The XB9S is a hard-core street-fighter with state of the art components that are rarely found on anything other than a Buell.
In stark contrast to the CAD-designed Lightning is the all-new
Ducati Monster 1000S. New for 2003 is Ducati's Dual Spark (DS) powerplant. What began as the old 900 Monster's 90-degree V-Twin has been almost totally revised, with a completely new cylinder head, crankshaft, forged connecting rods and, of course, more displacement. The 992cc desmo-valved engine provides motive power for the top-range Monster, Supersport and the new Multistrada models. Bore has increased to 94mm and stroke up to 71.5mm. Fuel is fed by a two 45mm throttle bodies, squeezed with a 10:1 compression ratio to pump out a smooth 85 hp on Hansen's dyno.
Swinging a leg over the Buell, it's hard to believe how small it feels. The compact and upright seating position is somewhere between a dirt bike and a sportbike. It features a 30.1-inch seat height and a super-stubby 52-inch wheelbase. In contrast the Monster takes a distinctly sporting approach to rider position, with higher rear-sets and a motocross-style handlebar that is swept a bit too far forward for our taste. At 56.7 inches, the Duc's wheelbase is four inches longer than the Buell, and its seat height is 1.5 inches taller than the American iron.
Much of the hype surrounding the Lightning chassis centers around the short wheelbase and low CG facilitated by the fuel-containing frame and swingarm, so we expected it to be nimble. It is. In fact, every test rider except myself chastised it for feeling nimble to the point of near-instability. Instead the group preferred the more familiar feel of the Monster.
The Buell Lightning and Ducati Monster are two of the most distinct street-fighters on the market today. Which would you choose?
In the twisty stuff the XB9S is willing to go anywhere you want. The bike reacts immediately to steering input. This was the basic premise for the complaints from the rest of the crew. "It feels scary to me." Blah, blah, blah: What a bunch of babies. All we journos do is ask for the manufacturers to produce more nimble machines. Buell did what we asked. Perhaps they sharpened the knife a little too much. The relative absence of front-end feel is a bit unnerving to the former roadracing set who sampled this duo.
"Around town this riding position seemed fun at first," said Brian Chamberlain about his experience aboard the Buell. "But out on the highway and in the twisties it became very unnerving. Adding to my unease was the bikes short wheelbase and twitchy steering which seemed to make the bike feel very unstable. I would not own this bike without a steering damper and even then I would be a little cautious with my cornering input. Once in the corner and most of the steering input behind you, the bike seemed to gain some stability and would track the corner fairly well."
The Ducati Monster 1000s i.e. is a formidable street-fighter replete with some of the best brakes on the street, excellent new motor and a rich Ducati heritage to back it all up.
The Monster has a different approach to conquering corners. The well-balanced Ducati takes advantage of years of racing experience and that translates into one very capable steed. The stable Duc is extremely acceptant to rider input and is always composed, never really giving any signs of being unsettled, and that inspires confidence. It never exhibits unusual movements upon entry or even mid-corner, nothing to shake your concentration. "The Monster felt much more stable than the Lightning," said Chamberlain. "The bike reacted well to steering input and felt very stable when cranked over in the corners."
Those sentiments were backed up repeatedly in the notes of other riders as well. "Handling was confidence-inspiring, especially compared to the Buell," said head honcho Don Becklin.
The
Ducati is definitely more stable, but it requires a little more effort to bend into the turns. Since were talking about a very small difference in effort, it really is no big deal because both bikes go where they are told. But the Buell does it quicker and this creates that feeling of being almost too nimble, if there is such a thing. The picture that kept popping into my mind as I blasted down the road aboard the Lightning was if I was on riding wide-open on a nitrous-equipped 4-stroke dirt bike down a canyon road.
Rider's complaints about the lack in confidence on the Lightning is due to the sharply aggressive chassis geometry. Its steep 21.0-degree rake angle and scant 83mm of trail are the most aggressive offered on any production streetbike. And more trail is typically what delivers feedback from a front end. Combine that with the stubby 52-inch wheelbase, again less than any other large-capacity streetbike, and you have a nimble but sketchy-feeling machine.
The Buell is very responsive, yes, but maybe overly so. Any input causes the bike to move beneath you. On the freeway the nimble nature and lack of wind protection means that you get the full-blown biker experience. There is no hiding behind the windscreen on this baby. In the cold, it's real cold. The Ducati comes equipped with a small windscreen that provides a bit more protection, but were talking about a few inches of windscreen. Since the windscreen is there it must be noted that the weather strip along the leading edge would not stay in place and was always an eyesore as it is the first thing you see when glancing down at the instruments.
