Why do you ride a Ducati ?
 

Just wondering and encouraging some 'Ducati' based chatting.

Is it the noise ? the power ? the handling ? the feelings that are evoked from riding it ?

Have you had the same feelings throughout multiple Ducatis ? if so, why ? if not, why ?

I think back to last Xmas when Dave G shipped my 916 down to me, i was very very excited.... picking it up in the freezing cold, seeing if it would start (it didn't LOL)... then spending the winter making it pretty, adding a few bits here, a few bits there... and a few somewhere else...

it's in my blood.

When did it get there ? before or after you first rode one ?

What makes it so special ?

No - that's Guinness ;)

The sound of a v-twin on full-song.
The look of a yellow 748
The stump-pulling midrange of a 900
The feeling that under any stressfull condition, it will always go where you want it to

Actually, I've still got the brochures from 1974 when I first fell in love with the italian image of the bevel 750SS and the singles

For me it was the noise that drew me in.
I had various two strokes and loved the buzz they gave me.
but walking home from town one day I heard a 900SL with Termis on go past.
and from that day on I had to have one.
also remember seeing my first 916 parked up and saw the owner come back and couldn't help but butt in with a few questions. It looked awesome.
now there just part of the family I cant see myself without one

Noise and looks...I mean everytime I set foot out the front door to go for a ride...and I'm greated with this sight...makes me feel all funny inside ;-)

to me its the whole 'ducati' thing. not very well put but i know what i mean.

the passion
the racing pedigree
the people (even with whats going on here, its true)
the style

harley has a similar thing but no other jap make. i think it highly unlikely i would leave ducati completely. i always wanted a 916, since i got into bikes again, not sure why really i guess just because i lusted after one whenever i saw one and viewed it as the epitome of 'sports' bikes. tested an aprilia and a 916 at the time. felf quicker on the aprillia but on returning to the shop there was a small boy gazing at the 916 while ignoring all the other brand new bikes, and that was how i felf.

i have met a huge number of great people through ducati from andyb who first told me about the site maybe 4 years ago to all the people through the DSC i know now. there is no way i would have done that with a gixer etc even if i raced or did trackdays all the time.

i just dont think it would be the same if i still had my ninja.these are only my personal views but for me its what its all about. i do have non ducati bike friends but i can count them on my hands.

Harv, you've posted the wrong picture mate - don't you mean these ;

Got my monster because I liked the look of them.

Did a bit of research, kept eyeing them up, but also was wary of the constant knocking that accompanied Ducatis.

Was advised away from them mostly - but being stubborn I got my way. Tried one first - a yellow one - and it didn't feel right - thought my dream was shattered - then went to view Max - instantaneous ''this is my bike'':D

2002 I got Max - love the look, the sound, the ride, how the engines works and behaves, hate all those jap type revs and I can be lazy with gear changes.
Won't buy another bike, hold no interest for me.

I do like the 748/916 looks too - however they are way too tall for me.

Noise = Yes
Power = Yes
Handling = Yes
Feelings = Yes

Wow, that's surprising actually.... fairly shocking....

Is it because you mix with DSC people mostly ? Just a co-incidence ? or a thought out plan because you'd have less in common ?

LOL...you got toooo much time on your hands mate!

If I see you Thursday I'll buy you a pie, sorry pint cos I still love you :p

Because its a phallic symbol and makes up for my incredibly small willy

You were right first time...pie(s) will suffice!!!

Sorry...we digress...

For me its not really a brand thing, although I do like riding a brand that is still, to some degree, a little exclusive.

There is no other model in the Ducati range I would ride, and I feel no loyalty to the Brand at all...I already ride a Suzuki also, and next year the Duke may well be replaced with something Austrian.

Its a piece of art that moves,sounds like nothing else.

all of the above with the exception of having a small willy



(I have no willy ;) )

:o..............................:lol:

i think it purely comes down to time to be honest. if im racing, im with ducati people. dont really have time to go and do other racing or watch others.

if i go to watch racing im likely to tie up with people on here purely because some like ozz, take the time and trouble to arrange things. ditto antonye's trips to the ducati factory.

if i go on sunday runs it will be generally with non ducati people purely because they are on my doorstep and easier to arrange things with.

its the same with another interest of mine football. most of my footballing friends are arsenal because thats who i support. so thats who i see every other week, who i go abroad to see etc etc

Two bikes I always wanted when I first started riding, a Kawasaki Z1 and a Superlight.

Did the kwak thing. I still wish I had not got rid of it but to be honest things have come a long way since the 70's. Especially with respect to brakes. It was not good enough to do what I wanted.

Never did get a superlight. I have a 750 ss at the moment which is as close as I got.

Not sure what my next bike will be but I am not loyal to Ducati - shock horror - I fancy a Triumph next. Almost bought one a little while ago and have a hankering for a new shape speed triple.

I had just bought a Triumph Sprint RS a few months before I went into Riders in Bristol. I only went in to get a pair of Draggin Jeans. I laughed at the Harleys on the way in, and figured I'd laugh at the Ducati's on the way out. You see, I don't like Ducatis. I'm not into sports bikes, too damned uncomfortable and who needs all that power anyway. The Monster is way out of date, so long in the tooth. And the Multistrada? What's that about? Then as I walked down the stairs I spotted a yellow S2r and that was it. I was hooked. I just fell in love with the looks. I told the salesman wanted one. My wife went nuts as I had only had the Triumph for about 4 months. They told me that there were no yellow ones left. I could have a red one if I wanted. But no, I wanted the yellow one. It's jsut such a lairy colour. I went home and phoned around the dealers till I found one at Ducati Aylesbury. I paid the deposit over the phone, sold him my Triumph over the phone (lost 2k there) and picked the bike up a week later. I didn't even test ride one before I bought it.
I am so glad I did. What a fantastic bike. I've chopped the tail off it, fitted Termis and a PC, and I'm not finished yet. I have never before had such a strong liking for a bike. I love it. The sound is great, now. The perfromance is fantastic. The people that I have met through both this club and the MOC have been so friendly and helpful. It looks awesome.
And I'm hooked on this whole Ducati thing now. After seeing Natty's 888 I want one of those next please. And I'm going to go DD racing next year.
You don't get any of that with a Jap bike. It makes me feel special when I ride it and that's what really makes the difference for me.

Yep, all of mine manage to do that to me.
Don't know what the ilf fuss is all about :eek: Oh, yeah, its about scaring yourself witless with insane velocity. Whatever.
I'm keeping clear of parallel twins so I keep my own teeth :D
Tried shafty-drives, cant ride them fast enough without feeling the shaft is gonna blow :o

Back in the early 80s I had a mate who always seemed to have plenty of different bikes about the place. I didnt pay much attention to most of them as I didnt ride back then. However whenever he had a Ducati (and he had a few) there was just something about it that got my attention. A mixture of the sound and the styling and the fact they seemed so different to other bikes. 10 or so years later when the 916 appeared I couldnt believe a bike could look so good, totally unobtainable for me back then as they were so expensive. A mate bought one to the dismay of the rest of the lads who ALL had fireblades. He let me have a go one day and I just fell in love with the thing. Still didnt buy one though, whenever I saw a 916 parked up I would go and have a good look and for some reason I was always drawn toward the top yoke and the levers etc as they just seemed so right compared to the cheapy looking things on whatever Japanese bike I had at the time. Fast forward a few more years and I decided I wanted something different to my usual Blades and R1s etc having read all the tests etc I decided I wanted a new Mille R (2002) in black. Being tall I decided it was the bike for me as some of the testers said the bike was too tall for them. I was ready to buy and a little impatient as I just wanted to walk in a shop and buy one but everywhere I went I was told it would be a minimum of 2 weeks before I could have one. I ended up speaking to Dave at Duc Manchester and he talked me into having a look at a 996S as they were doing a special deal on them as the 998 was coming out. 20 minutes after walking in the shop I owned a red 996s! Never looked back really. I did end up trading the 996 in for a Multistrada 2 years later but it didnt take long to start craving another. I still remember looking at the new 996r they had at Duc man and wishing it wasnt so expensive. I decided I had to get one as they were going for roughly half what they were new (Aug 2005) after missing out on a few that were sold via this site I eneded up with a mint example that I now cherish.

Theres really nothing like a 916-998 I love the solid feel of the thing and the committed riding position. I even enjoy the way it bucks and skips of imperfections in the road that the Multi just sails over. The way it picks the front wheel up over little crests in the road whether youre expecting it to or not. And the soundtrack from the Termis and airbox, sometimes I feel like putting the standard quieter cans back on just to hear the airbox noise more clearly. I remember one writer in a magazine describing the airbox noise as sounding as if an angry goose had been place under the fuel tank. :D

I`ve had wop bikes for the last 32 years and honestly love them, they get into your blood and no matter what happens or what you do with or to them,you cant get rid of them.

I bought a 1975 750 Ducati sport for £1129 new and on the road. At that time a 750 Desmo was £1600 on the road and I just couldn`t stretch to that.

If only I new how the prices were going to go for those things even with there dodgy chrome and rough paint.

I rode it home from HGb in north London and as got home it went onto one lung as the Magneti Marreli plud finally sooted themselves up, but what a ride.

New NGK plugs cured that problem and when I installed a lucas Rita ignition system it transformed the bike even more, it was all gain with that unit and no losses.

I sold that machine after 9 years and bought the Jota. Now if ever there was a rude awakening the Jota was. Its performance was earth shattering compared the the duke, and for a 750 twin it did not hang around, but the jota was pure animal interms of shear acceleration compared to the Ducati.

I alsways regretted selling that 750 Sport and vowed never to make the same mistake with the Jota.

Then one day I picked up MCN and saw thie new 916. Love at first site and I had to have one but did not have the money to buy one.

Well, the years rolled buy, my sons were born, I got divorced, I got married again and my new wife was always aware that I wanted a 916 coz I always kept yapping on about them.

Then on day she said "Why don`t you go and buy one". I replied that I could not justify the finantial outlay to which she replied "your a long time dead".

That did it. I went out and bought my 998s Mono which I never regretted buying, and I kept the Jota as well!

Its given me endless hours of fun and enjoyment and since I had the bike I decided to join the DSC, which I have never regretted doing and have met many good people on here.

So you see Italian bikes do get into your blood, I know!

It's an Italian thing....Alfa Romeo led my to Ducati.

Passion and interest of all things Ducati, putting up with them and loving them at the same time...'character' I think it's called.

The factory tour when you see real people putting them together, the history....

The brand thing gets me..mention you ride a Duc to a non biking group and they are interested or know something about them..

And the other 'Ducati' people you meet who just get it?! and understand why I have 4 in the shed....

One of my favourite sayings. However its usually me saying it to my girlfriend to justify whatever I've just bought! My mate (half german) has a good one in German that translates to "you last shirt (shroud) has no pockets"!

Ridden since I was 9 (1978) but I still remember first hearing then seeing an 888 years later and that was it....

Now many years later I have a Ducati albeit only a 600 Monster and not the 748 I wanted. Am I enjoying it? Erm, I think so. I am not as one with it yet but I think it is mainly the tyres as it has Bridgestones like my Fazer had and every corner just feels like it is my last.

Hopefully I will get there and then upgrade to a 748 next year....

initially the aura and the heritage of the brand, but since then the DSCis part of it too

I was in the market for a H*nda Fireblade and accidently bought a 748R instead.

:lol: :lol: :lol: Like it. Some mistake though :o :D

A lot of people know what a Ducati is, but they wouldn't know the difference between the latest GSXR, ZX or CBR offerings. Even if they don't know that it's a Ducati, they understand that it is something more special than a Suzuki, Kawasaki or Honda.

Conti's make you deaf you know :D
hayden going round brands on the motogp bike made me remeber the first time I heard a duc with contis start up. The hairs on the back of your neck stand up. I start the bevel in the garage now to relive the experience :lol:

Actually I find it lower than the monster. I love everything about ducati. It was the 916 that did it and Carl fogarty that lured me to dream of one day have one. I did it the monster way with 900 and then s4 and now also a 748 and it means I fulfilled my dream. Love em and my partner understands how the ducati thing overtakes and friends develop from it.
Fantastic

The 851 captured my imagination years ago - a true race bike for the road, tremendous looks and sound. Ah!

Bought a 750ie Sport a few years ago, it was all I could afford and it seemed a good machine to try after a few years lay-off from bikes. It was, and is, a grin-inducing little beastie that gives me much pleasure.

Then ... the 999 appeared. The looks of it entranced me, I had to have one! The opportunity presented itself and I grabbed it. The sheer beauty of it, the engine, the handling ... I've yet to see another bike I'd consider trading it in for.

That's it for me.

You can't mistake class or style Rob, you and the bike! :lol:

For me it was the sound, I needed it.

Then it had to take a topbox to stop my son going of the back, some things just have to be shared between a father and a son, how else will I be able to indoctrinate him?

Errrrummm


I did enjoy both my 916 and my 996.

The sound off it, the way it went round bends the colour (:lol:) and the people i met.

Also miss telling the ones not in the know that there is nothing wrong with my clutch :lol:


changed to me GSXR as I wanted something faster and the looks off the 999 were not to my Taste !

Age

A few years back I still had my Harris Magnum 4 which Handled very well and for my every day bikes I had a Fireblade and a TL1000S., I loved the TLs engine but not its handling with both the other bikes out performing it in this department.
Then a mate let me ride his 916SP and the place he choose to let me have a go was the B4011. What struck me instantly was the accuracy of the handling, I aimed for a spot in the road and I hit it, on the TL you made allowances.
Next thing to happen was the same mate had got hold of a 916BP that needed a bit of repair work and was going to give it to his brother. turned out his brother wasn't interested so my mate offered it to me. I handed over some cash then popped down to see Steve at Moto Rapido to get the bits needed to repair it and then my days of riding a Ducati started.

Just got that same 916 back from Senna3 last week and still think its one of the best buys I have made in all my years of motorcycling, on the roads a 916/996 does all that a bike needs to and does it very well,with the feedback and the lack of bump steer and other issues that lighter bikes like my R6 suffer it makes them a pleasure to ride.

And one thing I have noticed in all the times I have been out on either my 916, 996 or 998 I have never got a half mile up the road and thought I should turn back home because I wasn't feeling at one with the bike, yet I have thought this on nearly every other bike I have owned at one time or another

I can still remember when I 1st heard and saw a 916, from the moment on I knew i had to have one. Loved my 996 (RIP) and would still have it if some b*llend knew how to drive. I bought the Monster S4 about 18 months ago as a stop gap bike.... Now i couldnt get rid of it, did consider a Zx10 but came to my senses. I sometimes have a play on my mates 05 Gixer 750 which bores me to ride. Ducati's have soul passion & heritage once its in you its there for life.

I've only ever owned my two Desmo Due bikes (600SS and a 620 Monster), but yeah, I 'get' the Ducati thing :) I loved the SS right from the off, couldn't wait to get back on it as soon as the track time was over...loads of character and just spot on to ride :) Will I have one on the road? I don't know. I'm also big into Kawasaki's and my ZX6 is going nowhere, so until I can afford a nice, new Ducati and the ZX6, I'll have to stick to the little ones on track :) I'd absolutely love a S2R right now, stunning machines.
I've ridden various others, 748, 996, S4 etc and they all have that same 'want one' appeal when you get off them. Best get saving.