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  #41  
Old 22-Aug-2006, 14:53
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david.hicks david.hicks is offline
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Originally Posted by twpd
It looks like it was "designed" by a council committee. The 748/916 looks like it was designed by someone who loves bikes.

C'mon man, get off the bl**dy fence
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  #42  
Old 22-Aug-2006, 15:07
Gizmo Gizmo is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by twpd
It looks like it was "designed" by a council committee. The 748/916 looks like it was designed by someone who loves bikes.

wrong way round I'm afraid, the 916 was designed by a CRC design team consisting of Tamburini, Terblanche and Sergio Robbiano plus others. Tamburini nicked the best bits from bikes like the Honda NR750 and added Terblanche's waisted styling, tank shape etc from the supermono. That supermono look created by Terblanche took Ducati from big boxy front ends into the sleek shape most now consider to be a Ducati.

With the 999 Terblanche was allowed to do his own thing hence the more individualistic look of it.
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  #43  
Old 22-Aug-2006, 16:11
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Well perhaps he has split personalities : ) (Terblanche)

The net result to me is that the 999 is less than the sum of it's parts ...

....incoming !!
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  #44  
Old 22-Aug-2006, 17:50
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phil_h phil_h is offline
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Originally Posted by Foxy
No problem, I just felt that certain items, like the fuel tank look slightly small in relation to other parts of the bike. Another example was the original swingarm, which although fit for purpose looked a little lightweight and out of place.
It may sound like I'm being over critical, but for a premium product and the most recognisable brand in motorcycling it does look like different people designed different parts of the 999.

Kind of "form coming from function".

I'm really looking forward to the next model, I can't help feeling it might be a compromise.

Hmmm ... most big companies put design-sub-teams on bits of projects and them put them all together later ... all the japs do for sure, and its a certain way of giving the engineer enough time to concentrate on their own problems in their own area. If you have too small a design team, or let one person rule, you get uneven quality every time, as the rose-tinted glasses, or time-pressure take over.
Too big a team and you definitely get bland-bland-bland tho.

And engineering is the art of compromise actually.
Thats why good engineering is often great art.
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  #45  
Old 22-Aug-2006, 19:01
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Ok I may be biased with me owning a 749R but myself and loads of other bikers I know think that my bike looks stunning and wherever we go there is always a crowd looking at my bike, even old couples in the small village tea rooms so it cannot be that bad.

Like every bike ever made there are parts that some people do not like but this applies to every bike even the latest japanese models.

Personnaly I thought the single sided swinging arm looked brilliant and the first 749/999 version was awful but the new versions are very nice, but even if the new model has got a single sided swinging arm could any one of us really notice any difference in rigidity ???

I think that the only reason the 749/999 has not hit it off with some people is because the 748/916 etc was such an icon which was always going to be a hard act to follow.

I hope the new model is not 'too' nice as I would be gutted to see my bike go especially when I could not afford the top of the range or R model.
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  #46  
Old 22-Aug-2006, 19:10
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The single sider worked ok on the 998 1/2 of Chili. When the 999 was not handling to well ( in wsb, bsb, and ama). Who cares if it's a compromize, if thats the argument lets talk about the problems with telescopic forks. Every manufacturer knows it is a compromize. But we all ride them how best WE can, not to the limit of the machine!
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  #47  
Old 22-Aug-2006, 20:05
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Originally Posted by doogalman
The single sider worked ok on the 998 1/2 of Chili. When the 999 was not handling to well ( in wsb, bsb, and ama). Who cares if it's a compromize, if thats the argument lets talk about the problems with telescopic forks. Every manufacturer knows it is a compromize. But we all ride them how best WE can, not to the limit of the machine!

When it wasnt working well............was then when it won WSB in 2003 or when it won i 2004?
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  #48  
Old 22-Aug-2006, 20:26
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doogalman doogalman is offline
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The majority if teams were having handling problems . Chili just proved that a out of date design can still compete if the power output is there. I'm sure any modern bike can still have a bit of a dice with an RC30, RC45, 916etc. Which bike holds the official record around the Nordschleife? I know someone who is blistering around there on an 05 R1. Yet he can not stay with an RC30 . So what if it's not the chosen route by the masses. Why shouldn't a manufacturer also consider the aesthetics (can anyone genuinly say the single sider didn't look good on the 916 series), isn't that why most of us buy what we want to.
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  #49  
Old 22-Aug-2006, 21:48
Gizmo Gizmo is offline
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Originally Posted by phil_h

And engineering is the art of compromise actually.
Thats why good engineering is often great art.

Hence my quote on the limitations Terblanche worked around on the 999, same engine and basic layouts yet has to look new. Compromised but still good design.

Quote:
Originally Posted by foxy
Well perhaps he has split personalities : ) (Terblanche)

The net result to me is that the 999 is less than the sum of it's parts ...

....incoming !!

each to their own but i prefer up to date design and i don't see the 999 as being an inferior road bike to a 916 far from it, it takes those same parts and gives a better performing bike.

Quote:
Originally Posted by dooglman

The single sider worked ok on the 998 1/2 of Chili. When the 999 was not handling to well ( in wsb, bsb, and ama). Who cares if it's a compromize, if thats the argument lets talk about the problems with telescopic forks. Every manufacturer knows it is a compromize. But we all ride them how best WE can, not to the limit of the machine!

A singlesider might have worked years ago but now there would be a weight penalty, horsepower and tyre grip have moved on. I'm sure moto gp teams would use an alternative to the telescopic fork if a viable alternative existed, budget isn't a consideration all that matters is performance why don't they do it ?
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  #50  
Old 22-Aug-2006, 22:15
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doogalman doogalman is offline
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Originally Posted by Gizmo
I'm sure moto gp teams would use an alternative to the telescopic fork if a viable alternative existed,

Better the devil they know.
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