| I think Madmav's original question was..
Why do bikes grow progressively 'softer' over the years?
The answer has to be that once a manufacturer has came up with a killer design (which cuts itself a nice little niche in a very focused market), it can't then resist trying to make it appeal to a wider and wider audience in subsequent years. Hence, what was once at the cutting edge of design in all respects, becomes less offensive and more sanitised in an attempt to sell more units. Shamefully, the later machine is marketed as 'better' whilst we all know it's merely bathing in the glare of an earlier model's reflected glory.
BTW, I'd take issue with the statement "this is why i think the 916/996 will always be the best bike". The 916, when first launched, was bathing in the glare of WSB glories gained in fact by the 888. Moreover, whilst the 888 remained in competition, it gained innumerable victories over the early 916! You want the original 'raw' riding experience? Then ride what FastBikes Magazine called "..the incredible, incomparable, irrefragable, irrefrangible, irresponsible Ducati. Yep! Ride a tuned 888!
That's stirred it! (Ho hum)
Steve  |