Triumphrat

shiftless · 05-11-2008

Hi all, new member talkin' at ya!

I'm going to be looking for a new bike soon and since my preferences lean toward the look that nature intended (Naked is Nirvana don't ya know) it's likely to be between a new Ducati Monster S2R1000 or a new Speed Triple. The S3 for the money certainly has the goods, the Duc is sexy but the mechanicals are getting a little long in the tooth. Also the general consensus regarding the Duc is that from the get-go you need to spend another $2k on the factory performance kit (full exhaust, mappable ECU, and open airbox kit) to get the most out of the motor (if not to just get the beasty to run smoothly). Since the cost of the Monster before add-ons is already pretty steep (list is $11,500, maybe more by now) I'm a little hesitant to go that way.

Which begs the question, is the ECU on the S3 as it comes from the factory mappable or does one usually need to go for a factory performance kit to get the beast up to its full potential? What are the typical mods that you feel are necessary for optimum performance (we're talking basic stuff here, nothing to do with getting into the guts of the engine or strapping on turbos) and optimum comfort?

I've got the itch and I need to scratch it in a big way soon (and the pharmacist at the local drug store hasn't been able to find anything that stops it), so help me make a choice.

DEcosse · 05-11-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by shiftless

.... is the ECU on the S3 as it comes from the factory mappable .....

The ECM is directly mappable - you need an after-market software interface program program called Tuneboy to over-write the maps. (~ $400 USD if you catch it in a Group Buy - also features diagnostic software)

Mini4x · 05-12-2008

I made the same short list as you..

Ducati Monster
Buell XB12
ruled out a fleet of Jap bikes..

Ended up with a Speed Triple.

Mostly I love the 3 cyl..

Ducati was a few $k more.. Buell I was pretty much blow off by the dealer(s).

Got a good deal on a leftover 2006,I couldn't be happier..
Did a pipe, and a Corbin seat, will get the Tuneboy soon, but out of the box it's a fantastic bike.

dePope · 05-13-2008

i've spent plenty of time riding (and working) on both bikes...

the Duc is alright... but nothing great, the S4RS is a MUCH more comparable bike to the S3... that said, yes i concur that the pipes/airbox/ecu is a big upgrade on the S2R... course at that point you're pretty much at the same price as a S4RS in the first place.

beauty of the S3 is that it really doesn't NEED anything... i mean, a set of mirrors, turn signals, fender eliminator, and exhaust are all i'd mess with much... and all of those are purely personal taste things and nothing that makes the riding any better.

the big thing though is if you are worried about the initial cost of the bike then i suggest you ask the dealer you are talking to about the cost of each service also...
$300-500 depending on the service for the triumph
$700-1100 for the duc for the same thing

all that said... ignoring money, the S4RS vs the S3 is ridiculously close, it all comes down to personal preference... i love my S3 to death and am glad at the end of day that i chose it over the duc, but NOTHING sounds as sexy as a Duc at 10k rpm.

shiftless · 05-14-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by dePope

i've spent plenty of time riding (and working) on both bikes...

the Duc is alright... but nothing great, the S4RS is a MUCH more comparable bike to the S3... that said, yes i concur that the pipes/airbox/ecu is a big upgrade on the S2R... course at that point you're pretty much at the same price as a S4RS in the first place.

beauty of the S3 is that it really doesn't NEED anything... i mean, a set of mirrors, turn signals, fender eliminator, and exhaust are all i'd mess with much... and all of those are purely personal taste things and nothing that makes the riding any better.

the big thing though is if you are worried about the initial cost of the bike then i suggest you ask the dealer you are talking to about the cost of each service also...
$300-500 depending on the service for the triumph
$700-1100 for the duc for the same thing

all that said... ignoring money, the S4RS vs the S3 is ridiculously close, it all comes down to personal preference... i love my S3 to death and am glad at the end of day that i chose it over the duc, but NOTHING sounds as sexy as a Duc at 10k rpm.

The S3 certainly does seem to be a much better value then the Duc, certainly true when you take into consideration the intial cost and cost of maintenance and what you get for the money... and money does matter. It's also good to know that the S3 is good-to-go as is and doesn't need upgrades from the get-go to get it rideable (although any bike is open to mods for extra comfort and performance, it's good to know you don't have to do it).

I agree about the sound of the Duc, just listening to soundtracks on YouTube and other on-line video sites, especially with after-market pipes the exhaust note of the Duc is super ... although I'm not so much a fan of racket generated by open dry clutches.

shiftless · 05-14-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mini4x

I made the same short list as you..

Ducati Monster
Buell XB12
ruled out a fleet of Jap bikes..

Ended up with a Speed Triple.

Mostly I love the 3 cyl..

Ducati was a few $k more.. Buell I was pretty much blow off by the dealer(s).

Got a good deal on a leftover 2006,I couldn't be happier..
Did a pipe, and a Corbin seat, will get the Tuneboy soon, but out of the box it's a fantastic bike.

I would have loved for the Buell 1125 to be a winner, it would have been great to buy an American built sporty naked (they say it's a sport bike but it's closer to a naked), but it does look rather quirky, and it seems that the bike has a way to go as to getting the bugs worked out, and it is also just a bit pricey.

There are a few things that keep me from loving the look of the S3 through, the blacked out motor (I'd rather have the motor on a naked bike stand out then be hidden), the instrument cluster as it is has a two different asymetric parts stuck together kind of look (a common setup these days, the cluster on the Duc is nicer in my opinion), and the bug-eyed headlights sticking out on a stalk are ... well, not a great look. Definitely not a deal killer of course but it could have been a super-sweet looking bike with a few changes.

shiftless · 05-14-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by DEcosse

The ECM is directly mappable - you need an after-market software interface program program called Tuneboy to over-write the maps. (~ $400 USD if you catch it in a Group Buy - also features diagnostic software)

It's a nice move on Triumph's part to include a programmable chip on the stock bike. $400 for a quality diagnostic/tuning package seems reasonable too. Better then having to buy a 2k performance kit, paying to have it installed, and then having to pay for a dyno tune on top of that.