's. I liked riding a twin as much as the I4. Both bikes will do whatever you need them to do. Most times none of us can actually ride the bike to there limits anyway.
Ryan, Stop being a sally and ride the R like its ment to be ridden. Remember NJ is only a few weeks away
Ryan, Stop being a sally and ride the R like its ment to be ridden. Remember NJ is only a few weeks away
RICKYROADRACER
New Member
Honda CBX How many cylinders? Ride it like you stole it.
FrostyFire
New Member
The only beef I have is the 750 is half the price. Are you getting double the power/fun out of a 1098?
Todd Stinson
New Member
There is no doubt a learning curve in going from a I-4 to a twin with regards to riding style. I was consistently 1-2 seconds slower on my 1098 than my old '03 R6 for the first 3-4 track days until I learned to short shift and run a gear higher in most corners.
Now that I am used to the twin, I love it, and I am going faster than before. On the twin it seems to have sneaky power because you don't have the high rpm power hit and it doesn't sound as violent at 10,000 rpm redline vs a 15-16000 on a 600.
If you shift too much on the twin it can hamper your corner speed as the engine braking can be extreme compared to a smaller I-4. When I started carrying a gear higher, 3rd gear for turn one at summit for example, I was smoother on the entry and could get on the gas way early to "tractor" the bike through that fat torque curve.
I like prefer twins now what can I say?
Now that I am used to the twin, I love it, and I am going faster than before. On the twin it seems to have sneaky power because you don't have the high rpm power hit and it doesn't sound as violent at 10,000 rpm redline vs a 15-16000 on a 600.
If you shift too much on the twin it can hamper your corner speed as the engine braking can be extreme compared to a smaller I-4. When I started carrying a gear higher, 3rd gear for turn one at summit for example, I was smoother on the entry and could get on the gas way early to "tractor" the bike through that fat torque curve.
I like prefer twins now what can I say?