Quality not quantity, Jools :p

By your logic, if I designed a bike to look like a turd (Terblanche already has ;) ) that would make me brave? :lol:

Afraid I have to disagree with Jools on this one (sorry mate); as the fortunate owner of both a 916 (now 996R) and an MVF4 I can agree there are styling similarities but you can't deny that both are stunning bikes, to design an in line four that is so narrow and compact is nothing short of genius IMHO. Both have two wheels, single sided swinging arms, the very sensible QD fairings and underseat exhausts but apart from that they are quite different.

The other big consideration when making the comparison between the two designers, during their time at Ducati, is the level of technical support and engineering avaiable. Anyone who has visited the factory both before and after the influence of the input from the Americans will appreciate the relatively archaic manufacturing equipment at Mr. Tamburini's disposal. I also get the impression that he did most of the design detailing himself whereas his succesor gets a lot of help from others on the design team. I'm not knocking Mr. Terblanche but for me Tamburini is da man.

Italians seem to have a flair and passion for design that few other nationalities seem able to emulate or understand. Germans can design very technically advanced vehicles but seem at a total loss to make them look appealing, take the Audi TT, a high performance car that looks like a jelly mould, the French aren't much better, who the hell designed the back of the new Renault, talk about "shakin that arse" should have been shaken by the throat !!!

Guess there is always the need in manufacturing to make something that looks different but the modern trend seems to be towards the hideous and aesthetically brutal.

I'll get me coat...........

For my money its the chap that built Kylie and Natasha!:P

[quote]Originally posted by FiscusFish

I think the carbed SS's and 851's were designed at CRC (Cagiva Research Centre).PT did the 851 restyle job in '92 that led to the 888.
I also think I'm right by saying that the 999 is the first Ducati completely designed "in house".

[Edited on 26-6-2004 by KeefyB]

Guys,

Isn't this a bit like comparing apples to oranges?

Had they both been given an identical design scope with the same market forces present at the same time, then fair enough.

Not the case though is it?

Cheers!

Scott

Criticising a designer who 'has only designed one model' is dubious criticism when it's been so successful. For a single (motorcycle) design success, I think it would be difficult to beat Edward Turners original Triumph vertical twin engine which was the basis of the company's output from 1936 to 1983.

Given todays extremely competitive market place, the best designer for any company is the own who has many differing ideas. Expand your production to as many models as you can comfortably handle, and your cover as many customer requirements as you can. Just look at the wide range of designs from the Jap factories - whatever style you're after they already produce it.

My vote goes to Terreblanche purely for the realities of todays market. My heart says vote for the Tamburini design!

My vote goes to Tamburini, not only for his last to creations but also for previous ones.
I would probably still have my BimoTA now if it hadn't been stolen

Yup...wasn't going to reply but have to agree...Tamburini's design made me sit up and take notice of motorbikes.
I was aspiring to own a duke from seeing a 916 in '95 sitting at home with a new baby on my lap!
AND it's still my dream. It would have never entered my head to even attempt to pass my test if it wasn't for that man...
:)

Felix..saw steve martin giving that NCR monster thingy some beans at WDW...gorg bike !!!

Gotta be careful here as I believe it was a young terblanche who restyled my 888 with its new tank and side panels back in '93, and I do love the MH900e/supermono, but tamburini every time.

Dont really see the MVA as anything like the 916..different frame concept, styling..all sorts. And lets not forget all his work at Bimota where he helped produce some stunning stuff (apart from the Tesi & mantra !!)

Also think PTB's new ST design is a step back from the old one. In his defence, More Crap News published 'pics' of the new SS and the 750F1 sportclassic, and they are both class acts.

I wouldnt buy one but (the MVA (alongside the 749R) is the best looking bike on the road at the minute IMO.

Cheers
Nat

My thoughts are that the 999 has many styling details and gimmicks but, the seat is less comfy, the bike is unstable at speed and looks bitty. the 916 etc has a 'oneness' about it, the lines flow and it looks balanced even at rest.
BUT the 999 and multistrada were designed from the begining to be assembled out of a few sub systems to speed up production and reduce costs, a lot of the blame for the percieved ugliness may result from this. However In my view the present R1 shows that mass produced low cost bikes can look stunning. It has a very similar nose down and tail high stance to the 916 shape, perhaps this is in fact the styling key that the majority of us like.

a very disjointed post sorry but work kept interupting my train of thought (although many would say that coherant thought is not my speciality)

dave