[Chic]

and when I pulled in there was an orange, white and black 1290 sitting there. As much as love my 790, I have to admit, I was drooling!

 

[monkeynuts]

prefer the 790, you can use all of the power at hand, the 1290's electronics are always having to cut in due to it having so much power and torque. its amazing what you can do on the little bike and how many bigger boys you can upset !!!

 

[J D]

and when I pulled in there was an orange, white and black 1290 sitting there. As much as love my 790, I have to admit, I was drooling!

The Super Duke is a thing of raw beauty for sure!

Rode my friends, it's just outright insanity, the way the torque comes on, is simply shocking, (and my other bike is a Kawa ZX-14R).

I feel my 790 is farrrrr more controllable, and I feel like I'm the one giving the inputs, and telling it what to do, and it lives up to the Scalpel name!

The SD feels like 4 pit bulls on a leash, out of control, hahaha.

 

[Chic]

Hahahaha, very nice way of putting it! I do want to ride the 1290 at some point just to compare, but yes I have noticed the complete control of the 790 just over my R1.

 

[weaksy]

Hahahaha, very nice way of putting it! I do want to ride the 1290 at some point just to compare, but yes I have noticed the complete control of the 790 just over my R1.

They're amazing things, really really amazing... but just completely daft IMO, taking it too far for real world use.

 

[Chic]

They're amazing things, really really amazing... but just completely daft IMO, taking it too far for real world use.

So true. I was reading reviews and watching videos before I made the purchase and one dude put it like this: Riding the R1 through the town is like using a 5 pound sledge hammer to drive in a thumb tac. That line right there sold me! He literally hit it on the head!

 

[DaveNZ]

I had a 1290R with a full Acra system and mapping, it was brutal with the electronics turned off, wheelie at will, but with the TC and wheelie control on the bike is a breeze to ride, i did around 15 track days on it, then traded it for the 1290GT, the 1290R is faster with its brutal power delivery, i traded because i wanted the panniers and the electronic suspension. Was a great fun bike tho. But i prefer the 790 on the track, no fear of breaking loose.

 

[Chic]

Interesting Dave. Thanks for sharing that! I wondered what the main difference between the two were and how they both handled. I do love my 790.