M1200R, extended road test

slob · 06-07-2016, 06:22 PM

I've recently been to Italy for the DOC World Presidents Meeting and WDW and was lucky enough to get the use of a Monster 1200R (borrowed from DRE) with only a couple of thousand Km on the clock.

Those of you who know me know I've always been a desmodue rather than a desmoquattro fan, preferring the low down grunt and simplicity of the air cooled motors although we have to grudgingly accept that ever more stringent emissions regulations mean we're not now going to see any more new aircooled Monsters.

My first day of riding involved only a couple of hours in the the hills above Genova. My first impression is that it doesn't feel like it has 160hp on tap as you ease out of town, it's light to turn and well mannered even with a passenger on board and doesn't want to bite you even though it was in 'sport' mode, which is where I left it. Despite this it's obviously blisteringly fast, trying to gently hoist the front wheel as you leave red lights in a pack of like-minded nutters.
The passenger seat is considerably more slippery that the other 3rd generation Monsters but this isn't a bike that was built with a pillion in mind. The footrest are beautifully knurled items, the same as fitted to the 959 Pani' and much grippier than earlier models plus the exhaust has been redesigned so your right heel no longer catches the silencers when you move onto the ball of your foot although this never bothered me for more than a few minutes on the other models.

The following day we rode down the coast to Cinque Terre, skirting inland to avoid La Spezia. It becomes clear this bike will allow you to take some liberties. Misjudging the entry speed into hairpin bends and touching the front brake very late didn't produce any disasters and the traction control helped out from time to time when getting a bit eager with the gas whilst still carrying big lean on the exits.
Forum regulars will be delighted to know that the R has a gear position indicator. I never needed it, which is just as well, since the problem the bike shares with its sister models is that I found the dash unreadable in bright sunlight, although some of the other riders said this was less of a problem wearing polarised sunglasses.

Day three brought more of the same as we headed inland to Firenze. The bike still feeling extremely sure footed and never alarming even with the rear sliding on some of the fairly lumpy, patched surfaces on mountain roads.

06-07-2016, 06:22 PM	#1
slob . Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: East London Bike: Multiple Monsters Posts: 9,714	M1200R, extended road test I've recently been to Italy for the DOC World Presidents Meeting and WDW and was lucky enough to get the use of a Monster 1200R (borrowed from DRE) with only a couple of thousand Km on the clock. Those of you who know me know I've always been a desmodue rather than a desmoquattro fan, preferring the low down grunt and simplicity of the air cooled motors although we have to grudgingly accept that ever more stringent emissions regulations mean we're not now going to see any more new aircooled Monsters. My first day of riding involved only a couple of hours in the the hills above Genova. My first impression is that it doesn't feel like it has 160hp on tap as you ease out of town, it's light to turn and well mannered even with a passenger on board and doesn't want to bite you even though it was in 'sport' mode, which is where I left it. Despite this it's obviously blisteringly fast, trying to gently hoist the front wheel as you leave red lights in a pack of like-minded nutters. The passenger seat is considerably more slippery that the other 3rd generation Monsters but this isn't a bike that was built with a pillion in mind. The footrest are beautifully knurled items, the same as fitted to the 959 Pani' and much grippier than earlier models plus the exhaust has been redesigned so your right heel no longer catches the silencers when you move onto the ball of your foot although this never bothered me for more than a few minutes on the other models. The following day we rode down the coast to Cinque Terre, skirting inland to avoid La Spezia. It becomes clear this bike will allow you to take some liberties. Misjudging the entry speed into hairpin bends and touching the front brake very late didn't produce any disasters and the traction control helped out from time to time when getting a bit eager with the gas whilst still carrying big lean on the exits. Forum regulars will be delighted to know that the R has a gear position indicator. I never needed it, which is just as well, since the problem the bike shares with its sister models is that I found the dash unreadable in bright sunlight, although some of the other riders said this was less of a problem wearing polarised sunglasses. Day three brought more of the same as we headed inland to Firenze. The bike still feeling extremely sure footed and never alarming even with the rear sliding on some of the fairly lumpy, patched surfaces on mountain roads. Last edited by slob; 06-07-2016 at 07:12 PM..