Newbie to the board - and just had this exact quandary. 848 Evo Corse SE or new 899.
In the end the 899 won and I take delivery on Saturday, to join an immaculate 1993 Monster 900.
I rode a stock 848 on track with Ducati when it launched, and it was hero material - fit me like a glove and within half a dozen laps I had my knee down through the bombhole at Snetterton (UK).
Lot's of pro's for the 848 - single-side swing arm, lots of depreciation done, 'that' paint job on the Corse SE, possibly a bit of a collector piece in years to come.
But....one drive of the 899 and I was hooked. The quick shift is immense and will really help on longer rides, as will the easier ergo. Let's be clear, this bike is designed to be much easier for road riding, not track like the 848. The suspension is amazingly compliant for something so sporty. But for me it just *felt* special. Not that the 848 didn't, but it just had the hard to describe exotic edge that a Ducati sports bike should have.
I felt the brakes were a little nothing nothing nothing everything, but other than that I don't have a negative word to say about it. For a fast road bike that does the odd track day, it's perfect in my eyes. Roll on Saturday!!!
In the end the 899 won and I take delivery on Saturday, to join an immaculate 1993 Monster 900.
I rode a stock 848 on track with Ducati when it launched, and it was hero material - fit me like a glove and within half a dozen laps I had my knee down through the bombhole at Snetterton (UK).
Lot's of pro's for the 848 - single-side swing arm, lots of depreciation done, 'that' paint job on the Corse SE, possibly a bit of a collector piece in years to come.
But....one drive of the 899 and I was hooked. The quick shift is immense and will really help on longer rides, as will the easier ergo. Let's be clear, this bike is designed to be much easier for road riding, not track like the 848. The suspension is amazingly compliant for something so sporty. But for me it just *felt* special. Not that the 848 didn't, but it just had the hard to describe exotic edge that a Ducati sports bike should have.
I felt the brakes were a little nothing nothing nothing everything, but other than that I don't have a negative word to say about it. For a fast road bike that does the odd track day, it's perfect in my eyes. Roll on Saturday!!!