All Duels – Out of competition … but not out of play! – At 90 and 130 km-h on the road …

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Out of competition … but not out of play !

All Duels - Out of competition ... but not out of play! - At 90 and 130 km-h on the road ...

In the family of sports motorcycles, two models are currently set apart: the Ducati 848 and the Suzuki GSX-R 750. The site therefore had to confront the Italian and the Japanese, both on the road and on the circuit … Duel !

At 90 and 130 km / h on the road…

Out of town, the two motorcycles come back to life … and their riders too! Whoever rides the Ducati is also not unhappy to feel the wind press against his chest: that’s always less to endure for his wrists, strained by the plate strongly tilted to the front..

In the long run, the protection of the Suzuki proves to be appreciable: without naturally reaching the level of a GT – but all the same quite close to the current "road" -, the GSX-R 750 allows the pilot to take refuge behind his bubble during long journeys by bending the back. The tension in the neck and the whistling of the helmet thus decrease considerably, which the Ducati rider, lying behind the Italian "gale", would not even dare to dream of. !

Always question comfort, the two motorcycles are distinguished by their propensity to generate vibrations: present under the buttocks because of the hammering of the two pistons, those of the 848 are bearable and can even contribute to the natural charm of the beautiful Italian..

On the other hand, the perceptible crackling at the level of the handlebars and the footrests on the Gex cause unpleasant tingling in the hands and feet, especially during long motorway journeys..

Wherever they come from and whatever their route, these vibrations all seem to converge on the mirrors and significantly alter the monitoring of the rear on the two frames … Too tapered at their ends and not very spaced, the mirrors of the Ducati almost useless anyway !

Those of the Suzuki are a little more useful: wider, they allow the pilot to control the return of the 848 … Because in the event of sudden acceleration, the Suzuki leaves no chance for the Ducati !

Stalled in sixth on expressways, the response to the demands of the right grip are indeed not the same. The observation is clear: on the last report, the GSX-R 750 outright humiliates the 848, although the injection and the transmission work perfectly on both machines! Handicapped by a too long final gear ratio (at 4000 rpm, the Ducat ‘is already running at 110 km / h in sixth …), the Italian is literally dropped by the Japanese.

The 4-cylinder is definitely a hell of a motor! Picking up from 1,500 rev / min without flinching, it pulls in a virile and uninterrupted manner from 3,500 rev / min. Its power is magnified by the hoarse growls of the pot and the whistles of the air box: enjoyable !

But beware, the 848 is not left out! Once warned – and a bit disappointed, even dubious about the restraints of the two motorcycles – the Ducati rider falls two gears and then manages to contain the attacks of the Japanese missile. And in this case, the Bologna bomb is on par with the GSX-R. Phew !

In addition, the Italian soundtrack has nothing to envy to the Japanese: the two silencers – if we dare say so – produce a deep and angry sound. A delight !

When approaching the bends, the gap widens further between the two motorcycles because the cycle parts stand out clearly on the road, where the quality of the surface can sometimes be poor..

In this situation, the Suzuki works wonders while the Ducati quickly regained its place in the mirrors … In standard setting, the suspensions of the Japanese are much more comfortable than those of the Italian because the fork and the Gex mono-shock absorber better erase the brutal imperfections of the road.

On the other hand, mass transfers are more sensitive than on the 848 and fans of stiff motorcycles – therefore effective ?! – will prefer the reactions of the Italian, even if it means jumping unpleasantly at the option of the bumps and furrows dotting most of our winding roads…

More pleasant to drive, the GSX-R 750 facilitates the work of the pilot who mainly concentrates on the fluidity of his trajectories. During this time, the one who rides the 848 tries to make his way between each irregularity in the asphalt and plays with the box so as not to lose sight of the rear wheel of the Gex..

Under braking, the balance tilts on the other hand towards the Italian: the firm attack of the Brembo calipers of the Ducat ‘corresponds better to the expectations of the "sporting" biker than that too soft of the Tokico of the Suzuki. Power and dosage level, the Ducati retains the advantage…

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