| Author | Message | ||
     Thefleshrocket |
In short, I liked the Tuono, but didn't love it. I have been dreaming about a '14 Tuono (they added ABS and a few minor tweaks this year) to replace my '05 Speed Triple, so I test rode one a couple weeks ago. The Tuono looks great in person. The motor sounds fantastic and the stock exhaust has a decent bark to it, especially when fired up cold. It quiets down a bit after a moment, and I suspect that there's an exhaust valve that's responsible for that. The V4 makes good mid-range power and is an absolute animal up top, but it feels sort of fluffy down low--pretty much the complete opposite of the Triple, which will happily wheelie first gear from just off idle but runs out of steam in the upper revs. The Tuono's brakes were.. flaccid, but I'm pretty sure that's because I was riding a virgin bike with pads that hadn't broken in yet. The one I rode was a '13--no ABS--so that couldn't have been to blame. The seat was terrible--after a 15-minute test ride, I was already uncomfortable. My Speed Triple has a Sargent seat, which offers great comfort and feel, but even the Triple's stock seat was much better than the Tuono's. I also felt like I sat up much higher on the Tuono than I do on the Triple, so the point that I didn't really feel comfortable on the bike. Of course, 15 minutes of seat time isn't enough to get well-acclimated. The Tuono didn't feel very responsive to steering inputs at low speeds. but I'm confident that lowering the fork tubes in the triple would resolve that. The Tuono was geared ridiculously tall--idle in first gear was around 10mph, and the bike shuddered and bucked a bit when I lugged it. It could easily lose two teeth on the front sprocket. The quick shifter worked great for clutchless upshifts, and the slipper clutch easily tolerated ham-fisted non-rev-matched downshifts without upsetting the bike. I feel like the Speed Triple is a better around-town and hooligan-commuter bike, so its place in my stable is cemented, at least for the time being. Not to mention I have a hard time justifying spending $15K n a bike only to have to throw a couple more grand at it to be happy with it. In a few years, I'll go shopping for a used '14 Tuono that's been modded the way I'd want. Lastly, while the Tuono might eventually supplant the Speed Triple, it's in no way a replacement for the my 1125R--my favorite bike out of everything I've owned, and a steed that puts a smile on my face every time I ride it. | ||
| D_adams |
Since you're on the Buell forum, now go ride an 1190 RX and report back. Me personally, I think the RX is a very nice machine for the money and well worth the asking price. It's more comfy than the 1125 was to me, more power, handles better, looks better, etc. It's stupid fast anywhere you twist the throttle at. That said, a buddy of mine might get the V4 and he wants me to build an exhaust for it. I'm curious as to what it will sound like if he gets it and I build something for him. Mmmmmm, V4, I'd bet it would have a pretty gnarly bark to it. | ||
| Thefleshrocket |
The 1190RX is a beautiful bike and I'm sure it's a performance improvement over the 1125, but I'm worried that it would compromise on comfort--it looks like it's a more-aggressively designed machine. I also won't consider a new bike unless it's got ABS--which I understand is in the pipeline for the RX. Lastly, I'd have a hard time trading a $5K bike for a $20K bike--I'm sure the RX is better than the 1125 in most, if not all, ways, but is it four times as good? That said, I'll probably get one eventually. | ||
| Figorvonbuellingham |
IMO nothing sounds as good as a VR4 with a nice pipe on it.... | ||
| Albert666 |
the rsv4 and tuono have a valve in the exhaust which is closed in neutral and opens once you put it in gear i have a set here. the rx's are £15k over and while if i had the money i'd like an ebr it's up there with some very established machines in that price bracket | ||
| Redbat |
I know it's personal opinion when it comes to sound, but the Tuono V4 sounds smooth to me not gnarly. I'm sure it will sound better with a performance exhaust, but I think the Buell 1125 has the gnarliest performance sound between these two. (With a decent pipe.)  | ||
| Coastrambler |
Per the dealer who carries EBR in Long Beach California there will be a sport touring version of the 1190 next year. I neglected to ask if that was calender year or model year. Should be a screamer. | ||
| Northernthunder |
Sport touring would be sweet, be nice if someone filled the niche that was occupied by the Triumph Sprint since it is no longer available in North America | ||
| Swamp2 |
I have a CR slightly modified with Barker exhaust, EBR ECM, high bars and Uly footpegs. Every time I ride it, I am amazed at what a brilliant mix of power, handling, and comfortable ergos it is. I honestly have no lust for any other bike, including an RX or Tuono or S1000R or anything else. I bought the thing at post-shut down blow out pricing and think it was the best bike value ever. | ||
| Classax |
I don't know. I can't say I'd buy a bike WITH ABS. On track days most guys turn if off and on the street, in a truly aggressive stop, the ZTL's will bottom your forks and throw you over the bars long before they actually lock up the front. On the rear the only way to lock it up, is to have the rear tire just floating and literally stand on the pedal. At least that's what hard stops are like on the RX. Don't really see a situation where ABS will help other than a panic stop in the wet. In the wet I don't ride close or fast enough to allow for to need to panic stop. |
