| IMHO . . .
The Ducati is a wonderful bike to ride - once you have gotten used to all its fussiness!
It will probably out-handle anything else on the road - if driven properly - but you need to spend more time on it than a simple test ride.
I had an R1 for a day recently - it did EVERYTHING better than my Ducati and on my way back I was thinking in the back of my mind - why have I got a Duke?
Fussy - high maintanence - costly - sometime unrelaiable - but as soon as I got back on - I knew straight away the reasons why!
Involving - sounds georgeous - handles superbly - makes me feel fantastic - especially round the bends!
The R1 was just clinical brilliance - no need to hang off - just sit, point and squirt - the Duke needs to be ridden to get the best out of it.
I am sure that you will fall in love with the 996r once you have had a chance to "tune in" to its virtues and be able to ride it faster than you have your other bikes.
After all you would'nt drive a mini the same way you drive a Ferrari - would you?
Just my thoughts.
KJ
[Edited on 3-8-2003 by KJ]
[Edited on 3-8-2003 by KJ]  | 
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