Need help deciding on 950S

[Sol205]

Hello everyone!

I have wanted a MS for years now. Been riding for 18 years owning Sport bikes to adventure Turing to street bikes.  Finally saved up and went to go see one, but I am having serious doubts with that I need help (Please!). Basically the MS 950s is 4 inches wider then my current bike (mirror to mirror) and I mostly commute with my bike through some serious and nasty bumber to bumber NYC traffic. When I lane split (I know I am not supposed to) with my current bike I hardly have room at times (causing me not to split) and I cant imagine a wider bike.

My other issue is that if I cant split as much (which I would sacrifice for this beauty) then how is the heat that I keep on hearing about going to affect me in stopped traffic with my suits.

The only reason I am looking at a tracer 900gt is because of size.

Looking forward to any and all input

[Murf46]

Never had problems with heat/or lane splitting.

I had a Tracer 900 OK bike but not in the same league at the Ducati.

[Beitsta]

No issues with excessive heat with me as well - Just go and buy it - you will not be dissapointed!

[YoungF]

Much as I love my MTS950 I would not want to ride it in heavy traffic on a regular basis for the reasons you have identified.

[motorman]

I would take a serious look at the super sport    Same engine.  Blast to ride and much narrower

[Conman]

 
I've been in New York traffic and it is something else  I also do a lot of commuting and "lane splitting" (we call it filtering). Generally the width is not such a problem although there are occasions when street bikes or race bikes can pass easily and I have to be a bit more careful and patient. Wing mirrors are the curse of lane splitting but more often than not the bars and hand guards go over them. When they don't the hand guards take the hit which is usually a glancing blow  - no damage anywhere. Except for once when I got it really wrong  I was fine, hardly deviated from my course, but the wing mirror looked a bit sick  Well he should have known bikes were coming through and given more room - and the camber in the road didn't help - ahem - moving on...

So I would say if you can do it on a Tracer, then you should be ok on a 950MTS for 90% of the time.

As to the heat when commuting, I don't find it any worse than other large bikes I've had, lets face it they all get very hot. I had a Desert Sled for a week and nearly melted. Both the Multi and the Desert Sled gave me a hot bum which is a bit different but this was only on rare occasions and could happen on the open road too - I have no idea why this happens.

[neilb]

I have no problem with the heat when I’m wearing my laminated textile trousers which are predominantly light grey in colour and so reflect the heat. I did many thousands of miles around Eastern Europe last summer, in the heatwave, with temperatures at times reaching 40C. I do notice the heat when wearing jeans, in town traffic on days, like today, with the temperature in the low 20s. Not painfully hot but enough to let you know you’re only inches away from a large engine.

[motorman]

Originally Posted by Conman

I've been in New York traffic and it is something else  I also do a lot of commuting and "lane splitting" (we call it filtering). Generally the width is not such a problem although there are occasions when street bikes or race bikes can pass easily and I have to be a bit more careful and patient. Wing mirrors are the curse of lane splitting but more often than not the bars and hand guards go over them. When they don't the hand guards take the hit which is usually a glancing blow  - no damage anywhere. Except for once when I got it really wrong  I was fine, hardly deviated from my course, but the wing mirror looked a bit sick  Well he should have known bikes were coming through and given more room - and the camber in the road didn't help - ahem - moving on...

So I would say if you can do it on a Tracer, then you should be ok on a 950MTS for 90% of the time.

Agreed Conman.  I'm think my panniers which are as wide at the handle bars but down low, give me pause to filtering, especially with the number of suburban and trucks in Texas . 

As to the heat when commuting, I don't find it any worse than other large bikes I've had, lets face it they all get very hot. I had a Desert Sled for a week and nearly melted. Both the Multi and the Desert Sled gave me a hot bum which is a bit different but this was only on rare occasions and could happen on the open road too - I have no idea why this happens.

[Wassers]

I commute in London on the Multi and don't find it an issue when filtering. Yes, it can be challenging for some of the really small gaps, but generally its surprisingly good.

When its really tight I tend to use the technique that RJ uses, eg through tight small gaps lean the bike over slightly and twist the handlebars to get through, one bar at a time - obviously this technique is done at almost no speed at all and with both feet on the ground.

I don't really noticed any heat issues either.

I say, go for it.

+1 on Murfs comments regarding the Tracer vs the Ducati.... chalk and cheese!

[J Kevin]

I bought a 2017 950 at the end of 2017. Its a little tall for me, but I am use to that. Its the best handling bike I have ever had. I have a  MAGER gripe with Ducati. I found out after the purchase that their are no service manuals available. Ducati does not allow it. Buyer be ware.