THETEST

WORDS BY MARTIN CHILD + PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHIPPY WOOD AND TOM CRITCHELL (STUDIO)TEST TEAM: MARTIN CHILD + TOM BEDFORD + PETE BOAST + ANDREW MOOK

Why run with the crowd when you’ve worked hard in life? Indulge yourself with one of these beauties

Affordable exotica

Benelli Tornado Tre£9999, 198kg, 110bhp, 139mphIncredible to look at, the Tre is thebudget end of the Benelli range,having just had a £2000 price cut.Evocative to ride, but yet to proveit can stay the course.The old Tornado was a 650cc twin sports tourer from way back in 1969.

Ducati 999£11,250, 199kg, 115bhp, 148mphThe successor to the beautiful and dominant 998, the looks of the 999 divide opinion but there’s no arguing with the performance.The old 999 was the 998 – which is still winning races on the WorldSuperbike stage.

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Aprilia RSV-R£8525, 189kg, 117bhp, 151mphMore successful as a road bikethan race bike, the RSV-R wasalways the best V-twin for youand me. Does the new bike followthat trend?The old RSV-R is now called theFactory and the old RSV Mille isnow called the RSV-R. Simple. Eh?

Ducati 749S£9795, 199kg, 103bhp, 141mphBaby bro’ to the 999 and the choiceof many in-the-know riders. Whatit gives away in power it claws backin handling.The old 749 was the 748. Object ofa thousand posters and one of thesweetest packages in motorcycling.When it was working.

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* There has never been a test quite like this. Full-on science meets mile after mile of gritty, real-roadblasting.Whatever the bike, whatever the weather, the Bike Test will deliver the definitive verdicton which one you should buy. Road testing will never be the same again. Part one is the revised,tougher-than-ever Bike Test Route: 440 miles of hand-picked roads. From tyre-blisteringly fast Aroads and twisty back roads to soul-shrinking motorways and the trickiest of rush hour towns, theroute will highlight the best and worst of a bike’s behaviour. Part two is the test track. Pushingmachines to their limits around the notorious Bruntingthorpe test facility, we measure top speed,acceleration and braking, then put in a dozen laps of the fast, bumpy circuit to pinpoint which bikehandles best and why.There’s more. Part three is the perfect weekend: we do track days,touring… whatever’s necessary to see how each bike will cope on your dream weekend. Partfour is dyno testing, home servicing and living with it. Only then can we reach a verdict. Believe it.

TESTROUTE

TM

The Bike Test RouteWelcome to the future of road testing

Motorway 154 milesUrban 7 towns,

23 villagesA Roads 124 milesB Roads 132 miles

THETEST ‘By lunch my arse

and I weren’ttalking and by

supper I was filingfor divorce’

119

BENELLI? WHO THE HELL are they? Unless youwere born in black and white, the association ofthe Italian marque with superbikes could haveyou scratching your lid. Way back when I washalf my height, I vaguely remember a Benelli Sei.Sei for six. This was a seriously monstrous bikewith a six-cylinder 900cc engine and de rigueur(for the Seventies) flexi frame and straw forks. If you grew up on one of those, chances are you didn’t grow up to be very old.

We might live in glorious colour now, but theimagined evilness of the Benelli of yesteryear iswith me. Three miles into the Bike Test Routeand it’s nearly all over. First roundabout,morning traffic, second gear, 35mph. I lean thebike over and it tries to bury itself (and me) intothe tarmac. Fuel stop, check the tyres: black,round and inflated. On closer inspection, I findthe fitted-as-standard steering damper has seizedand lost its oil. The bike’s done only 3000 milessince Italy. A minute with the 5mm spanner, oneknackered damper in my bag and I’m off again.

There’s something about the Benelli’s designthat attracts. Yes, it’s red and Italian, but it has areal-life stylishness too, even parked up. Forgetwhat you know about bike building – this onehasn’t read the book. Its headlights are a merearrow slit, its screen is a low fly-catcher and itsback end houses most of the bits you’d normallyfind at the front.

Start her up (but don’t touch the throttleunless you want that ‘rich kid can’t start his toy’embarrassment) and let the flavour flood out.Sorry, that Arrow exhaust might have all thestamps on it but if that noise is road-legal so is adrunken octogenarian on a unicycle. Naked. Thebark from this puppy is as sharp as a cleaver.

Sei means six, Tre means three: learningItalian the Benelli way. Triples have that uniquenote halfway between Nirvana and completeengine meltdown. If you’re the type who alwaysimagines your engine’s on the verge of suicide,best go buy a four (or whatever it is in Italian).

With a wail from the pipe we’re off. Thetriple’s performance is more akin to the feel of a600cc, revvy in-line four than the punch-and-go

of a large twin. Overtakes the RSV-R couldperform without bothering the gearbox have theTornado chasing the cogs. The box is at its mostannoying when you’re trying to find neutral atthe lights. The clutch is heavy and I have todance from first to second, back to first before itfinally goes into neutral. The lights are normallyback on green by then.

Catch a flow on the Benelli and you’re inheaven. The exhaust sings, engine vibrates, frontwheel seeks. You do feel part of this bike and itclearly enjoys a good blast in the countryside.This is the point where most sane people wouldstop, turn round and go home. But for me, I’vegot another 80 motorway miles ahead.

Without the juggling of gears and sing-songexhaust, the Tornado becomes an uncomfortableplace to be. Weather doesn’t help. Withabsolutely no protection, you end up wet andwindy at the first sign of rain. Add in the uselessmirrors and you have all the ingredients for atiring ride.

And I haven’t even mentioned the seat.When you first climb aboard it feels like yourbest friend: caring and supportive, but firm. By breakfast I was having second thoughts, by lunch my arse and I weren’t talking and bysupper I was filing for divorce. During the longride home I had to hang off the side as thoughsetting myself up for a sharp right on themotorway… for about 40 miles.

During our studio stripdown process, itbecame clear that the quality of the plastic andpaint on the Benelli has some catching up to doif it’s to match the Aprilia. A plastic lug broke off the side panel (using only moderate pressureon the short end of an Allen key), lacquer waspeeling off the tank badges and sidestand recess,and the carbon heel plates had folded andrubbed against the chain. Ridden hard, it would soon look tatty.

The Benelli’s saving grace was the emotion onthe track. By the end of our Cadwell Park trackday,everyone who rode it agreed that it was the mosttalkative, responsive, annoyingly brilliant bikeout there. But we’re not buying it. Are you? >

When Aprilias are too ordinary and Ducatis too common, try one of theseBenelli Tornado Tre £9999

+ The mirrors don’t fold in, so expectpaint scrapes, and they don’t adjust mucheither. So expect nowt from them!+ Group 17 insurance is par for thiscourse.What were you expecting for a ten-grand bike?+ The fuel light seems to come onanywhere between 80 and 110 miles.Anyway, you’ll need a rest by then.+ Pillions get a raw deal. The seat padhardly fits the hole, there’s only a strap

on the pad to hold onto and the pegs arehigh. Looks like you’re on your own, then.+ Both the rider and pillion seats unlock with the key. Forward does one,backwards the other. Expect to find nostorage space.+ The dash’s functions are controlled by aswitch mounted under the clutch lever.Nice touch.+ Engine and exhaust noise turns youinto a boy-racer. Rev, rev, roar, roar.

LIVING WITH IT 14 days of real life with a Tornado

It must be the Tornado because...It fits in with yourlife less ordinary.The wife’s moreinto horses thanhorsepower.Finding the moneyto keep it in tip-topcondition isn’t aproblem.

IN A NUTSHELL

Weather Game oftwo halves: sunnyand soakingTraffic Grindingslowly through the sprayTime taken7 hours 40 minutesAverage speed59mphFuel used60 litresAverage mpg 34

MotorwayRelaxed,comfortable,protective – sadlynone of the above.38mpgTop-gear cruising70mph = 4400rpm100rpm = 6100rpm Speedo accuracy70mph = real 63100rpm = real 90

TownHeavy clutch andwrist ache: it’s nourban warrior.

Fast A roadsAt last, we like.This is where it all makes sense.Flowing, revving,singing, winning.Thirsty blighter.27mpg

Twisty B roadsBit too jiggly forthis bike – bouncesand becomesuncomfortable.37mpg

SummaryWhen it’s good it’sgreat – but oftenyou’re wondering if the money couldbe better spent.Away from A roadsit doesn’t makesense.And there’s a quality issue withsome of thecomponents.An emotionalrollercoaster.

TESTROUTE

TM

120

MENTION TO THE world and his wife that you’vegot two Ducatis on a test and the reply is alwaysthe same: ‘In case one breaks down, eh?’ Let’sface it, for all the world titles, coolness anddesirability of the motorcyclist’s Ferrari, the factis people are more likely to remember its failuresthan its triumphs.

Unfair? I’ve done less than 10 miles on theyellow dream before its ‘character’ chimes in and I’m down to one cylinder. I’m not a happybunny. But how peeved would you be if this was your £9795 bike, on a sunny bank holidayand all your mates have said ‘See ya later’ and disappeared to enjoy one of those talked-about-for-ages rides? Exactly.

‘It’s quite a common problem,’ sympathisesMark from BSD Motorcycles. The electrode onthe spark plug has melted after the coil-in-the-cap plug has given up the spark. Something todo with ‘noise’ between cap and snap connector.But I prefer bikes to be a riding experience, not aworkshop lesson. Not at that price.

The Bike Test Route, at 440 miles, is quitelong by any standards. It takes a day of grabbedfood, a healthy disinterest in smoking and a bikethat can manage more than 10 miles betweenfettling. This should be interesting. The starterrumbles slowly, ‘749’ flashes up on the digitaldisplay and the frown is wiped off my face as the Ducati bursts into two-cylinder happiness.

The S model 749 has a higher-compressionengine boasting 5bhp more than the base model.It also gets higher-grade suspension, with super-slippy TiN-coated forks that are adjustable forrake. That’s why it has a £1000 higher price tag.

After the disappointment of the first outing,the smaller Ducati is doing its best to worm itsway back into my affections. As soon as we’rerolling, the precise nature of the 749S shows.Perfectly weightless side-to-side, the first set ofbends flows like a fountain of brilliance. Thewhole chassis feels so well-balanced it leaves therider little to do but point it in the rightdirection. The ride quality on smooth roads isunmatched and the bumps and undulations onthe first A roads cause not a shake from the bike.

As it has a smaller engine than the Ducati999, you don’t get the same drone from theexhaust, even though you end up working theengine harder. If the big litre twins can leaveyour right wrist feeling a little redundant, on the 749S it gets back to work quicker than an Iraqi arms dealer. This is a bike you ride.

From a standstill the 749S needs a fairamount of revs for smart acceleration but you’rerewarded with sharp motion without the ‘It’sgonna flip’ feeling. This Duke isn’t big onwheelies, so the traffic-light GP is within yourgrasp. The silky gearbox ratios are spot-on (withtop acting as an overdrive) and the speed andprecision of the changes make for rapid progress.Get lazy with the gears and the 749S struggles –give it the berries at 70-ish in top gear and itburps then gathers speed in a very sedate way.

Engine aside, the real strength and characterof this bike is its front end. It’s spot-on for bothroad and track. During our trackday at Cadwellthe 749S more than held its own against themore powerful bikes and its front Pirelli wascompletely unmarked by the end of the day,while all the others had been working theirs to the point of ripping and sliding. And on afront-end heavy circuit like Cadwell, confidenceis everything.

The brakes feel very balanced, too. Combinedwith that sweet front end, the Brembos allowyou to brake well up to the apex without anyworries about the front tucking. And the rearrefuses to lock up unless you’re spam-footed.

One surprise is the amount of room offered tothe rider. Though the bum-to-peg distance isn’tgreat, there’s sufficient room front to back tomove about when the saddle makes you sore.Other practicalities are in the one-legged runnerleague: the bike will carry two people butabsolutely nothing else; mirrors work well if youspread your elbows so your arms don’t fill theview; the screen helps keep flies off your navel.

You’d have to be passionate to buy a 749S. Go in with your eyes open, be philosophical and take it on the track at least once. It’s there to be ridden and forgiven. >

+ Pillions are short-hop only, though they are treated to an under-seat heatingsystem, thanks to the exhaust.+ Mirrors are fixed and house theindicators. Glass has good movement but you’ll have to arc your elbows to be able to see past your arms.+ Fuel light regularly comes on before100 miles and the tank only has a 15.5 litre capacity, which means it’s all over by about 120 miles.

+ Expect trouble.Aside from the one-cylinder gag, it would occasionally stall at the lights (honest), the dash went onthe blink and the starter would continueto turn on its own. More character thanan Equity shop-stewards meeting.+ Insurance group is 16 which indicatesthat you’re playing with the big-boys here.+ There’s nowhere to put anything.Even the battery lives under the left-handside fairing.

LIVING WITH IT 14 days of real life with a 749S

It must be the 749S because...You fell in love withthe colour.You know theJapanese bikes are better.Character andfrustration are all part of the richtapestry of biking.

IN A NUTSHELL

Weather Dry twice:before I left andafter I got homeTraffic Spray itagain, SamTime taken8 hours Average speed56mphFuel used 56 litresAverage mpg 36

MotorwaySeems they don’thave any in Italy.Or they don’t testbikes on them.40mpgTop-gear cruising70mph = 4300rpm100mph = 6200rpmSpeedo accuracy70mph = real 66100mph = real 95

TownRevvy enginemeans lots of noiseto go with thepose. Nimble.

Fast A roadsMakes you workthe gearbox butthe result is pure.Front end is a joy.36mpg

Twisty B roadsEasier than thebigger bikes herebut still a hungrykebab of wrists,bum and neck.33mpg

SummaryWithout the trackwork the 749S canbe a bit mis-understood. Lightfeel, keen engineand decent brakeshave you talkingabout the ride forweeks after.Reliabilityproblems meanthese might be theonly stories youhave.Treasure thegood times.

TESTROUTE

TM The small ones are more juicy.And this one’s higher spec, tooDucati 749S £9795

THETEST

‘Perfectly weightlessside-to-side, the firstbends flow like afountain of brilliance’

THETEST

Hall Bends,Cadwell Park,May 13

123

DEMONS, DEMONS, DEMONS. There are twolikely routes into owning bikes like these. Eitheryou empty the bank account that is ‘doingnothing much’ or you scrape together every last penny and add an extra chunk onto yourmortgage. But whichever way you pay for it, the attraction is the same. These bikes offer style,grace and a fantasy world in which the top racersplay. Whether you can afford it or not, thisquartet needs a run on the track – those voices in your head just won’t go away.

If it all goes well, a trackday will open a doorto the crazy, adrenaline-fuelled life of a racinggod. If it all goes wrong? Well, a small two-bedsemi is so much easier to keep clean.

With all the hoo-hah surrounding the take-over of many of the UK’s circuits, there’s neverbeen a better time to book yourself a trackday.Why wait when you can ring anytime and see ifyou can pay on the door, on the day? This willremove any worries about the weather.

Of all Britain’s tracks, Cadwell Park brings aglint to even the most steely-grey racer’s eye. Themist has yet to lift completely and it’s follow-the-leader for a couple of laps and an introduction tothe new chicane. At last the tyres are warm, myhead is clear and it’s time to put on some speed.

I slingshot past the rider in front, hold it onthe brakes, early on the gas, feel the tyre squirmand gun it down the straight. Within half a lapI’m feeling more alive than after 100 miles onthe road. Welcome to the beauty of trackdays.No sneaky police, no hidden speed cameras. Fast as you like as often as you dare. Feel the bikeworking like never before. Brake pads bite discsand levers flex under the increased pressure,while tyres relish the chance to work as theywere designed. Suddenly your exotic bike hascome alive and wants to play.

Back in the pits the din is fantastic as riders,ear plugged with their helmets still on, can’t waitto exaggerate passes and slides and moments ofbrilliance. With these bikes we are all GP stars.

Five minutes later a mangled Aprilia isdragged back out into the daylight. Test riderAndrew Mook, keen as mustard, has bouncedbetter than his departing bike. The RSV-R lookssorry for itself, but more importantly, Mooky willheal. The constant piss-taking is bound to help.The dangers of the track are ever-present but intruth it’s the first test bike down for ages and themedics were on the scene immediately. The bikewill get repaired and Mooky will be back outthere before you know it. >

Born on the track, so take them back. Here, everything makes sense

Track record TORNADOLet the games begin.Wailing like abanshee, scratchinglike a leper, theTornado is superblymanic on track andyou’ll soon forget the self-destructivesound of the engineand the brittleness of the plastics.

749SSmallest bike here but that means nothing as it’s inch-perfectaround the track.Lack of straightlinepunch iscompensated for in the bends and on the brakes.

RSV-RMeaty motor meansyou don’t have toscrabble about forgears midcorner.Brakes offer the bestfeedback but notchyhead bearings madethis test bike runwide. Normally theytrack beautifully.Requires more inputthan the 749S butthe rewards are justas high.

999This would be thenatural choice.That’swhat you’d think,though the extraeffort it takes to lapat a similar speed tothe smaller Dukereally isn’t worth it.Doesn’t hold the lineof the smaller bikeand the brakes grabwhen they get hot.Get it all flowing and you’ll enjoy it,but you’ll always be envious of the guy on the smallerbike by the end ofthe day.

THETEST ‘The RSV-R has

morphed into amore useful bike

at the cost of some flair’

125

REMEMBER NEIGHBOURS? The hit Aussie TVsoap that gave us a bevy of beauties who wouldevolve from bratty-child actors into glamorousyoung Kylies after a two-week summer trip?Truth is, they switched the actresses (sorry tospoil it) and now I’m at the end of my own two-week trip and feeling just as confused.

I’ve ridden into the office on my 2001 ApriliaMille RSV-R, to ride the new 2004 Aprilia RSV-R.But it’s not the same bike at all. It’s beencompletely revamped – and now the ‘R’ versionisn’t the special OZ-wheeled, Öhlins-sprung,carbon-clad beauty. It’s the new basic-level bike.Give it a few years and you won’t have a cluewhat you’re buying second-hand. So ‘R’ meansentry-level, and ‘Factory’ means ‘R’. Got it? Let’ssee what all those changes really mean.

Change the bodywork, switch the name, but that 60° V-twin engine can’t be mistaken.The sound is as distinctive as a Harley and easilydistinguished from the Ducati and Benelli bikeson test. It sounds and feels more Japanese thanItalian – and that’s no bad thing. Starts first time,has a cool burble from the twin exhausts andgives you that confident feeling.

The trademark punch of the earlier Milles has gone, the power now following a more-linear curve with a kick at about 7000rpm. Top-endpower is the greatest here at 117bhp and it feels the quickest on the road. The gearbox is a master stroke, all the ratios being well-spacedfor either road or track and there are no missedgears or false neutrals. Combined with thetorque of the V-twin, this makes riding relaxingand overtaking a cinch.

With all that go, you need good brakes andthe RSV-R delivers the most feel back to the rider.The levers are adjustable for span, with a smallplastic wheel that can be fiddly with a glovedhand but allows you to set it just right. Themaster cylinders are beautiful in theircompactness and long lever-blades. Apply, andthe stopping force is immense. Not as grabby asthe Ducatis when they get hot or as un-hungryas the Benelli. If you want instant, controllabledeceleration, the Aprilia’s your man.

Stability is on a par with the Ducatis – theAprilia feels long and roomy. Fast A-roads arewhere this bike belongs and that engine meansfewer gear changes, leaving you time toconcentrate more on braking points and apexes.It’s almost untouchable in these conditions.

On the tighter, bumpier Bs, the RSV-R canhave a tendency to run wide on the exit. Thiswasn’t helped by the stiff and notchy headstockon our test bike. This showed up during oureventful day at Bruntingthorpe. Standing waterand a headwind made for horrible conditionsand the Aprilia was easily spanked by the 999 –not just in lap times. The Ducati felt morefriendly in this time of need, offering moreconfidence on the long corners and bettermanoeuvrability in the chicane.

At Cadwell, the Aprilia was ace on the brakesand supersonic on the straights but, again, geton the gas too early and the back digs in andpushes the front to the edge of the track. Onceyou know it’s going to run wide you can squarethe corner and get the bike slightly more uprightbefore you feed in the gas. That’s the way totame this bike and get lap times down.

While the old model stands out for lookingslightly tall and awkward, with its huge tail andcomic-book rear lights, the new one falls moreinto the ‘norm’ of race-inspired twins. It could be Japanese in styling and execution. Panels arelarge and smooth, wiring’s tucked away and thepose is more practicality than pomp.

Mirrors house the front indicators and thatextra weight might account for the vibration at most speeds. They’re wide enough to allow a look at this blurry image and fold in for easyparking in tight spaces. The speedo is all-you-need beautiful, the seat better than average(though that’s no real boast) and the under-hump storage has shrunk with the smaller backend. Faired-in rear indicators are a stylish touch.

Like the Ducati 999, the RSV-R has morphedinto a more focused bike at the cost of some ofthe original’s flare. Whether this representsprogress or not comes down to personal feeling.But I’m not swapping… >

New bike, new name but the aims remain. Does it still cut it?

Aprilia RSV-R £8572

+ Pillions get the least comfort of thebikes on test here. Come on, would youwant to go for miles on that with no rail,high pegs and a seat that’ll disappearwith the slightest hint of flatulance?+ Insurance takes the whole group 17 biscuit. It should be clear by nowthat exotic bikes don’t come cheap to buy or run.+ The new clocks finally get rid of theEighties-style Vauxhall Astra dash of the

old model.You still get all the range ofinfo (lap timer, max speed, trip, clock etc).+ The Factory model, which offers fancy wheels, suspension, brakes andbodywork, costs £2200 more. How muchdo you want?+ You still get adjustment on bothfootbrake and gear levers.+ The mirrors fold in for easy vantransportation for, say, getting home aftera trackday spill at Cadwell.

LIVING WITH IT 14 days of real life with an RSV-R

It must be the RSV-Rbecause...You want it to goeverytime.You like theflexibility of thattorquey engine and gearbox.The black looksbad, man.

IN A NUTSHELL

Weather At leastit’s constant.Constantly wetTraffic Wiperedcars everywhereTime taken7 hours 45 minutesAverage speed58mphFuel used 52 litresAverage mpg 39

MotorwaySeemed a taduncomfortable,but then I rode the others. Now it’s near luxury.45mpgTop-gear cruising70mph = 4000rpm100mph = 5800rpmSpeedo accuracy70mph = real 66100mph = real 93

TownLess taxing thanthe Dukes, thoughstill not the place to be.

Fast A roadsThe Aprilia fliesover this section of the route. Hardlyneed to trouble thegearbox.40mpg

Twisty B roadsStiff suspensionmeans air oversome of the bumpsand it’s a handful if you use all that power.33mpg

SummaryFeels the mostrelaxed thanks to spread of power,ease of gearchanges, acebrakes and generalflowing nature ofthe bike. Knownreliability helpskeep you sane on longer journeys.

TESTROUTE

TM

126

TAKING THE DUCATI 999 to Cadwell Park waslike the first day of school for the youngest in afamily that has always excelled there. I’ve riddenall the Nines round this beautiful track: 916, 996,998. All good. Good at rewarding you with anapparent lack of effort. The way these bikescarried their speed, kept their manners whenbraking and their composure when overtakingsticks in my mind. But that means nothing if theyoung kid can’t cut it.

There’s less of a buzz surrounding the 999 (seepage 81). Rolling up on one of the earlier bikeswould have had you levering admirers out of theway when your group was called. Not so today atthe track. Or yesterday on the Bike Test Route.Despite the yellow paintwork being louder thanyour granddad’s telly, the interest in this Ducatiis quite a few levels below fever pitch. More likecricket pitch. Buy a 999 to impress people andyou might end up on your own. Or hanging outwith some very weird mates.

It’s not that it’s not cool. It’s just not asachingly beautiful as the previous bikes. Beingyellow won’t help Mr Average to recognise it. But then, who really wants to be gawped at byscruffy passers-by? Truth is, the first one I sawlooked like two different bikes stitched together.The front half was all colour and plastic whilethe back looked like a half-finished Mechano toy.That’s all I’m saying. And no, I didn’t have tocircle it three times before jumping aboard.

It turns over like a diesel desperate for a250,000-mile service, but then purrs into thatslightly metallic desmodromic melody. Digga,digga, braaaapp, brrraaaaappp, digga, digga.

Two days earlier, the 999 had offered the bestride at the Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground in the rain (well, best of three, as the 749S is a fair-weather bike). So even though Cadwell was dry, the 999 was still my steed of choice.

Looping round the track, it was clear the bikehad a front that wanted to run wide as standard.This didn’t really show itself on the road but onthe track I had to knock the power off on theapex to keep the front tight. Maybe that was aresult of all the extra low-down torque? I knew it

would have made more sense to be on the 749S.Extra power only ever hinders if you can’t lay itdown. The difference in lap times would only beslight but there was a much wider gulf inconfidence levels. It would sometimes feel asthough the 999 was in charge – and that’s nevera good situation.

Whether it was the extra power and speed or something else is unclear, but my extra use of the brakes started to show early. The whizzand hissing pads started to grab on the discs and ruled out any really hard braking whilebanked over – there was too much chance ofthem locking the front and having me off. You’d have to try extremely hard to pass a 749S on this bike.

So the smaller yellow bike beats the biggeryellow bike round the track (hell the 999 can’tconsistently beat the 998 in World Superbikes).But come back into the real world and the tablesare turned. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s abetter bike. Just faster over distance.

There are no headshakes from the 999, butshow it a bumpy back road and you’ll regret it.With everything going well it flows, but misjudge a bump at speed and it’ll have youworking-out harder than a bodybuilder with abruised ego. And don’t expect any more comfortthan you find on the 749S.

Just when I was thinking that the 999 wasgoing to perform the whole of this 1000-mile testwithout a hiccup, the digital dash display failedand I was left with no speedo or warning lights.The exact same thing happened last time out(May 2003) so the fault must go under the‘Common problems’ section.

The bike also lost a spring from the exhaustpipe, making it sound just like a race system butwithout the £1500 bill. Result.

And the awkward-looking sidelight mountedin the screen went out. But that was more of ablessing as it can shine into your eyes at night.

It’s easy to be cynical about Ducatis afterexperiences like this and the breakdown on the749S. For such an expensive machine, surelybetter reliability isn’t too much to ask? >

+ Pillions suffer exactly the same fate as those on the 749S.There are no differences.+ There’s no underseat space, either.+ It must be no surprise that your groupNU17 insurance premium is equal to theGDP of a small African country.+ The two-year warranty could come inreally useful if you get a bad ‘un.+ There are three different levels of 999 ownership.This basic model costs

£11,250; the 999S (with more power and Öhlins suspension) is £13,950;the 999R comes in at £19K.That’s asclose to a factory ride as we’re ever gonna get.+ Best get an alarm and carry a lock tokeep your obviously expensive Ducati outof the reach of thieving scum. Or just rideit and lock it up back at home.+ Expect everybody to want a piece ofyou at every trackday: ‘I’ll show him...’

LIVING WITH IT 14 days of real life with a 999

It must be the 999 because...Ducati’s wineverything.It’s one of thecoolest brandsworldwide.You like the yellowof this bike.And AA patrol vans.

IN A NUTSHELL

WeatherGroundhog day,part fourTraffic No caravans,thank GodTime taken7 hours 45 minutesAverage speed58mphFuel used 55 litresAverage mpg 37

MotorwayNot much to do buttry to tuck in andplay ‘Guess whatthe blurred imagebehind is’.39mpgTop-gear cruising70mph = 3750rpm100mph = 5500rpmSpeedo accuracy70mph = real 65100mph = real 92

TownNarrow bars,steering damper,weight-forwardseating all see you yearning forthe open road.

Fast A roadsLoves ’em. Doesn’tfeel as fast as theothers but it is.Topfeels like anoverdrive.37mpg

Twisty B roadsBumpy but nottwitchy. No betteror worse than theothers and torquemeans you’re not constantlychanging gear.36mpg

SummaryA very good roadbike if you get usedto the discomfortand don’t leave itin top. Precise onthe flowing roadsbut jarry on thebumpy stuff.Avoidmotorways.

TESTROUTE

TM The 998 had it all: the looks, the power, the glory.What’s the 999 inherited?Ducati 999 £11,250

THETEST‘Misjudge a bump

at speed and it’llhave you working-out harder than abodybuilder with a bruised ego’

Aprilia have the mostfamiliar approach, usingan alloy beam frame.Ducati use steel trellis(just like all the racebikes) for both models.Benelli are entirely offthe beaten track withthis screwed-and-gluednumber. Steel headstockand side rails are boltedand stuck into the castswingarm pivots.

THE BIG IDEA: CHASSIS

1885There was onlyone way to travelin this year. TheGottlieb DaimlerEinspur ripped upa storm. There wasonly one, so thathas to make it therarest of exotica.1971Ducati build theirfirst V-twin bysticking twopushrod singlestogether. The 750Sport gave birth tothe trademark 90°V-twin engine. 1972Benelli create a stirwith the 750Seiand the later900Sei. Six-piped,six-cylindermadness with a120mph top end.1988Ducati give us the851 superbike andan era of Italianexotica starts.1998Aprilia join the fraywith the RSV Mille.It makes its WSBdebut in 1999.

THETEST

Buy with your heart.And a large credit-cardState of the art: Exotica

HISTORY OFEXOTICA

EngineBore x strokeCompressionFuel systemTransmissionFrameFront suspensionAdjustmentRear suspensionAdjustmentBrakes front; rear

Tyres front; rear

WheelbaseRake/trailDry weight (claimed)Seat heightFuel capacityFuel consumption (average)Warranty/mileageService intervalsNU insurance groupPrice (otr)

998cc, 8v, dohc, 60º V-twin97 x 67.5mm11.8:1fuel injection6-speed, chainaluminium twin-spar43mm usd telescopic forkspreload, compression, reboundrising-rate monoshockpreload, compression, rebound2 x 320mm discs/4-piston caliper;220mm disc/2-piston caliperMichelin Pilot Sport 120/70 ZR17; 190/50 ZR171415mm24.8º/101.7mm189kg810mm18 litres39mpgtwo years/unlimited mileage6000 miles/12 monthsNU17£8572

TORNADO

898cc, 12v, dohc, in-line triple88 x 49.2mm11:1fuel injection6-speed, chaintubular steel perimeter43mm usd telescopic forkspreload, compression, reboundrising-rate monoshockpreload, compression, rebound2 x 320mm discs/4-piston caliper;240mm disc/2-piston caliperDunlop D207RR 120/70 ZR17; 190/50 ZR171419mm23.5º/94.5mm198kg810mm19 litres34mpgtwo years/unlimited mileage5000km/12 monthsNU17£9999

749S

748cc, 8v, dohc, 90º V-twin90 x 58.8mm12.3:1fuel injection6-speed, chainsteel trellis43mm usd telescopic forkspreload, compression, reboundrising-rate monoshockpreload, compression, rebound2 x 320mm discs/4-piston caliper;240mm disc/2-piston caliperPirellia Diablo 120/70 ZR17; 180/55 ZR171420mm23.5-24.5º/91-97mm199kg780mm15.5 litres36mpgtwo years/unlimited mileage6000 miles/12 monthsNU16£9795

RSV-R

998cc, 8v, dohc, 90º V-twin100 x 63.5mm11.4:1fuel injection6-speed, chainsteel trellis43mm usd telescopic forkspreload, compression, reboundrising-rate monoshockpreload, compression, rebound2 x 320mm discs/4-piston caliper;240mm disc/2-piston caliperMichelin Pilot Sport 120/70 ZR17; 190/50 ZR171420mm23.5-24.5º/91-97mm199kg780mm15.5 litres37mpgtwo year/unlimited mileage6000 miles/12 monthsNU17£11,250

999SPECIFICATIONS

Normally Italian exoticais bathed in Öhlins orsuspension of that level.But, except for the 749S,these ‘base’ modelsmake do with suspensionthat’s more road biasedthan track proven. Forthe flashier kit, you haveto spend your way up themodel ranges.

SUSPENSION

Think Italian.Thinksportsbikes.Think twins.Think again. Benelli use a 900cc triple to gainmore flexibility over atwin. But it’s down onpower, so the 1000cctwins stomp through.

ENGINE

BUILD

**

You pay for exotica so expect somethingdifferent beneath theclothes.The Benelli isthe most radical here.The radiators sit underthe seat, fed by fansthat cool from the back.The frame (see above) isa mixture of steel, glueand alloy and thepanels are wafer thin.

When your mirrors are as usless as theones on these bikes, an easy-to-readclock is essential. Luckily, all of thesebikes have large, clear LCD readoutsof speed and distance. The Aprilia’s isneatest (about time) and the easiest to

use with a gloved digit. The Ducatis’are informative until they go blankwhile the Benelli goes all colourful onus and, most usefully of all, has aremote switch beneath the clutch tochange the display.

126

122749S

TORNADO

999

134

94

RSVR 154

110

98

102Full Tank

Start

Theoretical tank rangeTornado 134 miles749S 122 milesRSV-R 154 miles999 126 miles

Figures based on motorwaympg on the Test Route.

Left (l-r):Tall and thin slit forthe lights gives the Benelli theface of a grasshopper;Staked circle beams for theDuke keeps the frontal aspectslim.This one is the… 999.Wethink.Almost certainly;More foxy than a 1994 Blade,the cool-fronted RSV-R throwsmost light on the subjectRight You again? Oh, no.Thistime it’s the 749. Same lights

All fuelled-up with nowhere to go? Taking you theshortest distance is the 749S. All that revving getsyou down to an average of 36mpg and the small,

15.5 litre tank sucks dry by 122 miles. Worsteconomy is the noisy Benelli that returns 34mpg.However, its 18 litre tank means 134 is possible

between pumps. Best economy (and breaking the150 mile barrier) is the Aprilia which does 39mpgwith an 18 litre tank. The 999’s good for 126 miles.

Tank range

Clocks

Left Ducati clock in still-working shock

Middle Neat and welllaid-out RSV-R clock

Right Another workingDucati display and

analogue rev counterMain image Designed in

a McDonalds? Red andyellow lighten up thedash on the Tornado

Benelli’s ‘nose’ of light throws a tall, narrow beamonto the road ahead. Works well, leant over. The749’s projector headlights tunnel into the night sky

though the small screen-mounted side light gave upthe ghost on the route. Aprilia breaks with traditionand has both sides of the headlights on all the time.

Very effective at night. The blue glare of the 999’slights mean that even the dopeyest of car driversthinks you’re the rozzers and moves over. Great.

Headlights

THETEST Right Italian right to

the core. Brembos arefitted to all thesebikes, uniformly boltedto upside-downiesFar right Two of theBenelli’s biggest fans.I thank you

Benelli Tornado TreAs unusual to look at when the fairing’s off as it is when it’s on

Right Not as sexy asthe 748’s underseatcans. Still swallowstorage spaceFar right Lovelyheadstock detailing.Non-adjustabledamper, adjustablesuspension

Ducati 749SUnderseat exhaust and cleverelectronics meet traditional trellis frame

To keep the bike’sfrontal area slim, theradiator and fans get

moved to the backand fresh air is

ducted along thelength of the bike in

plastic tubes (notshown). Didn’t stopour bike continually

running hot, though.

COOLING

The 749S featuresShowa shocks and

titanium nitride (TiN)coated forks for

reduced friction drag.Only the £13,500 749R

gets Öhlins kit.

*

SUSPENSION

*

Right The latest radialBrembos adorn theRSV-R Factory.Thismodel makes do withplain four-pottersFar right Sexy swingerseeks rider for countrytrips and fun times

Aprilia RSV-RThe only bike here with a twin-sparframe. Pretty fancy swingarm too

Right Double-armedswinger takes overfrom the 998’s single-sided swingarm for astiffer rearFar right Do you knowwhich Ducati is mostpopular in Germany?No, No, No

Ducati 999One world title already.This is what’sbehind Ducati’s latest sporting dream

With the feedbackfrom their WSB andMotoGP campaigns,the power of the newRSV-R is not onlygreater than the oldbike but also not sosharp at the bottomfor a more controllabledelivery out of corners.

*

ENGINE

What you see here isthe result of about anhour’s labour withallen keys and asocket set.The Dukesretain the title ofquickest to strip withhalf-turn screws andquick-release fuelconnectors. Just aswell, eh?

*

STRIPDOWN

THETEST

Fastest lap0-60mph0-100mph60-100 (fifth gear)Top speedBraking 100-0mph

Comments:

1m 32.9s3.76s7.70s8.66s139mph5.14s (385ft)

Fairly comfortable despitethe conditions. Good feelfrom the front Dunlopand the lack of grabbybrakes help on thissmooth, if slow, lap.

PERFORMANCE TESTSometimes I’d swap all this glamour of testing for abadge with four-stars and a red-and-yellow clown for aboss. Conditions for the performance test were grim.The worst they get. Standing water, driving rain and anevil headwind. It was more about survival than shavingtenths and the figures suffered as a result. Sorry.The four tests are: Top speed measured on a two-mile runway. Acceleration through the gears and rolling on from

60mph in fifth gear (fourth on a five-speed gearbox). Braking from 100mph. Lapping the Bruntingthorpe handling circuit.

DYNO TESTDyno graphs explainedFirst things first. If you’re expecting the initial explosionthat the old RSV-R had, you’ll be left wanting. In themidrange stakes, the 999 is the new king, having ahuge dollop of the stuff on tap after about 4000rpm.

Battling for third place are the 749S and theTornado. It’s only when the coals get really hot that theBenelli edges ahead and this isn’t until there’s morethan 9000rpm on the dial. Still, it gives the high revvingBenelli the edge as it goes on till nearly 12,000rpm.

The torque graph shows just how much midrangegrunt the 999 has. Unfortunately, it fails to capitalise on this in acceleration terms unless you start talkingroll-ons in fifth gear.

Pow

er (bhp)

Torq

ue (lb

-ft)

rpm (x1000) rpm (x1000)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

0 2 4 6 8 10 120

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

0 2 4 6 8 10 12

TORNADO

1m 32.3s3.87s8.10s7.60s141mph5.23s (379ft)

With just over a hundredhorses, the 749S wasspinning down thestraight due to thestanding water. It broke,10 miles into the test.

749S

1m 30.6s3.89s7.62s7.18s151mph5.17s (386ft)

Felt slow but the clocksays different.Top brakesgive excellent feedbackand that engine powers it faster. Expect it to top160mph in the dry.

RSV-R

1m 30.4s3.97s8.25s6.85s148mph5.60s (394ft)

Fastest and mostconfident on these laps,the 999 struggles slightlydue to wheelspin and thebrakes lack some bite.

999

Tornado109.7bhp @ 10,800rpm57.9lb.ft @ 9400rpm

749S103.4bhp @ 10,500rpm56.0lb.ft @ 8400rpm

RSV-R117.0bhp @ 9800rpm67.2lb.ft @ 8100rpm

999115.1bhp @ 9600rpm69.7lb.ft @ 7900rpm

133

EngineYou need to love thegearbox and ignore the rattles.Then it all makes sense.

ChassisTalkative and precise.Handles the power well.

SuspensionGives no cause for concern.Worked the tyres on thetrack, though.

BrakesLacked a bit of feel when first applied butperformed well.

FairingNice styling but doesnothing to keep theweather off you.

ComfortOn a par with sanding your flesh with 80-gradewet’n’dry.

UseabilityTwist the throttle and it goes. But not best fortown trips.

FinishWorst here.

OverallFun in very small doses.

THE BIKE TEST VERDICT

The best bikeHow do you view this class? If you want performance,reliability, build quality andwant something that’llwithstand a winter, then the

Aprilia RSV-R can be the only one to recommend.Sure, for brief moments in time the Ducati 749Sis the best fun you can have – but for most of usthe fear of mechincal gremlins is too great a riskto live with.

The Benelli frustrated until we took it to thetrack. Here the emotion of the bike flooded outand the feeling was second to none. It felt betterthan the 749S. But the quality doesn’t spellexotica – it was far too brittle to look this goodafter a season of riding. And it sounded like itwas just a rev away from mechanical munchingfrom the first to the last mile of this test. That’sjust too rich for our blood.

And the 999? It looked as though it’d flythrough our test without any problems – but

then they came. They were minor, but no speedo and crap mirrors are your ticket to HMPNofreedom. It could easily leave you by the sideof the road. And our bikes are prepared especially for these tests.

The best buyThis is a hell of a lot clearer. It’s the Aprilia RSV-R.The most reliable, powerful, fastest bike herecosts the least (even the more expensive Factorymodel wouldn’t look out of place here). If it wasour money, there’d be no other place for it.

The two Ducatis will fight among themselvescome resale time – and it gets confusing with allthe different models out there. Would you buyeither one when it’s out of warranty?

Which leaves the Benelli. Exclusivity nevercomes cheap and the Tornado certainly keepsthat side up. Nearly ten big ones gets yousomething a bit different, dubious quality and anair of mystery. But you’ll still struggle to keep thathalf-the-price Honda CBR600 behind you.

TORNADO

EngineFun and responsive butrequires nifty footwork to keep with the bigger-engined bikes.

ChassisAs precise as a jeweller’swatch.

SuspensionExcellent most of the time.Foxed mostly on therougher B roads.

BrakesWell matched to the power and attitude of this race-bred bike.

FairingReally only there so theycan plaster it in stickers for racing.

ComfortDefinitely not the Ritz.Slightly better than theBenelli.

UseabilityStay away from towns andrain. No storage anywhereunder the seats.

FinishAverage.

OverallPleasure and pain.

749S

EngineBest here for so manyreasons. Overtakes are so easy and the gearbox is supreme.

ChassisSteady, sure and unflappable.

SuspensionHarsh over the bumpy B roads but well suited to the track.

BrakesThe power, feel and all the glory. Never a moment’s worry.

FairingSlightly more protectivethan the Ducatis’ with a better screen.

ComfortBest here but not up forlong tours. Padding is fairlythin on the seat.

UseabilityIt’s a sportsbike with littlestorage.Wins as it’s not as bad as the others.

FinishJapanese level.

OverallIt’s a reliable grower.

RSV-R

EngineOutgrunts them all butratios don’t work as well as the Aprilia’s. 749 unit is sweeter.

ChassisNot quite in the 749 league.

SuspensionNot the same feedback ofthe smaller bike but goodin the wet.

BrakesAs grabby as a spoilt kidwhen hot.Whizz loudly,which is nice.

FairingSame as the 749, with the same tiny screen andvery slim profile.

ComfortIf miles give you piles, thenthis needs to be dropped in a vat of Preparation H.

UseabilityNowhere to put a lock –and stay away from towns and U-turns.

FinishAverage.

OverallShould be more special.

999

DonaldRumsfeld didnot approve

this treatmentof crashers

For Sale:ApriliaRSV-R, low

miles, tastefullymodifed by

top designer

Invisiblestraightjackets

are the latestfad for trackday

fashionistas

The boys werefascinated by

the new Beetle.‘It’s not as big

as I’d expected’