1200 DVT Totally Transformed The Handling, Comfort And Rideability.

Good thinking! It’ll save on the purchase of a socket set too.

It’s going to be quite some regime to get this load of fat bastards down to 15kg, everything is possible though. Pass me that chocolate will you.

 

Slowly but surely the improvements to this bike continue. In fact I’ve quite enjoyed bringing it round to my liking.

Last weekend I finally found time to put the second hand set of light weight Marchesini wheels on. Once again I went with my favourite Metzeler M9RR tyres front and back. A brand new set so I could swap the standard wheels easily if I choose too. The thought being, if I do a two up tour with the Mrs and all the luggage the standard wheels may deal with any potholes better, given the weight they are supporting.



I also decided it would be far easier to have dedicated discs on each front wheel, to save swapping them each time. So I bought a set of Brembo Serie Oro discs and new uprated pads to go with them of course.

Having had a relatively short ride today I can only report initial findings. Normally when I change things I can tell/feel it within the first 100 yards. Today’s ride wasn’t like that. For those that have tinkered with different wheels they will no doubt not be surprised. In a straight line I couldn’t feel any difference at all.
Where I could feel it was in the bends. Even with brand new tyres I felt more confidence with the grip going around roundabouts. To be more accurate though the real gain seemed to be the ability to flick the bike one side to the other. I could feel the improved agility and weight loss dropping it into bends but most of all
in total charges of direction. Left right left for example. Comments/feedback please.

Last weekend I was ably assisted by Uncle Barry aka Bazzer of this forum, we were amazed at the difference in weight between the standard and Marchesini forged wheels when handling them. On the bike it’s a definite improvement although I would say not massive. In comparison, if I was to choose between the Akrapovic full system and the Marchesini’s, without hesitation I’d say the Akrapovic was by far the bigger gain.

I need to ride the bike more to really get the feel but in comparison the Brembo Serie Oro discs with uprated Brembo pads are unbefuckingleavable! Even with a little bit of bedding in I found myself with massive anchorage only using two fingers. The fork dipping stopping power was a real eye opener. Result.

It made me resolve two things;
1. Put the replacement rear Serie Oro disc and new pads on the rear to improve the hopeless rear brake.
I’ve got them but not had the time.

2. This bike might last longer than I thought because if and when I do sell it I’m going to want on the next bike, Serie Oro’s, a full Akrapovic system and maybe forged OZ wheels. The OZ’s look so good!
Not that I’m displeased with the Marchesini’s but that little lot is a chunk of money on top of a new/newer bike.

On that point the new Pikes Peak Multistrada might be of interest, especially if they’ve lowered it. Then again the Aprillia Tuono is an absolute scream to ride but possibly not for the Mrs and this is after all
’her bike’.

So many bikes…..so little time! It ain’t going to happen any time yet though.

Other recent tweaks have been a carbon fibre Pikes Peak screen which makes the bike ‘feel’ smaller compared to the MRA screen. But… on a tour with the Mrs I’d definitely use the MRA.


Lastly, I dropped over to see Bro 6 the other weekend. He pulled out his Tuono and we turned into happy two year olds, grinning all over the place. I firmly believe boys need toys, I guess you lot do too.

He sat on the Multi and immediately said the bars need rolling forward. Within seconds he had his Allen key set out, he marked the original position of the bars with a pencil, which was a smart logical idea and rolled the bars forward just a little bit.


Huh, he had a point, I lean forward a little more and my whole sitting position feels more open. My arms feel better positioned. Maybe I can find enough room to change the bars to a straighter bar without hitting the fairings, we’ll see. I need to grind the pips off the mirror brackets so I can rotate them on the bars just that little bit more.

Next up, an Afam chain, and maybe 2 more teeth on the rear. I say maybe because with the Akrapovic it does 30mph comfortably whereas it wouldn’t before. If I get the JT sprocket carrier I can try the 42 teeth and easily revert to 40 teeth if I prefer the original gearing. Simples.



It’s a scream to ride with it’s up n down quickshifter, it’s light, good suspension, the Yoshimura is epic, a fraction of the price of a Ducati but… this is last year or so’s model. Bro 6 and I both think they've blown the styling with this years model. It’s just not as nice to look at.

What’s going on with bike design? They’re getting heavier and uglier.

 

I see you’re in The States Meng, what gives? I need to check the weight of the stock wheels. All this and I didn’t have any scales available last weekend. I think it’s going to work out to be a similar figure to your R9t weight savings.

When we picked up the rear wheels one after another we were shocked at the difference. The Marchesini with the tyre on was incredibly light, whereas the stock wheel felt incredibly heavy. I may well be totally wrong but the stock wheel felt like twice the weight of the Marchesini with the same tyres on both.

The Serie Oro’s make an unbelievable difference, not weight wise but braking. I’ve probably only done 30 miles but if I wanted I could leave the braking far later and effortless too.

I’ll see if there’s any scales here today.

I’ve just checked the mileage, I’ve done 40 miles so far so I could really do with some more twisties to evaluate it properly.

I reckon it’s approximately 7kg weight saving with the wheels and about 7.5 kg with the Akra
but it’s the performance that’s the difference with the Akrapovic. Far better rideability if there is such a word.

 

It’s the additional layer, the heated seat. I felt it straight away.