You’re getting somewhere now! 50% of the performance of a bike comes from the rider so, which one you own is just a personal thing, so make your choice and get out and learn to go fast on it.
By the way you don’t jump on a Duke and feel at home strait away, but when you get with it and start to ride it with some confidence, you will get the point. All sports bikes are better than their riders and both of your chosen steeds will blow your mind, but I bet you feel better on the Millie on the first ride.
But what about after three months?
:puzzled::puzzled::puzzled::burn: coz your nearly a jap convert :frog:

[Edited on 13-2-2005 by ericthered40]

i aggree with Eric !! A Ducati Riden to its full potential is better than an Aprillia Riden to its full potential.

/ian

Depends on the rider and what suits their style better IMO...

Thats the point tho twinfan, Asuming the Ducati Rider is better than the bike, and this is proven as Aprilia cant even get there feet off the ground with a race team in any descent competition whereas Ducati have Proven race pedigree.

/ian

er.....apart from dominating the 125.......250s...... for a decade!:devil:

I was in the car the other day and just caught the tail end of a discussion about religion on the radio.

If you think about it, throughout history most of the trouble in the world has been caused by people saying "my religion is best, and your religion has to bow down to mine". Isn't that where we are with everything that people feel passionately about? So in making statements like "my religion is best" I think we always forget two very small words - "for me".

So now if I make a statement like "Ducati's are the best motorcycle in the world for me" what is there to argue about? If other people don't get it, why worry.

Octo, both are excellent bikes, so either one will give you good times.

For what it's worth, a friend bought an Edwards rep last year. At £8.5k, it was a steal - all the top notch stuff, good build quality, superb handling and fast as a very fast thing. Big b*gger tho. I could see why he raved about it and why he bought it, and he had no problems with it.

At the time, I was still in prevarication mode - weighing up a 998 against the 999, and all the arguments came into play. The sum of the Aprillia parts clearly represented better value than the Duke and a man of my advanced years would be unlikely to exploit any small performance difference. However, never once did I consider the Aprillia as an option - it just didn't do it for me.

Personal choice, that's what it's all about. Just don't come cryin' to me........

;)

:lol: You messed up there weeian! The Aprilia WSB effort I would also consider a success. Multiple race wins, double wins and pole positions is a damn sight more than the FPR team have done. Aprilia build very good bikes, but the RSV wasn't quite right for me. I know of plenty of riders for who it is though. Don't underestimate how good their bikes are.

[Edited on 14-2-2005 by Twinfan]

Just to add to the discussion....

I had an Aprilia RSVR for a couple of years. Loved the bike, covered over 12000 miles on it mainly on the road but a couple of track days, and plenty of long distance touring.

Reliability was an issue though...it never let me sitting at the side of the road but it did need a couple of sets of fork seals (Ohlins) which kept it off the road for about a week each time, and it melted a side fairing panel when it got too hot in Spain once. All the work completed under warranty. However the point that finally saw us parting company was when I returned from Switzerland in July 2003 and the rear brake needed bleeding after the altitude. It needed the power bleed so it went back to the dealer. The dealer told me that the head bearings needed replacing and that the bike was dangerous to ride as it was. The dealer ordered the parts and the bike sat in their workshop...it sat, and sat and sat and I chased and chased and chased. September came and I had enough, I took the bike back from the dealer and traded it in against a CBR600RR so I could have some reliable fun before the summer was over. The head bearings finally arrived from Aprilia in Italy at the end of November. The dealer didn't know that I had sold the bike and the parts are sitting in my garage to this day.

I am missing the V-Twin...I really admire the new Aprilia Factory and was really tempted, but the parts availability, which at the time was bad and this was before the financial troubles, was enough to put me off them. I am an Aprilia fan, but my deposit has just gone down on a new 999 and I am waiting for it to arrive. (Been waiting a week...only another 7 to go until it arrives!!)

Whilst I recognise that the Ducati might not be any more reliable than the Aprilia, I have comfort from the fact that there is a better dealer network and parts are, as a result, in more ready supply. I would hope, fingers cross and wood touched, that if I have any problems it will be sorted quickly and efficiently. I would not wish to experience the Aprilia incident again...over three months for a set of head bearings !

Thought I would share this with you...something well worth considering when making your decision.

Sory Twinfan you are right there, but in comparison to ducati's race history its a drop in the pond.

/ian

Oh yeah, I completely agree. They do make great bikes though. My lass has an RS250 and it's a superb little screamer, and my RSV was a great bike too.

It's Ducati for me from now on though :D

I had a MilleR for 3 years and didn't had a single problem.
But i'm also considering getting a Duc :D
Hey what 999 are you getting? The standard 05?

bought a new 916 feb 97 (was the dogs at the time)

bought a new 999s april 03, 800 miles in & the little plug which sticks out of the bottom of the fairing about 10/15mm ground off going to hawes in north yorkshire. and yes all, yes all the oil went straight on to the back tyre. luckily there was no left hand bends before i noticed the oil light flicker, or it could have been most definatly curtains for me! & i'm only 12.5 stone. what a liability, those deep sumps are not for me, love the bike's yes, BUT will not get on another with that deep sump design SORRY. The rest of the bike did not have 1 scratch on it. SOLD it Jan 04 and since then its had more silly problems, 1 of which was it's done a couple of subframes and judging by the weight off that ruddy exhaust it will definatly be wanting a few more in later life.

AUG 04 bought a new 1000rr 04 blade, yes it is not a italian stalion but tricked up it is a serious m/cycle which i feel safe on and has not given me 1 problem, and as for power & speed nuff said & mines standard!

.

Yes, its the "base" '05 999 Mono. I tried a '04 999S as I could get a new one of those for about the same money but the '05 bikes engine was significantly smoother....weather was too bad to judge on the handling but reckoned on it not being that much worse than the Ohlins bike.

I have had a 748bp,916bp,996sps,998,999S and now 749R.
In between i had a gsxr1000 (licence loser) and an SP1 which i thought was great and very quick.
My brother who had an Aprilia rsv mille was about to change his bike so we swapped on a run out and i found the mille to be way to top heavy and i was scared to move it about when parked as it felt as though it was going to fall over (I am 5ft 8 ins) although my brother manages fine.
He rode my 749R for a while and when we stopped for a cuppa he declared that he was glad he did not buy a Ducati without having a go on one as he hated it !!
He said it felt like a tractor,was dog rough had no torque and had a seat and suspension like a park bench so he got his bike back.
He still couldnt keep up with me on the way home ! so i do not see where he gets that it felt flat from, although with a Ducati i think you either love them or hate them and i can sort of see where he is coming from as when you first get on one from most jap bikes they do take some getting used to.
He has now bought a new repsol blade and i have had a go and that is the sort of bike anyone can just get on and ride quick, rather nice it is to.