Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > General Motorcycles only > 1200 duke

[KeefyB]

Originally posted by ariel
Does anyone else get tired of all the crap that is written in the bike press about how ugly the 999 is?

YES!!

[Felix]

Well, there is at least one person then who reads Richard Hammonds' column. Must be the only one. Oh, hang on, I've done as well, and what a load of shite it usually is. He should stick to being whats-his-name's sidekick.

[TORTUGA]

Like I said I like both shapes for different reasons. I own a 2003 999s and love it. I love the looks and I love the way it rides. I think people have got it all wrong when they say it is ugly, and one day will eat their words when it will be looked at as ahead of its time and as much a classic as any other Ducati. Will it be iconic, to be honest maybe not as that is completley different. The 916 was like nothing else when it came out in the 90's and it is hard to see any motorcycle being that iconic again but who knows!

When I showed mine last year at the Bristol Italian Auto Moto Festival I had alot of interest from engineers who loved the trelis and the pipe work of the exhaust. I had photographers from Bristol University taking pictures of it from all angles for their courses and not to mention the general public who wanted their pictures with it or their kids sat on it. I came away thinking "well it cant be that ugly".

Another thing which bugs me about the bike mags is how they say how crap the 999 range is compared to 1000 4's. Well mmm yes but I dont look to compete with the 1000's but look to the 750's as that is where itshould be pitched anyway. If Ducati bring out a 1200 then fair enough because that will be where it will be marketed anyway but the press should play fair.
And another thing which bugs. I read last week some where that said the Ducati 999 was no match for the Japanese 4's and then I think the same mag said that the new Ducati S4RS was a rival for the big 4's sportbikes. I sat there s******ing saying outloud. "So the engine was rubbish a minute ago and now its good"

The press seem to have it in for Ducati at the moment with lots of anti stuff flying about. I think it is just the British way of build them up and knock them down. Its like this debate about raising the limit in WSB. I wont to see a race of level performance bikes and dont want to see a return to the twins advantage as seen before but as long as the rules are changed to stop Ducati tuning their bikes to the max like they have to at the moment (with GP costs) then I cant see what the fuss is all about. Ducati are doing amazing things at the moment but at the cost of a small African country. And I agree with Ducati that that is not in the spirit of superbike racing. I thought it was interesting to see the Japanese dont want the 1200 vtwin and dont want to see desmosedicci arrive in WSB. I think that says we dont want you lot in full stop as we want to win and you keep ruining the party.
There said it now.

[Nigel C]

Originally posted by Twinfan
Step backwards in my opinion...

In some ways yes but Ducati have realised that the 999 shape has not done the business, and that people like the old shape and will buy it which is what matters.
money talks !!! and if they can sell bikes styled roughly like the 916 range they will make them .
Remember this was in MCN so should be taken with a pinch of salt

[AndyW]

Is it me or is MCN the soraway Sun with bikes instead of t*ts

[RedMist]

Originally posted by TORTUGA
Like I said I like both shapes for different reasons.

I couldn't agree more - luv 'em both too. Could also fancy a road going desmosedici if the pockets were deep enough and that certainly ain't the prettiest MotoGP bike in the paddock!

[smilo006]

And they've plastered 2 different tits on one bird so to speak. The front has 10 spoke wheels the back 5.
MCN - fit up.
The 999 is not a bad bike but it is just unfinished in a way that the 916 wasn't.
The rear end is just well incomplete and that funny triangular piece in the tube frame under the seat, just look amateur. The welding on the frame is not too hot either.
Top yoke and instruments are pretty cool though.
Brave attempt to movre things on though and several useful innovations - adjustable seat, and foot pegs.

[Dave G]

I think Martins got it here,its a photoshopped mess designed by a comittee at Emap.
It may have been done slickly but its been done with no imagination by journalists who cant imagine anything beyond what they're given free.
I see this crap all the time in my work, lots of geeks can use a program like photoshop,it doesn't make them designers or artists though.
Ducati isnt stupid and re releasing a sort of 916 will be not only an admission of defeat for its design department but will also shackle it to that design for the rest of the firms life.
I hope they surprise us with something even more radical than the 999 was over the 916, and not just a red fireblade like the one in the paper.

[posiden]

Im lost for words - MCN obviously didnt get a long term test bike last year / this year and have got it in for Ducati, this weeks pictures are a botch of 2 bikes stuck together using photoshop (by a 5th grade design student !), last weeks pictures were much the same, the back pages **** Ducati off for supposedly wanting 1200cc in WSB.
Its like reading a mix of Viz and the Sport but with an axe to grind.
Im sure that Ducati will design a fine bike, show us it at the NEC and we will buy it..
Ducati are probably laughing at the stuff in MCN as its free publicity.
If any one from MCN is reading this then WAKE UP AND STOP PRINTING CRAP.

[Ray]

Er, it's not that long ago MCN were saying that the 998 was old hat and everyone should get with the 999 program and were bigging the 999 up. Can't argue with the numbers and if a bike ain't selling in the numbers you need somethings gotta change.

The MotoGP bike has the look that Ducati needs to take things forward IMHO, but theres another problem, how's a less expensive Moto GP looking type bike gonna go down with those that are gonna cough 35,000 for the V4 MotoGP rep.

Maybe something that looks like the Roehr is the way forward??

Interesting times ahead.

Ray.