I've been naughty
 

Have you ever looked at something and thought, that is just too damn ugly for me ever to want to ride it? That’s exactly how I felt about the T9s and 749s when they first came out. Which only goes to prove, it’s not all about first impressions. That two eyed ‘cyclops’ look has grown on me and now, in my eyes, they have all of the beauty, the superb pedigree and handling, of any Ducati.

Seeing them around on the DSC meets, hearing people rave about them, thinking a smaller sports bike than the Duchess would be fun, I succumbed to a shiny black one at the DSC track event at Cadwell and took it, courtesy of Ducati UK, out on track. What an awesome bike! So quick, easy to jump onto, point and shoot. It’s a breeze to ride, my knees are as close together as they can be without actually saying ‘no’, they turn on a sixpence and have so much power that I can only imagine how much fun I’m going to have riding my brand new, termi’d up, carbon fest, RED, 749S :)

My downfall came yesterday at Ducati Aylesbury. Took a 749S and a 999S for a test ride. The T9, a black one, was just to reassure myself that I shouldn’t be buying one of those. Although immensely fast, it felt a bit too big for me and I really don’t need another 1000 cc motorbike (well, not at the moment, anyway). But I did need the 749S, which I shall be collecting next Thursday. I’ll be looking for track fairings and I’ll be looking to get the Duchess tidied up but probably won’t sell her, unless I get an offer I can’t refuse ;)

So, there we are, three Ducatis now and hoping they don’t bring out any more models I can’t resist or I’ll have to sell the house and buy a tent to live in, because this passion is now getting completely out of hand :devil:

Woohoo!!

A new addition to the stable is a worthy cause to .... GET THE DRINKS IN!

:D

Seeing as I'm not doing a lot how about a round of stuntmen?! :D

Nice one Ruth... :) :)

congratulations.
hope you don't like the new bike when it comes out
you will need a new garage

Thanks TP. The one I rode had a pretty hard suspension set up. I bounced out of the seat at one point. But the one I've bought was owned by a small guy and has been set much softer, apparently, so shouldn't need too much tweaking.

You're right Keefer, I already have to make arrangements to keep the Duchess elsewhere, after she's had some surgery and a face lift. I'm thinking, polished pipes, repair the tank, tidy up all the paintwork and then keep her in my Mum's garage (where there's space for four bikes :)) and just take her out occasionally, on dry days, to enjoy my real Ducati Icon and that throbbing 996 engine. Just have to break the news to my Mum when she's back from Cornwall (eek!). She thinks I'm mad for riding one bike, let alone three.

Do I sound smug? :)

Bearing in mind I no longer own a motorcycle of any description - YES!

You'll love it though, well done :D

Shouldn't you be out riding it!

nice one woofey

and while I'm here, thanks for the Pronto Assen write up, 'twas good.

Oooo ruthie, you are a bad girl!
Have to admit the same thing about those cyclops bikes - they've grown on me too. Prefer the satin black, but red's good for any italian motor.
Enjoy :)

She's being serviced and cleaned up for collection next Thursday. Would love to have taken her away yesterday but the offer of the service, MOT and a clean up was too good to turn down. Also, I have to go there with Joanna next week as she has to bring home the standard exhaust.

Nice one Ruth, welcome to the 3 Ducatis club :D

Nice one Ruth, shame she is not yellow, but never mind, for your track fairing give Dave a ring at http://www.hcracetech.co.uk/, he will do a good paint job on it as well.


Chris.:burn:

Martin - hope you're back in the UK soon to join a BHCN rideout. I'll be out on the Duchess on Sunday but hope to take the new one through her paces with the boys later this month. When are you next back from Poland?

I'd also hoped to join Gizmo and Linzi, Lily and JPM on a trip to Scotland this month but their dates clash with the Riders For Health night.

Definitely need to get out and about on her. Anyone got any weekend trips planned later this month that I could tag along with?

What is it about Ducatis that make you not be able to sell them? Managed to ditch 2 husbands, no trouble, but can't bring myself to sell one Ducati. I think I need counselling :devil:

I hope you've got a big ride planned for Thursday then!

I hope you enjoy her! :)

There you are, I've just looked at those track fairings and thought 'how gorgeous'. How can I have changed my mind so completely about the 749 look? I'm not buying until the start of next season but thanks for the link Chris. I fancy shiny black for the track, although I still have the problem of needing to ride to track days so I'm not sure that I'll go the whole hog on the fairings, just the side panels and the mono seat unit. I do want a cover for the bip seat straight away though. I'll give Dave a call. Cheers.

Dave does have a 749 road nose fairing that he still has not made a mould from yet, so if you badger him enough he will sort you a road & track nose fairing, also he can do full black no problem.

Chris.:burn:

Congrats Ruth - I'm sorry to say I didnt get chance to catch up with you at Cadwell and yes, I had a ride on the very same 749 as well - just after lunch.

Impressive bike but, I couldnt cope with the stretch to the bars for any length of time, superb trackbike though.

Looks like you and Lisa will be able to start your own riders club soon.

Enjoy.

Frank

Thanks Chris. Just spoken to him about the mono seat for now and the fairings for next year. The nose cone isn't a problem as he can do a road legal one. So looks like I'll have to find storage space for a full set of track fairings. The fastenings look a bit more tricky than the 996 but it is the kind of fiddling around I enjoy so I'm sure I'll master it with a bit of practice.

I need to get the bike here before I can decide on what cutom paint job I want for the mono seat unit. As with all my purchases, I will do a bit of research but prices look good, I have to say.

Great stuff Ruth another one come over to the "dark side" with a 749/999 :DPity you can't make next week :( we collect our new bikes tomorrow :D ready for the Scotland trip, ideal for running them in I guess ;)I got my trackday kit (black) from QB carbon prepreg black, I had to do a bit of trimming on the belly pan for the swingarm as their bellypan was taken from an early 999 but that's literally a 10 minute job.So when are we going to see this bike then?

New bikes? :D

Do tell!!

You will not find a better price or fitting than that seat unit, it really looks the the dogs doodars, what ever colour you go for.


Chris.:burn:

They're not Itailian :o But they are European, someone else on here has one of their range that I know of, it's a watercooled twin and usually they're orange in colour but we've gone for stealth black :D

Motard styled one?

Jon, as Oulton park is now my favourite track and your house is my favourite hotel for that venue, first chance next season, I should think ;)

I knew you and Claire had bought new bikes as Mike told me but what did you buy? I hope you have a great trip. I'm sure you will but I don't feel too bad about missing this one as I'm thoroughly looking forward to the Brands Hatch evening and obviously picking up the new bike the day after will be a highlight in an otherwise ... thoroughly exciting year, actually :)

.......maybe ;)In September's bike magazine as the best bike for british roads.Only got something like 94 ponies but you can extract another 10 with pipes and jets, got titanium akra's thrown into the deal so 1/2 way there :DT9 now sorned and my track bike for the foreseeable future
Oh did toy with a mutli for the road but servicing/running costs compared to the SM are sky high as ever. Plus parts are so cheap it's a joke! Complete seat unit plastics £60, side panels £40 compare that to a multi for example.

Sorry not trying to hijack your thread Ruth! You know you're welcome anytime what you should do is get some Euro tracktime booked now ready for it's first (of many I hope) Oulton outing :D

Very bad girl Ruth! How are you going to keep all three happy? There will be jealousy in the garage....!! :D

Nice one Ruth...

JPM...the 950 SM is superb. I test rode one a couple of weekends back and it was stunning.

In the end I will probably go for the 640 lc4 when they bring the new ones out in 2007. I just don't need 1000cc, and the 640 does it all for less than 5K!

Out of interest, where did you get it from?

Got it from Triple-D up in Kendal, great place Gizmo knows them well and come highly recommended even though there are a few dealers closer to me.I believe they're stopping selling road bikes now though just stocking off -road stuff something to do with KTM and sales targets??? They did say they would still sell them but would buy them in from another dealer etc

Nice one Ruthie ...
 

... by far the nicest of the 999 family - hope you got a yellow one :)

A woman on a motorcycle!.what next, the vote!

Sorry, Henry, I don't do yellow. I would have happily bought the yellow Ducati Aylesbury had and taken great pleasure in getting it sprayed black :devil: Getting another yellow bike off the road was quite an enticing thought, but not as enticing as the RED one I eventually chose. With the VERY GENEROUS DSC discount George gave me, I now have the money for BLACK track fairings so I'm a very happy biker bunny :)

Good girl!
I anticipate a naming ceremony, Ruth, with copious amounts of Champagne involved :sing:

Way to go girly... I love spontaneous purchases and us women are so good at them :)

Be good to see you up here soon now we have road bikes and can take you out for some fantastic rides without the need to travel too far :)

Champagne, mmmmmm. Sounds like a good idea, Annette. I was thinking of the Black Cat but as she's red, I have to come up with something else. Black Cat for the track though, and my daughter Kate, the artist and anarchist, is going to design some artwork for the fairings so I'll probably be more precious about this one on track than I am with the Mucky Duchess, whose last outing on track will be next week.

The after-track party next week (that I wasn't planning to attend because I have to ride home) would be a good place for a glass of champagne, wouldn't it? I'll have to see if I can persuade someone to drive me home in a van and then I can enjoy the festivities in full :)

I know someone with a petrol can you can borrow, just in case ... :lol:

You are easily led lady! Henners she could not be Redruth if she bought a yellow one could she?

I am just jealous - you have 3 Dukes and I have still to buy the first!

told ya
well done
:D

Ruth is your monster a 620 & can we turn it into a DD bike?:D :D :D.


Now you have a new one.

told ya
well done
:D

Unfortunately Chass it's a Monster with a 1080 kit, nitrous oxide and a turbo...

I don't think you would turn it into a DD bike, but I might...