continued 999 speculation in MCN
 

Am I the only one getting irate at the continued use of a cut and paste mock up replacement of the 999 in MCN?

Ducati bosses have said they are committed to the current design and specifically said the MCN story was rubbish. Yes they might be working on a bigger capacity motor but a backwards step to 916 headlights and swingarm as reported in MCN has been discounted.

The 999 is ahead of the market in terms of design (as was the 916) but i'm getting pi$$ed off with my bike being potentially devalued by tabloid speculation.

Yes, the 916 was iconic but as with all things, innovation moves forward.

Why are Ducati UK advertising there and why don't they confront MCN and get them to print facts not bollox?

I don't think the 999 replacement will look anything like the 999 or the 916 shape.

I just hope they come up with a new Iconic design !

Age

According to the Ducati media section of their website their most annoyed at the MCN 'mock-up' and assure that they haven't even began finalising any proposed designs.

Interestingly in a bike trader magazine I read at my mates shop yesterday, (I think it's Motorcycle Trader) - they have an interview with the main director at Ducati. They're currently in the process of beginning a major restructuring programme which should lead them into the black by 2008, making a loss in 2007. Included in the major shake-up is the removal of most of the current models including the 999-(all models including the Xerox 'R'), 749-(all models) and many more. He continues to say they've been damaged by selling the lower specification 749 and 999 models. This will result in them regaining their status by selling only 'high end' machinery such as the Moto GP replica model.

:puzzled:

[Edited on 25-5-2006 by desmobob]

S'not only tabloid speculation. I was offered an 04 999R Fila rep with 500 genuine on it for £8k a couple of weeks ago. Try to get a 998R for that money and you'll be struggling. I'm afraid the punters have voted with their wallets on this one.

:burn:

Thereby restricting the sales of their models to only the wealthiest of people. They just don't get it, do they? Regaining status? Status as expensive trinkets for only the wealthiest of people. Honda got rich selling lots of C50's and C90's. Not RC30's.

But nobody ever wanted to by a Honda because of the amazing C90's history, but they do when they see a modern blade, RC30 etc. It's a fickle world we live in unfortuantely:rolleye:

[Edited on 25-5-2006 by desmobob]

That wasn't the Fila Cat D by any chance was it ?
I recently can remember 2 incidents of very cheep 999R's going on either eBay and Biketrader and after investigation found one to be a CAT-D and the other (Hodgson signed apparently) - to be a .... fake Fila rep model.
I think fake 999R's and the like have done Ducati no favours either.
I know of equal quantities of people that prefer the 999 shape to the 916, but they prefer the 999 shape perhaps for it's mechanical additions that fix many 'yet to be fixed' issues that were waiting for the 'next big release' that the 999 did fix.
I own a 916 and a 999 and if they were both worth the same money - wise, I'd let the 916 shape go purely because it looks older.

It's the C50's and C90's that allow Honda to make RC30's. Restricting the appeal of your market and consigning yourself to an ever smaller niche is suicide. I'm a Ducati loyalist, I've spent the best part of £40k on buying the bikes themselves but, no longer will I buy a new Ducati because it is overpriced, it doesn't offer enough for the big price tag and they depreciate too quickly - disasterously so thanks to Ducati marketing tactics.

They say they are getting rid of all their entry models except the monster 695 or what ever it is now !

So they will be loosing most of their loyal Customers by putting the bulk of their bikes in a price range that most Ducati owners can't afford ME being one!

Hmmm Those Suzuki's do look bloody nice and I can afford a new one !!

Wake up Ducati and smell the coffee !!!

Age