Curious GS owner...?

[IakWhisky]

Hi, as the subject line suggests, I am not (yet) an MS950 owner.

I'm currently riding a 2016 BMW R1200GS which is my third GS over the past 15 years. So it feels like time for a change!

If anyone else has switched from an LC GS to the MS950 I'd like to know what the differences have been for you and any pros & cons.

I'll be demoing a 950S in a few days time so I will see for myself. Otherwise, the reviews have been great and there's lots of good info on this board too.

I hadn't really been aware of or considered the 950 until I recently visited the Ducati factory and did the tour there. Definitely worth doing if you are in that part of the world.

Thanks.

[thenozzle]

Hi    IakWhisky
  to this forum  never been  a  GS owner this should be a interesting topic 

[briantheb]

I have an older GS which was my go to bike (106k miles) till I bought the M/S 950 and so it hasn’t been out the garage in the last 2 years.
Hope that helps

[Tiree]

Not had a LC GS but rode a MK1 1200 for 7 years and then a Mk3 Triple black for 7 years so that’s about 60,000 miles on a GS.... and swapped to a 950s in April. 2500 miles later I can say it was a brilliant decision. Ducati is a real sports bike that can happily tour comfortably and has all the very latest safety technology and clever technology upgrades. Panniers weigh a fraction of those o. the GS and look fully integrated when fitted in seconds. Loved yet the GS but adding the ‘s’ to the 950 topped the balance and I’ve not looked back .

[mcinlb]

I did just what you are thinking of, had a 2015 GS LC, was racking up the miles and thought of the 950S for 2 reasons, lighter / easier to move about and all the great reviews I read.
I initially went for a test ride and the only things I could fault were the highish seat and the screen was not as efficient as the GS. Low seat purchase on a deal with the new 950 and started to look at screens, ( MRA + "visor" seem to be the way forward).
I got the touring version, panniers / centre stand and heated grips, panniers ar very good, a lot lighter than the varios I had on the GS, never used them much because of the weight.
I don't have an issues with the chain maintenance , already have a bike with a chain 
I am very happy with the 950 so far , especially with the lower seat now fitted, engine not as low down torquey as the GS but is ok , after all it is a "big" twin still, handling is excelent, skyhook system works very well , but also so was the GS....

[Wassers]

So when is your test ride IakWhisky? Must be getting close now.

We are all very interested to hear your feedback.

[IakWhisky]

Originally Posted by Wassers

So when is your test ride IakWhisky? Must be getting close now.

We are all very interested to hear your feedback.

Next Saturday. So still a bit of waiting to go.

Thanks to everyone for the feedback. It sounds very promising.

[IakWhisky]

Well I certainly planned a good day for yesterday's test ride. Glorious sunshine and 25 degrees as befits an Italian bike I suppose.

To cut to the chase, I very much enjoyed the bike. But you all knew I would probably say that.

I was only out for just over an hour so much of that was about getting used to riding something different and getting a first impression. However, I managed a combination of roads from motorway to B road twisty stuff and even some local roads with the infamous top dressing of gravel! The only thing missing was a wet surface. As the bike only had about 70 miles on the clock I was asked not to go beyond 6k revs.

In comparison to the 1200GS there were a few interesting things I noticed.

Firstly, the seat height. It was a bit of a surprise to me that it felt taller. I think they're both the same, but the 950S has a wider seat so it feels taller. Also, the seat on my GS has low and high adjustability and mine is set low. I'm 5' 10" with a 32" inside leg. It was just something to keep in mind until I got used to it.

The seat is very comfy indeed. I only did just over an hour so I don't know what it'd be like for longer though. Otherwise, the seating position is quite different but natural.

I felt more like I was closer to or over the front of the bike. The TFT dash is closer and there's less of the bike in front of you. When I got onto the GS after it felt like I was on a cruiser in comparison.

I only tried out the Sport and Touring settings to get a feel for the difference. To be honest, I would need a bit more time to fully explore the differences and characteristics. On my GS, unless it is raining, I mostly just leave it in the 'full fat' Dynamic mode and one of the reasons is that I prefer the tighter suspension set up that it gives. (The 'soft' suspension setting on a GS is bordering on pointless in my opinion, but that's another story). The 950 just felt more sporty in every setting with the suspension harder and more taut. I suppose I could change that a bit given the adjustability options. But I knew it would be a more sporty bike and am quite happy  with that. But for longer tours and motorway miles that might be an area to look at.

Other things that aren't really an issue but just about getting used to a different bike include the feeling that the 950 carries its weight a bit higher than the GS. This is noticeable at slower speeds but perhaps there's also a sense that the GS feels more 'planted'. I noticed that I needed to use a bit more throttle when moving off and in low speed manoeuvres. However, the clutch is very light and an absolute joy in comparison to the one on the GS. I have to admit, it's the one thing that I dislike the most on my bike. For some reason I am unable to make quick getaways like I used to do on cable clutch machines before. I have no idea whether it's just an operator issue or a genuine problem with the GS. I've spoken to one other GS owner who has the same problem as me, but everyone else including the dealer doesn't seem to share the same concerns.

Mirrors are a good size, but the right one vibrated a lot. Is that just a set up thing?

The one area that I was most interested in was the power. My GS makes around 125 HP with a boat load of torque too but is probably a good bit heavier than the 950 (which felt very light when moving it around the car park). My previous air cooled GS was probably around the same power as the 950 (again with lots of torque) but I never felt that it lacked power and in many respects it was a nicer bike to ride than my current machine. Bearing in mind that I was trying to avoid going over 6,000 revs, I thought that the 950 had enough poke to keep me interested. I enjoyed a few reasonably rapid roundabout exits that allowed me to zip up through the quickshifter and reach 70 mph in a respectable manner shall we say. I had no issues with the quickshifter despite it being a new bike. You get used to needing an assertive boot with the quickshifter on a GS anyway.

At times the sound of the bike was glorious and that's what I expect and want from a Ducati. Again, I couldn't test this out too much with the rev limit, but I encountered enough to guess that it'll be an addictive part of the 950 ownership experience. I'd fit a Termi or Akra can on it though. There was an odd electrical sound each time I moved away which is similar to an electric car or milk float. What's that about?

There are probably a few other comments to make but I have probably said enough for now. In short, it's a great bike and very entertaining.

However, I haven't bought it. Mainly because for the cost of the spec that I would want it doesn't quite work out for me financially at the moment. The PX offer on my GS falls well short of what I would need to feel comfortable making a change now. So I'll probably have to wait until Spring next year. I don't really have any other bikes on the list to try (... maybe the supersport?!) so the 950S is still most likely to be my next bike.

Here's a couple of pics from a quick stop with the glorious Clyde in the sunshine.
The bike really needs a red front mudguard though ...

[IakWhisky]

... as a follow up, I appear to have ordered the 950S today.

Following some useful advice  , I got a great deal and PX offer.

Looking forward to picking it up with a 69 plate next month.

[briantheb]

Well done
Glad all worked out in the end 😉
Hope you have a great time with your new 950s 👍🏻