View Full Version : Ducati Hatred
I have notice since going Ducati about a month ago how many people are bitter about them.
The Reliabilty being overly exaggerated, and stories of £1000 services ?
im getting a service and cam belts changed next week for £250.
Now try to explain to someone that owns a kawasaki that the build quality isnt ****, it is infact alot better than your bike.
i mean you only have to look at each part on a ducati to see the quality the care taken.
The yokes, the suspenion, the wheels, the trellis frame.
Its a bit one man band when you own a ducati trying to explain as youll bet your luck 95% have Jap bikes which are pretty much ALL the same.
gasmanrus
22-Jun-2006, 16:06
ive not noticed any hatred towards ducati owners in the 7 odd years of living with them. a touch of jelousy maybe the reason behind snide coments. (maybe thats why kawasakis are green?)
i find you pays your money & takes your choice. earier dukes did have an issue with electrics & there were reliability problems in certain areas but nowadays i believe they are as good as any other manufacturer.
i guess there are just alot of uninformed riders out there...
Join the Club, ride with fellow Ducati riders and hear no more BS from the majority. Feel the Force young Skywalker :lol: 4D
jeff st4s
22-Jun-2006, 16:27
Similar reasons for hanging back and buying a Ducati, all the so-called bad press.
As of yet had no problems and really wished I'd done it sooner.
But the snob issue is every where. When I used to commute to work on my BMW very rarely got a nod, even got cut up by a guy on a Honda.
Most of the time I ride my St4s now. Had to take the BM for a MOT, forgot what I was riding and kept getting miffed why other bikers would not nod back.
Im talking about friends, they all ride Japanese bikes and seem to find storys based on something from an old duke, chinese whispers means it ends up being of i heard this and this happens on ducatis and they cost £1000 to service and they are poorly built.
which when you compare it to a a kawasaki the quality is exellent :).
And yea everyone now seems to think im a snob and wont take my view seriously.
i guess there are just alot of uninformed riders out there...
Probably because there are lot of uninformed, lazy journalists out there who keep perpetuating the myth that Ducatis are unreliable and that they have **** electrics - the reg/rec situation was sorted years ago but I think that the Journos still have a bunch of stock phrases that get trotted out as a pavlovian response to the word Ducati.
I've got two bikes - and between them they've only let me down (to the point where I just couldn't get the bike to start) once in around 30,000 miles - that was a flat battery that was my own stupid fault for not plugging the Optimate in.
I have had two minor electrical problems that have caused the bike to die while out riding, one on each bike. One was a dodgy relay connection on my ST that was fine after it had been cleaned up by KeefyB's thumbnail, the other was a fuse terminal connector (for the fuel pump) that had worked its way loose and was only making intermittent contact. Neither of these breakdowns took much more than an hour or so to fix by the side of the road and in fact both times these breakdowns took place right outside a pub so we had chance to neck a couple of beers while doing the repairs.
There's plenty of doumentary evidence (photos) of both the ease in which Jools' T8 was fixed and the fact that said breakdown's are most likely to happen outside a pub.
There's photos of beer being consumed, too (yeah, like you needed evidence of THAT!).
;)
they ARE expensive to run/service keep on the road compared to a jap bike.....and lets be honest alot of distate from Ducati owners is directed to people that own jap bikes...........................you/we/them whoever are as guilty as brand hatred as the jap owners.................
i should know LOL..i am now a Jap bike owner.................
jeff st4s
22-Jun-2006, 17:15
My Bmw is not far behind in the running costs, but at least it's a twin and not one of those 4 cylinder things!
Ive had 3 Jap bikes before i got the ducati, but it seems everything has to be compared when you have a duke.
its always Jap bike vs duke.
jeff st4s
22-Jun-2006, 17:34
My st4s ain't perfect but I don't care.
My BM is more comfortable, better panniers, better protection, pulls easier from lower revs and far quieter in the wind noise stakes.
But the Duke makes me happy every time I ride it.
I don't care about other bikes, they may have bigger willy extensions attatched to them, but at the end of the day they don't sound like my bike.
MY duke gets called a penis extention all the time :(
Ive had 3 Jap bikes before i got the ducati, but it seems everything has to be compared when you have a duke.
its always Jap bike vs duke.
Very true. I long for the days of my first 900ss, I remember with absolute clarity the day I picked up my 916, I love my current 900sl (especially the rear 3/4 view), and the little DD racer is an almost perfect trackbike. :D
I had a zx6r for 18 months, it was great, but all I remember was that it was bloody quick and built like a pizza box.....
If I need to spank a jap bike then I'll hire one for a day or two, but for the moment I'm a feeling seriously italian. :D
Ali
MY duke gets called a penis extention all the time :(
So what we could all do with a little more.lol
ricco749s
23-Jun-2006, 15:43
I say...just ignore the uninformed and quietly enjoy riding something that is a little more special than the mass-produced alternatives. If they don't want to listen, one has to merely feel sorrow rather than frustration! You can take a horse to water, but you can't make it drink, as they say...
I say...just ignore the uninformed and quietly enjoy riding something that is a little more special than the mass-produced alternatives. If they don't want to listen, one has to merely feel sorrow rather than frustration! You can take a horse to water, but you can't make it drink, as they say...
Very profound Richard
antonye
23-Jun-2006, 16:15
The funniest thing for me was going into my local dealer (before it closed!) and ordering some simple parts which they had in stock - shear bolt, seat pins, those kinds of things.
There was a guy in there picking up some parts for his Kwak (it was a dual dealer) and was signing a receipt for over £150, for not much really.
They rang up my parts and it came to about £3.
He looked astounded and said "I thought Ducatis were expensive!"
I just laughed politely and walked off.
The thing with Jap bikes is that they need servicing half as often, but cost twice as much when it does need doing. The average Jap bike owner never sees this because they don't put enough miles on it or keep it long enough to reach the big services. They are very much a consumable bike - throw it away when you're done - and don't get kept and cherished like a Ducati does.
Obviously there are exceptions, but you're more likely to find that Ducatis are owned for many years compared to one-or-two years for a Jap bike before it gets replaced by This Year's Superbike.
I wouldn't turn my nose up at a Japanese bike, I've owned them before and may even own them again one day. I would love a Gixer 750 (probably my favourite), wouldn't mind a big retro naked like a CB1300 or GSX1400, so I don't see myself as being superior to owners of Jap bikes.
It's just that once I'd ridden my first Ducati I was totally smitten and have been ever since. I might get my leg over a little Japanese number one day, but my smouldering Italian beauty still makes me go all goose pimply...
Time for a cold shower I think....NURSE...
MY duke gets called a penis extention all the time :(
People get that all back to front, you know.
A penis is simply a Ducati-substitute. No more, no less!
Sharpy G
23-Jun-2006, 16:38
let the non-believers hate ! that what I say
I've always had Jap stuff before the duke,
RD50, AR125, 125LC, 350LC, 250LC, 350YPVS, CBR600, R6 & now the 749R
some love 'em.....guess most are on here LOL
some pooh pooh 'em......I'm just content in the knowledge that they obviously never rode one !
whenever I get to ride my Duke it makes me happy, thats enuff for me !!
no harm in being a little more exclusive either ! LOL
The funniest thing for me was going into my local dealer (before it closed!) and ordering some simple parts which they had in stock - shear bolt, seat pins, those kinds of things.
There was a guy in there picking up some parts for his Kwak (it was a dual dealer) and was signing a receipt for over £150, for not much really.
They rang up my parts and it came to about £3.
He looked astounded and said "I thought Ducatis were expensive!"
I just laughed politely and walked off.
The thing with Jap bikes is that they need servicing half as often, but cost twice as much when it does need doing. The average Jap bike owner never sees this because they don't put enough miles on it or keep it long enough to reach the big services. They are very much a consumable bike - throw it away when you're done - and don't get kept and cherished like a Ducati does.
Obviously there are exceptions, but you're more likely to find that Ducatis are owned for many years compared to one-or-two years for a Jap bike before it gets replaced by This Year's Superbike.
6k service on the r1 = 160 quid approx......12k service = 160 quid approx ..valves checked at 20k miles..
Dont know where you got your figures from..?....
antonye
23-Jun-2006, 17:26
6k service on the r1 = 160 quid approx......12k service = 160 quid approx ..valves checked at 20k miles..
Dont know where you got your figures from..?....
...and the price for the 20K service is.... ?
chicken
23-Jun-2006, 17:46
...and the price for the 20K service is.... ?
better informed people than I discuss this very question here.
http://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=701347
Phil, so you've chopped in a 748R for an R1 (in my spare time I am Hercule Poirot)? Any comments from both sides of the fence?
I've had bikes from Japan, Italy, Germany (East and West), India, England and Austria. Far and away the most reliable and least expensive to maintain was the one from East Germany.
Well i wouldnt have anything else
Carbon749
23-Jun-2006, 19:10
I've had 5 Ducati so far, all super bikes all post 1997 models. Only break down has been a snapped throttle cable on my first 748BP, thank fully this went on the yard before I went out for a blast.
I've had 2 x 749 (S & R), both have had niggling work done under warranty, but, neither let me down at the side of the road.
OK, Ducati have quirks and I accept these as the "price" to pay for owning an Itallian Superbike.
I'd rather put up with the the odd quirk and enjoy the reaction of the public and other bikers when ever I park up.
Before I got in to Ducati's I had a very nice, very clean Kwak ZX6. No matter how much I cleaned it or cared for it, I would be only 1 of dozens of ZX6 at any bike meet.
I pull up on the 749r and there may be 1 or 2 other Ducati's.
I like that kind of exclusivity.
mine is my first bike.
Right on cue, it broke just after i got it and now i am kinda paranoid it will break down and i tend to guestimate odd rattles and noises in pound notes.
I have considered swapping it in for some kind of jap bike, and ive even been to look at a few.
However..i have resisted.
i love the way it sounds, i love the nice comments i get when its parked or i draw up on it, or how people quiety hang around until it starts up.
Its weird cos its not a superbike or one of the prettiest ducatis - its a 97 ss.
In a perfect world i would love a 749 and when i win the lottery i will get one.
The servicing still scares me, mostly with a bigger engined bike.
But as with any transport i own i am willing to learn how it works and do stuff myself.
I think if you have half a brain and a toolkit, youre silly not to learn about it when dealers are up in the £40-50 an hour region.
Cy
weeveetwin
23-Jun-2006, 22:51
Having ridden Ducatis for the last ten years, I'm often ignored by Jap bike owners when I nod at them on a run. However, I used my RC30 for the RTL trip, and I arrived in Glenridding on the Saturday evening - by which time the Lakes were booming to the sound of Ducatis.
Taking the RC for a last run over Kirkstone Pass before I hit the sleeping bag, I passed countless Ducatis heading in the opposite direction - bikes probably returning from Saturday's RTL run. I nodded at all of them (since I'd be meeting up with some of them the next morning) but very few actually returned the nod. Most of them blanked me. Blimey! 'Twas a shock to the system! And this despite the fact that I still had 'DUCATI' emblazoned all over my bike gear and helmet.
So... it works both ways methinks.
phoenix n max
23-Jun-2006, 22:58
I'm sure if I added up what my cbr6 cost me in the first year of ownership, that it would outweigh what Max has cost me in 4 1/2 years.
sparkin
23-Jun-2006, 23:46
I`ve just come off Ducatis after six or seven years of them,from SS`s to Monsters and Multistradas to 888s and I can safely say reliability has never been an issue.I came home on a recovery truck once in all that time and that was due to a puncture on an old 600ss,I had a rectifer fail on my T8 after 20000miles but was never left stranded(limped it home)
I do have "issues" with Ducati in some instances:mad: but I voted with my wallet and spent my money else were(time will tell if this was a good decision or not,but at the moment I`m loving it!)
But all Ducatis handle well and thrive on been ridden hard(And I was no exception:rolleyes: ) and to some extent that`s the problem,tracks are where these bikes come into there own(And big jap sportsbikes for that matter) these bikes handle and brake so well they can flatter a "lesser" ride and that can lead to trouble,I`ve seen it first hand,but been lucky enough not have had to phone someones wife or girlfreind and have that awful conversation,a lot of people in this club have ridden bikes since they were teenagers and are now in a position to afford these great bikes and appreciate them,so go careful fellas and ride as far as you can see;)
Getting back to the servicing,that was one of the reasons I swapped brands, as I wanted to service my bike,myself,without having to spend a fortune on special tools,shims etc.Having a "do it yourself bike" is fine,but with technology comes more speed and power and visaversa,my bike is now slower,but a lot more fun and I feel like I did twenty years ago,going for a ride on me bike cos I don`t like being in a car!!!
I don`t care if a rice burning bike half the size of my pushrod powered lump comes flying past and can lap Snetterton 5secs quicker than me,I really ****ing don`t,I can just grab me leather jacket and lid and go for a ride without dressing like a power ranger or feeling pressure to bury my knee into the tarmac at every oppitunity.
And when I order parts for my bike they are normally here in 10-14days not 10-14 months!!Take note Ducati,and from a lot further away!
My last 5000m service cost me £35,that`s Oil,transmission oil and a filter.and a couple of hours in the shed,fantastic!!
But hate Ducatis,
Never;)
I have notice since going Ducati about a month ago how many people are bitter about them.
It's tribal. Get used to it. Most of the comments are amazingly ill-informed rubbish which is regurgutated 3rd or 4th hand from magazines and the good old "mate of a mate".
You get the same nonsense about electrics, belts, cylinder studs, chain adjusters, servicing costs.... blah blah...blah. Even when you put a service bill in front of people, or show them the parts prices they refuse to believe you or acknowledge that they're wrong. The bit I find laughable is someone with a Gixxer saying how maintenance intensive the Ducatis often are when he has a 4k interval as opposed to a 6k interval on the Ducati.
Life is too short to argue with unarmed people - ride the bike and have fun. Better still, learn how to ride a Duke well and show them your number plate :)
People get that all back to front, you know.
A penis is simply a Ducati-substitute. No more, no less!
:lol: :lol: :lol:
Nice one Loz
What always amazes me are the people who come up to you at bike meets or wherever you stop and say "is your bike alright mate, it's making a lot of noise". I'm losing count of the number of times it being said to me. It happened a couple of weeks ago to Richard and myself and I'm sure we both had the same resigned look on our faces and were thinking the same thing - "oh no here we go again".
You can't beat a duke for character and soul which the Japs can't seem to capture no matter how good looking and quick and gimicky they make their bikes.
Henners
24-Jun-2006, 08:50
The general public love Ducatis - they are drawn to them like a magnet. The biking public are usually more cautious but still interested, often trying to start a conversation with some information they heard somewhere once, possibly wanting to be convinced that they are as good to ride as is generally accepted by jurnos - I always see it as a way to recruit more folk to the Ducati fold :)
If you really want to get noticed turn up on one of these - thought I was going to get mobbed when I went to the Alton meet with Stu on Wednesday night ...
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-7/773773/VSFWB-IMG_1051.JPG
What always amazes me are the people who come up to you at bike meets or wherever you stop and say "is your bike alright mate, it's making a lot of noise". I'm losing count of the number of times it being said to me. It happened a couple of weeks ago to Richard and myself and I'm sure we both had the same resigned look on our faces and were thinking the same thing - "oh no here we go again".
You can't beat a duke for character and soul which the Japs can't seem to capture no matter how good looking and quick and gimicky they make their bikes.
I have this a few times too along with comments about reliability and pricing etc. My reply is always the same."Have you owned one?" Invariably the answer is "no".
I rarely meet people who are as enthusiastic or passionate about jap bikes as Ducati owners are about theirs, which says a lot really.
I would sell my ZX6 tomorrow, but never the 749. Shes a keeper!
DM
People get that all back to front, you know.
A penis is simply a Ducati-substitute. No more, no less!
You speakin for yourself there Loz?
Having said which, I got asked by a bloke the other day what a Ducati was!! He wondered if I had some sort of off-road bike. Duh.
rcgbob44
24-Jun-2006, 18:33
Wave
Just think how much more you could get from our club if you invested 20 beer vouchers for membership!
My friends get rather peed off when they get beaten on twisty roads by a quote 'tarts handbag' ridden by poofs that breaks down every 5 minutes.
sparkin
24-Jun-2006, 20:58
Wave
Just think how much more you could get from our club if you invested 20 beer vouchers for membership!
What??
kwikbitch
24-Jun-2006, 21:32
Phil, so you've chopped in a 748R for an R1[/quote]
Well I never...:o :eek:
So then Phil, what made you do that??? Just interested after the conversation we had about my 748/749 quandry.....
kwikbitch
24-Jun-2006, 21:48
Ive got two now....can't bare to get rid of the SS.
In three years Ive not come across any biker that hasn't nodded back yet!
When Ive pulled up comments have been made regarding reliability,cost etc but only usually to strike up conversation about the bike...once I start rattling on and singing the bikes praises in the region of "fantastic ride at Cadwell" whom ever I talk to ends up talking about wishing they could own/working their way up to owning/wished they'd never got rid of, blah, blah, blah.
I'm glad I skint myself to get a Duke for my first bike...and hence having a Duke for my second...I love both of my bikes ,Oh and the beautiful little red italian number that is still giving me hastle!!!!!
aka.eric
24-Jun-2006, 22:38
A £1K+ service isnt unheard of,Ive paid for one!.Parts can take months to arrive.I once bought a new 996,rode home 20miles,dropped off the paperwork and...wouldnt start,relay had gone.Broke down on a couple more occasions,once after taking it out of the van for a trackday.But other Ducatis Ive had have been faultless(almost).After selling a 888,had no intention of buying another Ducati.Suzuki GSXR converted me,fantastic machine.Service costs,parts arrive in days!,amazing.But...there was a 888 for sale locally,good price.Its now in my garage,there a hard habit to break.
italian888
25-Jun-2006, 02:05
Isn't it funny how you never hear anyone compare their bikes to anything else other than Ducatis. And the worse snobs on the road for not nodding back are Hardley riders.
Stu748R
25-Jun-2006, 11:19
If you really want to get noticed turn up on one of these - thought I was going to get mobbed when I went to the Alton meet with Stu on Wednesday night ...
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-7/773773/VSFWB-IMG_1051.JPG
You mean that you thought that you would get smogged!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You speakin for yourself there Loz?
Having said which, I got asked by a bloke the other day what a Ducati was!! He wondered if I had some sort of off-road bike. Duh.
:lol:
Modesty forbids any detailed response to this question ;)
Who on Earth doesn't know what a Ducati is? Whatever are they like, oop-north?
:lol:
better informed people than I discuss this very question here.
http://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=701347
Phil, so you've chopped in a 748R for an R1 (in my spare time I am Hercule Poirot)? Any comments from both sides of the fence?
I've had bikes from Japan, Italy, Germany (East and West), India, England and Austria. Far and away the most reliable and least expensive to maintain was the one from East Germany.
I based my comments about IL4's based on my experience of them 5 or 6 years ago......now having ridden and owned albeit for a short time a modern litre IL4 jap bike i can honestly say they have mooved on..in a word AWESOME..........
Which is better ! neither they both have something to offer, both can be lazy on the power and both can be ridden hard to feel the passion and the rewards for getting in the zone.!
Right now the R1 is the bike for me and im looooving it.......just waiting for ducati to inspire me again............
Still got 2 dukes tucked up in the shed so im not without my v-twin fix.!....but unless you have ridden a litre modern jap bike save the bland n boring comments huh..i cant hear you over the induction roar.....
Phil
jeff st4s
26-Jun-2006, 14:59
Isn't it funny how you never hear anyone compare their bikes to anything else other than Ducatis. And the worse snobs on the road for not nodding back are Hardley riders.
No, for me it seems more (but not all) Harley and Goldwing riders need to remove their heads from their bottoms, I grit my teeth whenever I nod to those 2, whether it's on my st4s or my bmw, you always get the same response: you don't exist.
I often feel that with a Ducati, you are riding the way the bike wants you to ride it. It's a brilliant experience, but you are limited somehow by the bike's own idiosyncrasies, eg. the tendancy towards slow steering (although the stability at high speeding is a fantastic feeling).
Jap IL4's are perhaps more of a blank canvas - the ride may be neutral to the point of blandness, but that leaves you free to employ your own techniques and desires. The only drawback to them that I can see is the need to keep the engine on the boil, but maybe that's no longer true of litre IL4s. I haven't ridden a modern Jap IL4, I'm basing my opinion on my experiences in the early-mid 90's.
Henners
26-Jun-2006, 16:22
Depends on what Jap IL4 you ride Loz - the Fireblade needed to be revved hard, the R1 had a little more mid range and was smoother, the ZX10 was just mental at the tope end but the GSXR is the daddy, loads of torque and a huge hit at 9000rpm.
Having been there I am happiest on my 996 - that's enough real world power, and to be honest, there's not a lot in it when riding on the road between most 1000cc engines up to 120mph, be they twins, triples or IL4s.
Henry, what you say about the GSXR1000 is echoed by the journos who write about it, and my own experiences of riding with people who own one. I've ridden a GSXR750, which I have to say, accelerates like a lunatic - BUT - it still needed to be kept on the boil. One day I'll try a Gixxer Thou and see for myself.
And you are spot on, the 996 is all you need and more for the real world - once you sort the over-gearing issue out ;) :devil:
Steve-S
26-Jun-2006, 17:25
Lets face it, if you ride something a bit different you're going to have somebody taking a pop at you; BUT when your helmet's on & its you, your Duke & the open road do you really care? I don't.
Having ridden Ducatis for the last ten years, I'm often ignored by Jap bike owners when I nod at them on a run. However, I used my RC30 for the RTL trip, and I arrived in Glenridding on the Saturday evening - by which time the Lakes were booming to the sound of Ducatis.
Taking the RC for a last run over Kirkstone Pass before I hit the sleeping bag, I passed countless Ducatis heading in the opposite direction - bikes probably returning from Saturday's RTL run. I nodded at all of them (since I'd be meeting up with some of them the next morning) but very few actually returned the nod. Most of them blanked me. Blimey! 'Twas a shock to the system! And this despite the fact that I still had 'DUCATI' emblazoned all over my bike gear and helmet.
So... it works both ways methinks.
Well well how true this is. i have ridden the 916 and its rare to get a nod from any other biker even other ducati riders, yet this weekend took the RC30 out into wales and yet again not a sniff of a nod, although got an irrate finger from a ZX7R rider after riding round the outside of him through some bends (power ranger'd up and no idea that his bike leans more than 5 degree's yet blasts it on the straights). yet took the CBR600RR out on sunday evening and got loads of nods, flashes and waves.
Deffo seem to be having to seen riding a modern jap missile to fit in with the power ranger boys, on the other hand most have no idea what a RC30 is let alone how rare and special they are, most think its just another NC30 - hence girls bike - till you pass em anyway
Although I've never owned a Ducati, I've been a fan for a long long time. I've also owned various Japanese bikes and the quality can be very surprising and varied, not helped by some dealers messing them up. The service costs for Japanese bikes are not very cheap either, and at 4000mile intervals this can get very expensive. The money I saved in not letting my 600 Bandit commuter bike near a dealer for the first 2 years(50,000miles), could've bought me another Bandit. I invalidated the warranty, but it proved reliable as the dealer's dodgy trainees never touched it. Fortunately the large dealer chain is no longer in business. Not all Japanese bikes are as reliable as this one, but the importers cover it up with the dodgy dealers and plenty of magazine advertising.
Ducati - bought by enthusiasts, looked after by enthusiasts
Japanese - cheap disposable transport
http://www.od-racing.co.uk/forum/phpBB2/index.php
doogalman
26-Jun-2006, 22:40
I could not care one bit what others think about my bikes. They are my toys.
"He who enjoys doing and enjoys what he has done is happy"
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Stu748R
27-Jun-2006, 09:14
[QUOTE=Loz]Henry, what you say about the GSXR1000 is echoed by the journos who write about it, and my own experiences of riding with people who own one. I've ridden a GSXR750, which I have to say, accelerates like a lunatic - BUT - it still needed to be kept on the boil. One day I'll try a Gixxer Thou and see for myself.
Loz,your more than welcome to try my GSXR1000 K6 if you want on the "you bend it,you mend it "basis,it has a very linear,almost Ducati power delivery below about 9000 RPM where after its just ballistic.The handling is neutral,the ride is softish,the brakes are not as sharp as my old 748R but powerfull,the looks are marmitey especialy the exhaust but obviosly not as pretty as 916 types,the finish i have to say is nowhere near as good as a Ducati but you just know that every time you hit that switch it will start and it just does what it says on the packet.Oh and did i mention that air box noise? Just heavenly.
Bury Hill?
couchcommando
27-Jun-2006, 10:20
My friends get rather peed off when they get beaten on twisty roads by a quote 'tarts handbag' ridden by poofs that breaks down every 5 minutes.
So if you go for a ride with someone on say an R1 you would say the R1 is a better bike ?
Your comment only means that you are a better rider than your friends it's as simple as that. Your comment also gives me reason to your original post, maybe you have a bit of a complex about owning a Duc ?
The 999 I owned was great, went well and handled well but if that's the yardstick to buying a bike then it wouldn't be the 999 as there are plenty of faster lighter bikes out there.
Buying a duc is sacrificing power for something else, a bit of character. But many Jap bikes also have that which I think is now showing in sales.
The main thing is tho buy what you want and be happy with it, there's no point knocking other marques or trying to justify your own choice :)
Loz,your more than welcome to try my GSXR1000 K6 if you want on the "you bend it,you mend it "basis,it has a very linear,almost Ducati power delivery below about 9000 RPM where after its just ballistic.The handling is neutral,the ride is softish,the brakes are not as sharp as my old 748R but powerfull,the looks are marmitey especialy the exhaust but obviosly not as pretty as 916 types,the finish i have to say is nowhere near as good as a Ducati but you just know that every time you hit that switch it will start and it just does what it says on the packet.Oh and did i mention that air box noise? Just heavenly.
Bury Hill?
Hi Stu
That's a kind offer and I have to say I'm tempted. I almost always refuse the offer to ride someone else's bike, their p&j, but if we happen to be at Bury Hill at the same time one evening / weekend, who's to say?
I happen to like the GSXR1000 exhaust, it appeals to me. However, Suzuki build quality, in terms of finish, has always been a bit suspect in my opinion (same for Yamaha), but you can't argue with that performance, can you?
Yes, I know what you mean about induction roar, it's very seductive :)
Cheers mate.
i dont believe the 749 is a quicker bike, there is just a common sterotype that is, expensive bike he must ride really slow and or is a poof.
Which makes me laugh when you can actually ride quicker than they do.
Although
I know quite a lot of muppets who ride Jap and Italian.
When you park up, just get a brew and a sausage barm, it's only a toy, don't take it too seriously.
The only reason people own a japanese bike is the cost............they cant afford a ducati! :D
badmanners
27-Jun-2006, 21:46
If you really want to get noticed turn up on one of these - thought I was going to get mobbed when I went to the Alton meet with Stu on Wednesday night ...
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-7/773773/VSFWB-IMG_1051.JPG
Ah so it was you that rode over my new Alpine Stars :-)
ericthered40
27-Jun-2006, 21:55
527
528
529
It's all good but I know which one went down best in Nice.:D
Nod if you like I will as I'm injoying me self.:rolleyes:
problems with Ducatis? 996R=yes! 998R=yes! 999R=oh yes!!
but has it put me off?? hell no! i still love em even for all the hassle i've had!
http://www.gixxer.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/punk.gif
moto748
28-Jun-2006, 17:00
The only reason people own a japanese bike is the cost............they cant afford a ducati! :D
Neither can I... :o :o
But seriously, I was thinking about this today. Running any big bike is expensive: if it's not a C&S kit you need, then it's a set of tyres. If you use your bike much, there seems to be sometihing almost every month.
Couple of months back i had a new clutch: hub and (expensive) STM basket (but not plates). Just prior to that, a new set of tyres, all preparatory to going to Scotland. Oh, and sprockets too.
Now I need a new chain. And more tyres before the summer's out.
OK on a Jap bike I wouldn't have had the clutch expense (I reckon 20-25k for a hub, 15k for a basket), but tyres, chains, and sprockets all need replacing on any big bike. Not to mention servicing (every 4000 miles?).
'Course, another factor si that the cost of running a bike isn't helped by what we might call
"self-inflicted expenses" :) I'll say no more about that, but I'm sure it strikes a chord with some of you... :)
kwikbitch
28-Jun-2006, 17:15
It's an expensive hobby alright...I'm moving house so that I have somewhere other than the kitchen to store it!
I've just been quite poorly and haven't been able to get out on mine. I had a crog' on the back of a bandit I was so desperate for a fix...I reckon as long as you love it, who cares what you chuffing ride. It's sooo diffuicult nowadays to actually pass your test that EVERYONE needs a nod, to congratulate them, whatever they ride!
philthy
28-Jun-2006, 19:03
I pull up on the 749r and there may be 1 or 2 other Ducati's.
I like that kind of exclusivity.
Call that exclusive?
When I had my Ural I never even saw another one one the road, never mind at a meeting place!
Hi Stu
I almost always refuse the offer to ride someone else's bike, their p&j, but if we happen to be at Bury Hill at the same time one evening / weekend, who's to say?
Cheers mate.
Aw Loz, and I've always wanted to try that 999s out...?
Athelstan
28-Jun-2006, 19:28
Biking in 2000 is not a "cheap" pastime full stop, regardless of what two wheeled machine is your passion. Back in the late 60's when I got my first (4th or 5th "hand" Bantam) folks used to comment that motorcycling was a great and cheap way to get about. The great is still there, but cheap - that's long gone whatever you ride.
Cars are cheaper - 3yrs guarantee and servicing thrown in etc etc etc and better residuals generally.
The best we get is 2yrs guarantee but you still pay for servicing - some poor folks only get 1yr guarantee with their favourite brand of motorcycle.
So when you take "custody" of your Ducati just be sensible and realise that just like a mistres, the object of your desire is going to cost you - but - the emotional kickback will be worth it :-))))))
Having come back to biking after about 12 years out I have noticed that whatever bike you ride there is a lot less acknowledgement by other bikers than there used to be.
I remember that probably 90% of bikes you saw nodded or waved but now I reckon its around 33%. Do not know why.
Don't think Ducati owners are particularly snobby compared to others. The Jap owners probably are a bit jealous even if they do not say so.
I still run a Fazer at the moment with 748 hopefully next on the agenda and everyone I have met on here has been fine about that when they found out except a couple I met on a recent trip who for some reason ignore me now...... Perhaps I smell?
Henners
28-Jun-2006, 20:49
except a couple I met on a recent trip who for some reason ignore me now...... Perhaps I smell?
Nah Ozz - it's 'cos you're an accountant mate, pure and simple :lol:
Damn I was worried it might be...
Aw Loz, and I've always wanted to try that 999s out...?
You never know, Jan, you may get your wish one day ... :roll:
SlowLearner
29-Jun-2006, 16:19
I love my ducati....
even though it went back to P&H 5 times to fix a 'variable' idle that caused it to stall, and the battery being only good for a few restarts left it dead a couple of times, have frequent saver points with the AA now !
After some TLC from a Ducati man called Andy it has been perfect now for a few months, have been as far as Luxembourg and tomorrow off to Le Touquet.
Its due for a service next week, 6000 miles since Sep 05 :-)) , so we'll see how much that costs !
Steve
Slow and a Slow Learner
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