Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > 999 / 749 > continued 999 speculation in MCN

[KeefyB]

Originally Posted by Gizmo

looks are important but as i prefer a 999 in looks to a 998 etc I'm happy to ride one. i had the choice and went for it as it is a better road bike and i like its looks.

oh i also have a multistrada which isn't the prettiest of things and yes, i'm happy to ride that even though it has been hit with an ugly stick

Ooh yes,a fine combo to have in the garage.

[doogalman]

Don't they say "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder"? Why do we all have to dig about each-others preferance. I'm sure the replacement will be a great bike . I remember some people saying they did not like the 916 when it was launched. Race teams will extract the best out of anything they have to,
Isn't the MV doing well in european superstock at the moment!!!!

[Gizmo]

Originally Posted by twpd

You completely missed the point there Gizmo. I am not interested in who designed what, where and when. The point I am making is that the 999 series is downright ugly. It's mis-matched, it looks unfinished, it looks messy (the subrame/frame/swingarm area is hideous), it's not at all elegant. The 916 series is universally applauded as the most beautiful bike design of all time, when it came out people said "WOW". 13 years on people still say "WOW".

OTOH when the 999 came out people said "Oh".

As I said - the 916 series looks like it was crafted with a love for bikes. The 999 doesn't.

The 916 is what got me into Ducatis and now all those years later I can still sit and look at my 748 with admiration for hours.

The looks thing is your opinion Nige, not everyone shares that. I'd agree the 999 look wasn't instantly accesible to the majority but it grows on people. My comments are purely because I'd hate to see Ducati change direction and not do designs which stir emotion and passion, its part of what they are. Whether it appeals to the majority is unimportant what matters with the redesigned sbk ( what this thread started on) is whether its a better bike and ahead and different to the competition. Going backwards to whats been done before won't be enough to tempt me into a new bike when i actually prefer the newer look.

Like you i can spend hours looking at the 999 like i can a 916 or 888 they all have things i like, things i don't but are all snapshots of history and as with life, change and progress ( whether you like it or not) are inevitable. Lets hope Ducat create a new model that does keep the passion going.

[iang]

I loved the 916 shape and still do BUT if you park one next to a 999 it looks so dated and not half as nice as it did originally.

Like others have said everyone has their own taste.

[Stu748R]

I hope the new one looks like a BMW GS1200 as Henners might buy one.

[Rod]

Originally Posted by Stu748R

I hope the new one looks like a BMW GS1200 as Henners might buy one.

I'd prefer it if the cylinders don't stick out the sides if it is all the same to you! They would be 'kin expensive to repair if you dropped it. Nothing that is coming out in the press is really a true taster of what will be revealed in November, but we can at least wish for something that is progressive in terms of styling but that echoes the trait of design cues from the past, as these are the characteristics that have set the brand apart from the plethora of bland Japanese mass produced offerings. Take the recent crop of ZX9R and 10R bikes. It is hard to differentiate one years model from the next such is their similarity. The new bike needs to be bold and yet unique such that it encompasses all the appeal of a 916 and the 999, but in a fresh package. If it were a cop out at all, I would still settle for a Desmosedici look a like though.

[spinoli1]

Here's a (long, rambly) thought,

Most of the comments on this matter have been directed at the appearance of the new model and the 998/999.

Not many comments on the serious loss of practicality with the 999 (accepted it is a little more comfy).

One of the things that makes me prefer the previous design is the ingenuity that went into it, such as:

The ease of removing/replacing all of the bodywork - 3 mins 20 seconds, including front mudguard.
There is actually some stoarage space under the seat, not much, but enought to be useful.
The rear shock is easier to access/remove.
The headlight mounting arrangement.
Mirrors that actually work (a little)

Also, virtually all of the component parts of the earlier model appear to have been designed by someone who wanted the item to look good, as well as function well, eg: the bracket/hing mechanism for the seat unit, the rear subframe (what were they thinking with the 999 subframe??).

I remember that in the release blurb for the 999 series, it was stated that the new design incorporated features to make it easier (cheaper) to service. Hmmmm.

I love working on my 998 almost as much as riding it, because it is so cleverly put together.

I've done enough twiddling with 999s/749s to know that this is no longer the case.

This will influence my decision regarding the purchase of the next model.

Plus it must look the bizz.

Spin

[BigJohn999]

An interesting one, these comparisons...

I bought my 999 in Oct 02 because a) for the first time in my life I was in the position of being able to afford a new bike and b) my 748sps was just too uncomfortable.

The 748 is a good looking bike but the original 999 is the best of the later breed. Why? On this first version the original design concept came through unadulterated and pure without the modifications later demanded by public opinion - the slashes in the nose fairing, the cast swingarm. I actually prefer the earlier look. Having owned it for almost 4 years now, the same 2 major things annoy me now as they did in the 1st week of ownership - poxy mirrors, too small a petrol tank. All the mirrors need is another inch on the span of each, all the tank needs is another 5-6 litres / 50 miles range. Why didn't they change these? - much more of an annoyance in everyday riding than the supposed instability caused by the upper vents and the supposed lack of rigidity in the cast as opposed to the fabricated swing arm.

Comfort-wise the 999 is much better to ride than the 748 - it just fits 6'4", 16 stone me better. Lights on the 999 are miles ahead of those on the standard 748, but not quite as good as the Australian spec dual main/dip I fitted to the 748 for its last few months.

The 999 was the first mainstream bike to reflect the stealth fighter-style of slabby, angular planes that is now best seen on KTMs. I liked the new clocks with all the readouts you could want and an easy change from mph to kmh for when you go abroad. I even like the little pilot light in the screen - it gives that extra little bit of visibility to other road users.

What really ****ed me off was the fact that you could buy brand new 999 base model for about 8.5k from DK Motorcycles within a couple of years of their launch. OK, I don't expect any manufacturer to worry too much about us early purchasers a couple of years down the line, but do you remember when 916s were really expensive and kept their price? Ducati offloading stock cheap did me no favours, but all you lucky people who took up this offer were the real winners. I'm sure Ducati lost money on it and devalued their brand to boot.

So back to the original thread. MCN can say what they want. Same as I can. My speculation can be as good as theirs. The 916 series is really beautiful but dated when compared to the 999 series. The replacement needs to compete with the modernity of the latest KTMs, the raw beauty of MVs and the general sharpness of Aprilias and some Benellis, whilst retaining some of the better features of the 999. I like the look of the desmosedici - maybe something with a hint of that in its styling? There should perhaps be hints of the 916 series but no more than that. Practicalities? well, a bigger tank, better mirrors, a bit more comfort, lower servicing costs. Would I buy one? I don't know, I haven't seen it yet. But it will be great!

If I were to buy another bike it might not even be a Ducati (but I'd try to keep the 999 too). I do like the look of the Moto Guzzi Griso. Apart from the 999, the current Ducati range leaves me cold. The sports classics are interesting but I've got a real one from 1980 (a 900ss) so I probably wouldn't go for one of those. STs just look dull, Monsters maybe, Multistradas, hmmm, but a hoot to ride I hear. Aircooled 1000ss? dodgy styling now almost 10 years old. Maybe a Superlight? oops, they don't make those any more....

I shall now go and get my tin hat and take cover....

[sbwells]

Originally Posted by BigJohn999

What really ****ed me off was the fact that you could buy brand new 999 base model for about 8.5k from DK Motorcycles within a couple of years of their launch. OK, I don't expect any manufacturer to worry too much about us early purchasers a couple of years down the line, but do you remember when 916s were really expensive and kept their price? Ducati offloading stock cheap did me no favours, but all you lucky people who took up this offer were the real winners. I'm sure Ducati lost money on it and devalued their and to boot.

While we don't really have parallel imports to contend with here in New Zealand, we do however, have a bunch of importers that have brought in large number of second hand bikes from Japan on the basis of the exchange rate.

Unfortunately the majority of Japanese imported bikes arrive due a major service and have no history, no RED masterkeys for the immobilisers etc. These bikes have generally ended up been sold for about 10-15% less than a comparable New Zealand secondhand bike and it didn't take long for second hand values of the New Zealand bikes to plummet with the oversupply. The problem has been further exacerated buy the initial reluctance of people to buy secondhand bikes from Japan in the $20-30k range forcing the importers to further reduce their prices to off load the stock.

[Henners]

I bought a 996R which had been imported from Japan and apart from a full service being needed it was like new

The 916 design - like that of the Porche 911 or the Ferrari Dino or the RC30 will always invoke strong passions because is truely iconic i.e. regarded as sacred.

The 999 never will.