First, a little bit about me so you know where I'm coming from:
Riding experience - 2002 Suzuki GSX-R 600 for 4 years. GSX-R was a horrible starting bike, but by the time I was done I was able to drag a knee, wheelie, etc. Then 5 years off of riding and now the scrambler. So not a ton of experience - but competent.
Size - 5'8 -190 pounds
My choice was between a Yamaha FZ-07 and Scrambler. I decided to get away from the sports bike as there was no good street legal way to have fun on it. A 600cc supersport doesn't even begin to be fun until after 10,000 rpm. This time I wanted something fun to commute on, but still had some giddyup and go. The Scrambler got the nod over the Yamaha for styling, resale (I figure it might hold it's value over yet another naked bike), and ultimately ABS which was a big priority for me.
Price - I know everyone is curious what you can get this bike for. I paid MSRP of $8,500 plus a $129 doc fee and sales tax. No crate, delivery, etc. Sales tax was 7.5% so I paid around $9,390 out the door in Ohio.
Looks - I won't talk a lot about looks as beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I will say it looks even better in person. The knobby wheels seem to make more sense and all the features just pop a little more. It does look tiny when parked next to other motorcycles - almost toy like. If you're the kind of person who will feel the need to constantly remind people that there's an 803cc engine despite it's tiny size, maybe this bike is not for you.
Ergonomics - Riding position for me is super comfortable. I think I fit this bike about perfectly, but I'm afraid that over 6'0 things might get a little tight. I'm just barely flat footed when seated. Mirror position was difficult to adjust, but once I got it, it provides much better visibility than the old bike. My only complaint is the turn signal indicator button. It seems to me like it's not in a natural position - like I'm really trying hard to reach it. The cancel turn signal button doesn't provide a lot of feedback either, so I end up tapping it 2 or 3 times just to be sure.
Seat - Seat is very comfortable...at first. After about an hour in the saddle, my butt goes numb and as you can see from my size, I have some padding. The good news is that since the seat is one long bench style seat, I can just slide back to the passenger seat for about 5 minutes and I'm as good as new.
Wind - Above 75 mph I feel like a sail. I wouldn't want to do multiple hours on the highway without a screen/deflector. Anything below 70 mph is just fine. 50 mph and below, the lack of a windscreen is not noticeable.
Engine - FANTASTIC. This is by far my favorite part of the bike. It pulls in every gear at every rpm range. Real linear delivery. I almost prefer to push the bike around 3 thousand rpm because it provides a nice grumble and vibration that is so much different than my old sports bike. Compared to the gixxer, the power is so much more accessible and fun. I have no doubt that after about 40 mph in a drag race a sports bike would start to pull away and at 70 mph the Scrambler would be left behind in the dust. However, anything below 60 is just so much more fun on the Scrambler. On a side note, if you're used to fairings and a water cooled engine, you'll be surprised how hot the Scramblers engine is at a stop.
Transmission - I rather like the transmission on this bike. I was very nervous about all the false neutrals I've been reading about and thought they might translate into a mushy transmission. My experience is quite the opposite as every gear has a nice snick to it. I have hit one false neutral shifting from 4th to 5th. While this shouldn't ever happen, I can say that I was wearing tennis shoes which flex a bunch on an upshift and I was really soft on my shift. I tried to replicate my false neutral but couldn't. I feel that if I were in a proper riding boot, this wouldn't have happened.
This bike could also really benefit from a gear indicator as 4, 5, and 6 are pretty short and close together. The good news is that the bike pulls hard in any gear. The bad news is that if you're the type that "counts down" to first gear when slowing down, you may forget what gear you started in when decelerating.
Throttle Response - Way too touchy. This is a big negative of this bike. If you're in 1st or 2nd and performing a tight right hander (maybe 15-20mph) the throttle response is an issue. What can happen is let's say you're a little too fast around a sharp slow turn: First you release the throttle and the bike dips from engine breaking, then you roll back on the throttle to complete the turn and the bike bucks and jerks back to life. Now you're moving too fast again so you release the throttle and the bike dips again... Without careful throttle control or re-clutching, at best you may look like an idiot. At worst, a beginner may pull the throttle and turn wide into oncoming traffic.
Throttle response deserves a second paragraph. Let me be clear , you can absolutely get used to the throttle response - but consciously. As I'm rounding a slow turn I'm always thinking "okay, softly...just a little...be careful". For everyone who says it's something you just need to get used to, my response would be this -- Perhaps, but this bike in no way is made better by such a touchy throttle. The throttle is not a deal breaker at all, but I'm surprised Ducati did not get this sorted out in the factory.
Sound - I love the stock exhaust on the Icon. Loud, deep, and barbles just enough to feel like it doesn't match the size of the bike which is kind of fun. Not so loud as to be obnoxious or feel guilty driving through a neighborhood past midnight.
Suspension - I think the factory settings are perfect for me. Maybe I was expecting worse after reading other reviews, but I didn't feel like the front was jarring at all. Again, I thought it was about perfect for my size. Turns are a lot of fun on this bike as well. Lot's of ground clearance so you can certainly get your lean on if that's what you enjoy. Maybe not knee dragging, but enough street legal turn speed to put a smile on anyone's face.
Misc - Lots of gawkers with this bike. Everyone's curious about what it is. The funny part is you'll feel a little like a man without a home when you ride. You don't fit in with the Harley V-Rod, you couldn't possibly understand the lifestyle of that touring Goldwing, and you're just not cool enough to get a wave from the Yamaha R1.
Overall, this is the right bike for me and provides me a lot of smiles. Hopefully this review will help you decide if it's the right bike for you.
