Ducati Sporting Club UK > General > Idle Chat > Touring on a Ducati... HAve you ? Would you ?

[weeksyracing]

The Missus has done a trip to Mid France on hers, bike went like a dream and came back 100% healthy... although not sure her wrists did

I know Crust did a LOT of miles recently on a trip to Italy... again the bike was imprecably behaved...


So... what have you done ? where have you been ? any problems ?

[Lily]

I have to say if I had a multi i would tour on it. We went to scotland last month and had a Multi in our midst and it did the job fantastically.

I also knwo a fair few folks that while it's not technically touring do weekend runs of 300 miles at a go.

For me, the 998 is not practical for touring on in it's current form, but gif it were changed back to standard it would be ok I guess although carying luggage is a bit difficult and the clutch would get heavy if doing much town riding.

[BDG]

Furthest i've been touring on a Ducati is Morocco and out to the Sahara desert, but that was on a Multi.

I've done plenty of other European trips on 996R/996SPS/ST4s/ST4. At least 2000 miles each time. Extended twisty road riding rather than touring.

Never had any problems with any of the bikes, but Azzy bought my SPS and the starter sprag clutch packed up on him at around 17,000 miles in France not far from a bar, so no real problem.

[Dave G]

When I lived in Nottingham I made an annual trip around Scotland on the 916,I also made a point of only taking what I could get into a small backpack bungeed onto the pillion seat.
The average mileage of this was about 1200 miles,personally I found the bike quite comfortable(more so than my current monster) though it could be a trial getting on and off when your tired as a tailpack raises the back to 'can-can' heights.
On all of these trips I never had any mechanical troubles, but that could be due to looking at my prospective mileage and getting any servicing etc. done before setting out.
Cant recommend it enough to all you southern types who are looking over the channel for some sort of biking shangri la.

[phoenix n max]

3800 miles around the UK
Regular Scotland Tours. (2000 miles plus usually)
My next one will be around Australia ( gulp )

Monster 600 - rules

[antonye]

Been to France for long weekends with mates on my 748 for three years in a row before the racing took over. Never missed a beat and once I'd fitted the Ventura luggage it was no hassle at all. Great fun and can't wait to do it again.

[Ray]

Done two long distance trips,

About 3000 miles on a 996 with the DSC run to the sun, and about 2500 in seven days down to the south of France on the 998, including Calais to Nice in one day, 836 miles.

I find the bike comfy to ride long distance so why not?

I've seen more sports bikes in the south of France on UK plates than tourers, maybe they all use the motor rail or trailer them down, or maybe not.

Ray

[Wylie1]

I went to Italy (Lake Garda) on my 749 this year (with fellow dsc'er KP on his 999) without any problems. Whilst there we rode to the Ducati factory. On the way home we rode from Lake Garda up to the Nurburgring in one day (nearly 700 miles!), taking in all the passes rather than the tunnels.

Also done a couple of trips to the 'ring (once earlier in the year + one last year). A little over 1k miles per trip. There were 3 dukes on the trip this year & again no problems.

Whatever the weather, the bike's been perfect every time.

[MARTIN H]

Toured on my old 996s to Monaco etc. Very few miles on motorways 99% on the twisty roads. Aprrox 3000 hard miles in 10 days and it never missed a beat. Ventura pack was excellent and at the time I had Helibars on for a tad more comfort (and even easier wheelies!) By far my most memorable tour and so much more satisfying than doing it on a Blackbird or similar as I had done the year before.

[Monty]

I lead the 'Run to the Sun' in 2001 on my then 4 week old ST4S-(2 up), been back to Italy 3 times since on the same bike, Germany, round the 'ring, did Norway and Sweden last year-bikes been fine. It's done 27,000 miles now and the engine is getting better and better-Ducati's are better if you use them, hence the number of people in this club who have 'R' varients and are not afraid to put miles on them.

Italy for WDW next year anyone??

John