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Top test Ducati MH 900 evoluzione

Down to business, honey

Passionate design, lovingly playful technology, every weld seam perfect ?? Ducatis MH 900 evoluzione is made for the display case. Or for the MOTORRAD top test, which reveals the true qualities of the chic twin.

It doesn’t happen often ?? and over the years it has actually become increasingly rare that a motorcycle really turns your head. On the one hand, this is due to the flood of overly styled fashion bikes by avant-garde designers, which are undoubtedly very unconventional, but not necessarily beautiful. And on the other hand, the mostly super sporty motorcycles only have one very banal purpose: to be fast. However, since physics teaches us that only approaching the teardrop shape paves the way to being really fast, the trend here is also towards chubby shapes and bulbous cladding domes, in order to mobilize as much topseed as possible while moving quickly with as little resistance as possible. Hayabusa, ick hear you trotting ?? this is the only way to cheat the wind.

And in the midst of the rush of speed, the Ducati MH 900e turns a long nose on the aerodynamicists, free of all demands on the tough competition. Here the wind whistles unabashedly through the airy tubular space frame, getting tangled in the aerodynamically scandalous jagged rear end, which simply lacks the aero rump. With the deliberate renunciation of the laminar flow and the bold pair of silencers placed outdoors, Ducati has created the basis for two-wheelers who are languishing in love. MH 900e, the funny and cheeky mix of Ducati Pantah, bevel SS 900 and 916, made in detail with so much passion and love that the screwdriver falls out of their trousers even for dedicated hobbyists.

Polished aluminum on all corners and ends, stylish cover caps for the normally open knots of the plastic-coated frame tubes. Lightweight, precisely fitting GRP parts with an impeccable paintwork. Even the simulated "oil pan", such as the functionless tank cover and the small protector over the chain sprocket, planned as a striking design element, the Italians cast in aluminum with a rough, rough surface. Not a single chrome-plated plastic part has gotten astray here, but the open-plan headlight blinks a bit sleepily from a solid aluminum porthole, while the polished instrument cluster and black box sit on delicate silent blocks. If you wanted to prepare your 900 SS yourself in a similar quality, you would sit in the cellar from November to April ?? and still had no MH 900e. In this respect, the 30,000 marks are not a bad investment.

Now down to business, honey. How does the officially 29,327 Mark expensive precious metal fare when it comes to driving? A clear message during the seat rehearsal: sport. The seat higher than the handlebars, narrow tank, hard upholstery, high notches ?? the Ducati 916 sends its regards. A clear announcement when starting the 900 Desmo Twin: Still the typical Ducati sound, still grumpy snorkeling at the gallop, when the rider’s razor-sharp injection transforms command into thrust.

Cold start, stop and go, casual strolling, the V-Twin goes along without jerking or twitching, occasionally stumbles only below 2000 rpm and asks for the help of the relatively smooth clutch on the test machine. Apart from that, a heart-refreshing engine with plenty of lard from the cellar, fiery revving and the right shot of robust mechanics. Mechanics that cannot be ignored. Softly whirring toothed belts, in the background the clicking open and close of the desmodromic, accompanied by chirping cooling fins. The venerable old Ducati twin awakens the machinist in the man, puts you in a good mood.

But be careful, the appearance with the M.H 900e should be well planned. Maneuvering and turning from the 850 millimeter high saddle is actually impossible, especially since there is no useful steering angle. So the Ducati is maneuvered onto the starting place by pushing it, and off you go. In a nutshell, the six gears change their position in the country road sprint, the measured 80 hp pull the fully fueled 195 kilogram racer violently forward. Subjectively, the whole thing feels more like 160 than 195 kilograms, which is mainly thanks to the extremely slim and crouched line of the MH 900e. Fully integrated into the tank-bench arrangement, do you feel at home from the spot? provided you indulge in the radically sporty pace. As stooped as the posture is, when it comes to ergonomics, the Ducati engineers are hard to beat. No edges, no corners, perfectly angled, multi-part handlebar stubs and the wide, taut seat padding ensure a satisfied grin for the pilot even after hundreds of kilometers of country roads.

Not outstanding, but easily grown with the performance, the Brembo ensemble grabs the two 320 brake discs and occasionally forces the non-adjustable upside-down fork to block on wavy asphalt carpets. Tighter springs at the front and back would be the icing on the cake, because this Ducati chassis can be peppered into the corners so that even Mike "the bike" Hailwood would have enjoyed it. With plenty of cushioning in the spring elements and the stable chassis, the MH 900e irons through the landscape in accurately drawn arches. Nothing wobbles, nothing pumps? great.

This is also due to the lack of over-the-top wide pulled. With a 120/65 at the front and a 170/60 modesty at the rear, the MH 900 transitions from one sloping position to the other on narrow country roads with ease, without a lack of traction and grip when the two throttle valves are boldly opened. Whereby the almost infinite freedom of inclination allows the grippy Michelin Pilot Sport to run free and happily supports rapid curve dances. Only when braking into curves does the Ducati resist, wants to be forced onto the line with strength.

If the bends continue and the speed increases, the MH 900 evoluzione also has a bit of the Ducati-typical inertia and forces you to give emphatic steering commands, but also gives the red racer this extremely good feeling of security and feedback. How nailed down. To everyone’s surprise, despite the honey-tough damping, the spring elements do not quite iron the worst country roads, but almost flat. And so the adjustable steering damper dangles rather bored on its ball joints for the entire duration of the test. And in the softest position, so that it does not interfere with the desired stroke even with serpentine strangles. Because with the MH 900e this is achieved with the highest precision, which is at best disturbed by worn longitudinal grooves. The compulsory stability test on the unregulated autobahn also does not provide any new insights into straight-line stability. Rabid tearing and tugging on the handlebars – no reaction. Bad bumps and stubborn hard joints with full steam overflowed ?? was what?

Such sovereign stability naturally has a background that can be read from the key data alone. With a relatively high proportion of weight on the front axle, the 1415 millimeter long wheelbase and stabilizing 110 millimeter caster, you don’t have to worry much about straight-line stability on the Ducati. And that the delicate tubular space construction, which integrates the motor, which also forms the swing arm bearing, as a load-bearing element, has proven itself as a world champion over the years. Which can also be transferred to the beautiful single-sided swing arm. Like the frame, the puzzle of pipes and tubes is connected to a stable framework structure using the complex TIG welding process. The result: dainty welding beads as if they were painted right down to the last corner, nothing to be seen of the lovelessly puddled robot work.

A thing that can of course only be realized with manageable production figures. Two thousand MH 900e are assembled in Bologna in the specially created department. In view of the fact that this Ducati is not only a visual major event, but also comes one giant step closer to the dream of the puristic driving machine, is certainly not enough. Ducatisti with a full bank account, a place in the showcase and the desire for unadulterated mechanics should hurry up.

Top test Ducati MH 900 evoluzione

Down to business, honey

Was there anything else? – Ducati MH 900e

Anything else? 0 Watertight plug connections for the on-board electronics0 Oil cooler attached flexibly, can fold away to the rear0 Backlash-free ball joints on the shift linkage 0 Simple assembly of monocoque and seat benchMinus0 The aluminum side stand that is too short folded automatically and bends when stressed by0 Bad visibility in the rear-view mirrors0 The tank cap can be opened Bad grip when opening 0 No splash guard from rear wheel to engine, front fender too short 0 No adjustment options on the fork 0 Noticeably small adjustment range of the rear rebound damping What was noticed: 0 Two small batteries mounted in the area of ​​the center of gravity on the left and right 0 Greatly different length of the two exhaust manifolds 0 Frame and swingarm Plastic-coated Chassis settings in the test Fork: not adjustable, suspension strut: spring base changed from 200 to 196 mm preloaded length, rebound 5 clicks on, compression for sporty driving 1 click, for more comfort on country roads 8 clicks on. Tires tested: Michelin Pilot Sport, air pressure 2.3 / 2.5 bar

MOTORCYCLE readings – Ducati MH 900e

MOTORCYCLE measured values ​​Braking and driving dynamicsBrake measurementBraking distance from 100 km / h 40.2 metersMean braking deceleration 9.6 m / s2 Comments: Somewhat doughy, indirect feeling at the beginning of the braking, with increasing braking force the rear wheel lifts off long before the front wheel reaches the locking limit. The maximum deceleration with warm tires and grippy asphalt is not limited by the possible transfer of braking force from the front wheel, but by the tendency to rollover. The fork compresses until it stops. Handling course I. (fast slalom) Best lap time 21.4 sec Vmax at the measuring point 99.5 km / h Comments: Good steering precision with satisfactory handling. The very forward leaning posture makes braking the tight turning loop a bit tedious, and the motorcycle also looks a bit wobbly when driven in a normal sitting posture. Thanks to the low load changes, you can accelerate early and gently from the turning point. When changing lean angles, the shock absorber partially locks and the compression damping has to be readjusted. Orbit 46 m 0Best lap time 10.3 secVmax at the measuring point 55.8 km / h Comments: Good cornering stability even with load changes, no parts touching down, but a clear righting moment when braking.

Conclusion

A daring design with provocative elements polarizes the community. But the standing applause from the audience confirms: The MH 900e is arriving and not only impressing the Ducati warehouse. That with the fiery red Ducati a real cornering burner with brilliant driving dynamics was born? even more beautiful.

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