Anyone got any Bright ideas?
 

I think I've done all I wanted to do with the two Ducati's (996 BIP & 998r) I've owned over the last 11 years.

I've got some great memories.:) :) :)

Trips to WDW.
Touring in Italy.
Trip to the south of France.
Trips to the TT
Trackdays at most circuits in the UK.
Dined with Ducati Corse.
Been the Yorks region RO for yonks.
Met and ridden with some great fellow Ducati riders over the years from Yorkshire and beyond.
Enjoyed the highs of Ducati ownership.

The one remaining Ducati related ambition was to do the Moto Giro in the touring class. Even lost the enthusiasm for that now.

Junior is very keen on karting and that is taking up time and money, luckily dad can still hang onto a lively Kart long enough to stay in front of him with the help of a 20 BHP advantage:D

Just losing enthusiasm for biking in general, too many other calls on my time and ££££.:(

Maybe it's time for the pipe and slippers, noooooooo not a BMW.

Time to Mothball the 998?, flog it?, get that Monster S4RS? I've always wanted (but not sure I'd get time to use)

Anyone got any bright ideas that are going reignite my enthusiasm?

Ray.

Use it for what it was built for.....................race it.:cool:

How about MotoGiro followed by Bayliss at Mugello? The timing is perfect. The Giro goes almost past my front door, Mugello is a stones throw away and Tuscany in June is a magic time of year. Chianti is full of sun flowers, poppies and the best wines and scenery ever. It'd be great to see a few old faces :(

I thought about quiting 18 months ago. I was adamant the 996 was going, that it was time to do other things, I even wrote the advert. Everyone told me I was wrong, even my wife.

In the end, winter came and it was too late to sell the bike anyway so it sat in the garage all winter. Then spring came and I still didn't want to ride so I just left it there while I did other things. A few weeks later I took it out for a short ride and within a couple of miles that noise put a grin back on my face and I realised I would have been wrong to sell it.

So - for me -it was just a case of having a break from it, long enough to realise how much I missed it.

I do a lot more cycling these days, but I still get out on the bike as well - just not as much as before.

Martin

Get an 848 Ray :D

moved to hampshire :)

You need to do the MotoGiro on a small Ducati Ray-really get into it-so it's either up to a 175 in the Vintage class, up to 250 in the Touring Supersport, or over 250 in the Taglioni-go on-you know you want too...............

John

How about coming on the next Factory trip? ;)

Monty! See u in June!:)
Ant! My boy really wants to go but the dates never work. Hopefully we'll see you this time.

P.s. Talking about exciting things to do and making them happen. I'm determined to get to Goodwood Revival this year in September. Do you know, over the last couple of weeks I've emailed over 200 hotels and guest houses and they are all full already!
Sorted now. Wonderful hotel and flight booked. Oh YES!!!!

Had a brilliant time there in 2009, such a fantastic atmosphere among the visitors, let alone with all the racing and events going on!

Plenty of pics on my facebook for you to peruse. :)

When is the next factory trip?

Hi Ray :)

As someone with a failing bad back and knees, I know WHERE you are coming from but for different reasons.

I'm still enjoying my differing bikes but have to do half of the things on your list.

I dont think there are many things better than seeing a child share a similar passion to your own...

but

after seeing a few classic racing Ducati's, I think karting and getting an older lady in your garage might be just the tonic you need :o

:rolleyes:

Regards - Frank

Not doing the Giro this year Annette-however, we will be on your doorstep since we are booked into the Farmhouse Villa Terreno in Ruffino for the 1st-3rd July-apparently there is a race somewhere nearby and there is a new rider on the red bike??

Hopefully catch up with you when we are over.

John

Monty. Wonderful. We'll be there. Chat to u before then.

Ray, get a grip boy. The sunshine will be here soon and change everything....

I also notice that Ducati racing was not on your "done" list !!

Get that 998R race prepped and get Sound of Thunder racing ;) - or find a DD bike to borrow and get out there ----

HTH 8-)

Tim

come join the party, there are a few bikes out there and you're never too old....look at Sorted and Ghost!! :lol: :burn:

Buy a project bike, ride down to Annecy, ride around there for a weekend and then on down to the south thru Provence and the Luberon.
Go racing. Trackday at Assen, Spa, Jerez.
By a Desmosidici

give it another 18 months when out of warranty and you'll pick one up for a tenner!! :lol:

Thanks for some some interesting replies.


I rode a DD bike for a good few laps of cadwell a few years ago and really enjoyed it, if I could use the 998 in class B I might just be able to keep up with the back end of the grid:(
Can't see me moving on from track days to racing a bike, the idea is to spend a bit less time and money on it!

Can't see me selling the 998 to replace it with a newer model or even with an older model.

Mothballing the bike seems like a sensible option, it's not going to eat anything up. Then maybe do the touring class of the motogiro in a few years time.

Maybe I won't resist the temptation to wheel it out when the sun comes out.

Ray

If it's any help Ray, I had to mothball my 999 for a few years. I simply could not face selling it, so I kept in in the garage.

This year it's getting out and about once again, and hopefully I will be back in love with it in no time.

Don't jump into any decisions, I guess I'm trying to say.