Thinking of doing the same thing. Be interested to hear how you get on...
I'll put up some feedback after I've done a bit of mileage on it. Got a 3+ weeks to wait anyway. I'll be hoping for a mild Scottish autumn!!
In the meantime, here's a review I wrote after the test ride:
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.
