BMW F 900 R vs KTM 790 Duke vs Triumph Street Triple R vs Ducati Monster 821: Spec Comparo

There is no disputing which bike takes the cake in this department, the Triumph Street Triple R is a couple of steps ahead when it comes to the hardware in question. Its aluminium twin spar chassis is regarded as the best in its class. Plus, it is the only bike on the list to offer fully-adjustable Showa suspension units.

In terms of suspension, the F 900 R and the Monster 821 are almost equally matched, the Beemer eking out a narrow advantage as its monoshock unit has rebound adjustability too. BMW has not brought the Pro version of the F 900 R, which would have helped its cause a bit in this comparo as it would be the only bike in the segment to get an electronically-adjustable monoshock, to India.

One area where the 790 Duke fails to impress is its components, or rather the lack of sophisticated components. The suspension units are fairly simple; the braking hardware, even though it comprises of radial monobloc calipers, isn’t from a fancy Italian brand and the tyres are sport-touring oriented.

The other three bikes are on par when it comes to the braking setup and the tyres offered. We are still to know the tyre selection that BMW Motorrad India goes with for the F 900 R. The foreign-spec model gets either Bridgestone Battlax or Michelin Power RS rubber, both of which are as capable as the Pirelli Diablo Rosso 3s.

Dimensions

It is quite neck and neck in this department. The Ducati Monster 821 has the most accommodating seat with adjustable seat height. Even in its highest setting, the rider sits 5mm lower than the next competitor. It isn’t the lightest bike here, top honours going to the Street Triple R. The Triumph also has the shortest wheelbase and the largest fuel tank amongst these. Not only does that boost its sporty character but also its touring credentials.

On paper, the F 900 R seems to be the laziest and heaviest of them all. It also manages to store the least amount of fuel on board. Its intentions might not be to dazzle you with agile handling but rather offer a mature riding experience, something that larger audiences would find rather welcoming.

Features

	BMW F 900 R	KTM 790 Duke	Triumph Street Triple R	Ducati Monster 821
Colour TFT screen	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Smartphone connectivity	Yes	Yes	No	No
Bi-directional quickshifter	Yes	Yes	Yes	Accessory
LED lighting	Yes	Yes	Yes	DRL and tail lamp

If you are going to shell out the moolah for one of these bikes, you’d definitely expect some features that might not affect the riding experience by much but will definitely alter the ownership experience. The F 900 R and the 790 Duke are feature-packed in this regard, both offering large colour TFT screens equipped with smartphone connectivity and the works. The unit on the Beemer is a lot more exhaustive, allowing you proper navigation with a map view, and also connects to your helmet bluetooth intercom unit (like Sena or Cardo Scala).

The Monster 821 does have a colour screen but it doesn’t get the Ducati Multimedia System module, you have to get it as an accessory fitment. The bi-directional quickshifter and LED turn indicators are also accessories. In order to get all three, you will need to spend almost Rs 73,000 extra.

While Triumph used to offer the colour TFT dash on the Triple R earlier, the current model skimps out on it.

Price & Verdict

BMW F 900 R	KTM 790 Duke	Triumph Street Triple R	Ducati Monster 821
Rs 9.90 lakh	Rs 8.64 lakh (BS4)	Expected Rs 9.50 lakh	Rs 10.99 lakh (BS4)

All prices, ex-showroom India

On the whole, the Triumph Street Triple R does emerge as the sportiest package of the lot. It is the most powerful, gets high-end components and has a sporty setup. It might not have the modern features of the BMW or the KTM, which is a shame as those features were available on the older model. But if Triumph does manage to price the bike at around Rs 9.50 lakh, it surely has a winner on its hands.

Even though we felt that KTM overpriced the 790 Duke, its BS4 model was the most affordable of the lot. And we think the story will remain the same for the BS6 bike. It doesn’t boast of sophisticated hardware. If you want a bike for hooning around on, you would be very happy with the 790 Duke.

On paper, the BMW F 900 R does make a lot of sense for those who are stepping up from a 650cc motorcycle but do not want something that will scare them off easily. The F 900 R is the most affordable big Beemer available in India and you will surely appreciate the gizmos and features that come as standard.

Ducati literally started the segment decades ago with the Monster, but the Monster 821 does seem a tad dated in this company. We guess a minor revision is in order for the middleweight Monster as it has been two years since Ducati first introduced the 821. It misses out on the latest generation Ducati electronics suite and other fancy bits. The high asking price of the BS4 bike doesn’t do it any favours either.