Duel F800R Vs Monster 821: two twin motorcycles, but not twins
The family of mid-capacity roadsters welcomes two new members in 2015: the new BMW F800R and the Ducati Monster 821. Site has therefore brought together these two twin-cylinders – one parallel, the other in L – for an unprecedented duel. Comparative test.
Two very different twin motorcycles
On acceleration, on the other hand, the F800R is less convincing than the Monster 821: the German twin is much less punchy than the Italian under 6000 rpm, so that the tests of times on the last report turn to the clear advantage of Testastretta !
Looking at the data sheets, however, we expected the opposite: the BMW is supposed to develop 86 Nm from 5800 rpm, while the Ducati only achieves a comparable value 2000 revs higher approximately (85.2 Nm at 7750 rpm) … On the handlebars, it looks exactly the opposite !
Explosive from 3500 rev / min, the Italian mill finally has a wider range of use on the road, the BMW asking to play more of the gearbox. Who would’ve believed that ?! And even when falling three gears to climb high in the towers, the Red is still ahead of the Blue…
Restrained this year again to 106 horses in France, the Monster 821 leaves six stallions on the other side of the Alps. In 2016, the BMW and its 90 original horses will therefore have even more difficulty in staying in the aspi of the Italian and its 112 hp.
Stronger at mid-range and infernal in the towers, the 90 ° twin is therefore not to be put between all gloves. Its reactivity is also accentuated by the very short pull of its handle: a quarter of a turn is enough to open wide. !
On the BMW, you have to twist your wrist more. This done, it is then necessary to deal with crackling which appears at 4000 rpm in the hands and in the feet and is constantly amplified as the needle rises in the tachometer..
Paradoxically, the engine of the Monster 821 is more pleasant to operate. It also generates vibrations, but they look "good" compared to those that run through the F800R. In addition, by adopting the "Urban" driving mode, the Italian gains in docility. Too bad this function does not add a mute to the pot: pedestrians would surely have appreciated … and the pilot too.
Another regret about the Ducati and its formidable engine: the heat that emanates from the pot and the rear cylinder head after a quarter of an hour may be inconvenient in traffic jams under a heavy summer sun. Under the beautiful spring sun already, MNC struggled to bear.
On pretty little departmental roads, Site was also able to appreciate the Ducati’s phenomenal handling … as long as the tarmac is perfect! Under these conditions, the Italian gives the impression of being able to pass ever faster in a curve..
But like a sports car, the Monster 821 requires a certain technical background and great composure. Between two successive turns, it can quickly erode the confidence capital – until then growing – of the pilot … By pulling as much as possible on second or third gear, the front wheel ends up flying over the ground. It is therefore better to advance as far as possible on the machine.
Likewise, as the pace picks up, the angle changes become noticeably more physical on the Ducati. The feeling is clearly not the same on the handlebars of the BMW: to register it in the curves, its pilot does not exert much more efforts at 50 km / h than at 90.
More sensitive to interventions on the brakes or the accelerator in bends, the F800R is also more serene when winding on degraded roads. Its more flexible suspensions (even in ESA "Sport" mode which limits the movements of the suspensions via a more closed hydraulic) handle bumps and hollows better than those, more stiff, of the Monster.
The nervousness of the front end of the Rouge can also end up winning over its driver: feeling the handlebars shake when passing a connection is never reassuring, especially when tumbling down a curve that was previously perfectly coated…
Also out of bends, the F800R is easier to control, because even by opening the throttle wide and in the right gear, the reaction of the bike remains predictable: its rear axle sags gently, can possibly bounce on a tired surface. , but the trajectory is all in all preserved.
It is by continuing to accelerate fully in a straight line that we discover the usefulness of the steering damper: at – very – high speed, the simple fact of cutting and putting the throttle back abruptly to engage the upper gear is enough. to do gently but surely sway the motorcycle. It is then better to calm things down !
More powerful and more rigid, the Ducati tends to widen more when exiting a curve and therefore requires more work from its rider. Its electronics are also more stressed when the road is crumpled and the handle is fully wrung out: the DTC indicator lights up briefly but the intervention is gentle, almost imperceptible..
To get back to the MNC Building, the editorial staff decides to take – once is not customary – a stretch of highway. The F800R may take longer on the last gear, it is less pleasant to drive at 130 km / h because its parallel twin turns at almost 5000 rpm and gives ants to the hands and feet..
Under the same conditions, the Ducati’s L-twin gallops at almost 5500 rpm but the rider does not feel the slightest discomfort. And despite a slightly higher consumption (+0.5 l / 100 km over our 300 km of driving), the Rouge can go further thanks to its larger fuel tank. !
According to its learned calculations, the Motorcycle Journal of the Net would have emptied the 17.5-liter tank of the Ducati after 270 km. The BMW, which carries 15 liters of gasoline maximum, would have run out of fuel 25 km earlier … and loses a new point.
At the end of this funny duel, Site designates the Monster 821 Stripe as the winner: its much more punchy engine, its sporting skills on beautiful roads and its look of a "top" Italian model particularly seduced the editorial staff and should appeal to the young target clientele. in priority. However, it will have to accept its ergonomics, its price and the noise of its pot !
However, the 2015 F800R has strong arguments against it: its more obvious handling, more comfortable and more peaceful suspensions on rough roads as well as its base price (8,500 €) could tip the scales in its favor..
However, it will be necessary to deal with its shy parallel twin under 6000 rpm and vibrating above 4000 rpm, as well as with its heavy steering at low speed and sensitive at high.
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