Go for the 899. I’ve ridden a couple 1199s, even had a deposit on one before they started delivering that I cancelled.
I also ride my friends 2005 CBR1000RR and 2010CBR1000RR. The 899 is every bit as fast as the 2010 Fireblade so compared to your modified R1, you won’t regret it, especially after break-in
The 1198 and 1199 for me have just too much power for the street. I love doing high RPM full throttle hard exiting coming off corners on high speed (60-90mph) very curvy mountain roads. You just can’t do that with the 1199, you can’t.
On a race track where the pavement is banked correctly for the turn, sure, but real roads aren’t made that way and are often level or even banked the wrong way. I tend to not rush corners, then carry allot of speed thru them before blasting out of them. I start accelerating prior to the apex rolling it on easy and keeping it neutral with no engine breaking even going into the turn.
I’m usually around 8K right AT the apex as I really start accelerating out of it. The 899 feels like it is made for this style of riding. It’s already a handful on the lower speed 2nd gear turns where the front wheel comes off the ground exiting the corner going into 3rd.
On the 1199 this would just be insane and a death wish on a public mountain road.
I am MUCH happier riding the 899 hard as shit vs. having to control an 1199 on the street. If you plan on allot of track days on very large tracks or ride on straight roads or freeways, go for the 1199. If you ride curvy mountain roads or small tracks, by all means get the 899.
It will give you a permanent ear-to-ear shit eating grin vs. a scary thrill ride that leaves you partially empty because you simply can’t push it to it’s edge without being a professional on a track.
It all just comes down to your skill level, your sense of self preservation, and your respect for laws and the life of others on public roads lol. The 1199 is just in another league from most other liter bikes and the 899 is plenty.
JMHO. Course for me, I had a deposit on an 1199S w/ABS and it was going to be $28K OTD. The 899 ended up being $17K OTD. I would never even consider the base 1199, that’s just me.
I plan on a full Ohlins suspension, carbon or forged aluminum wheels, and a full tuned exhaust, and I’ll still be less than what the 1199S w/ABS would have been OTD and for me, a much better fun factor.
I bought my 848 new and never regretted it for all the years I had it. Hell, I regret even selling it to get the 1199. I should have kept it and gotten the 899 in addition to.
Even riding with my friends on their liter bikes with my 848, I was always faster in the curves, so there was no liter bike envy there haha!
Last edited by 92GTA; March 3rd, 2014 at 10:57 AM .
- Iron Horse Biker Motorcycle Blog Harley-Davidson Forum
- First Ride: 2006 Ducati Monster S2R 1000 – Road Tests: First Rides – Visordown
- 2012 Husqvarna Nuda 900 First Ride – Motorcyclist Magazine
- Ducati Monster SR2 800 Café Pipeburn.com
- Ducati Hypermotard 1100S-Ducati
