Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > 999 / 749 > continued 999 speculation in MCN

[IainMac]

Originally posted by desmobob
they've been damaged by selling the lower specification 749 and 999 models. This will result in them regaining their status by selling only 'high end' machinery such as the Moto GP replica model.



[Edited on 25-5-2006 by desmobob]

The low end models the ducati blurb refferred to wasnt the normal superbike range it was the dark models (no 999 dark) and low end monster/(potentially multistrada) bikes. The strategy was to get the superbike range selling and add an upper layer motogp replica. The V-Twin superbike will continue to evolve as it always has since the 1st 851. If you could afford a superbike now then I suspect its not going to be much different and it will be perhaps more affordable over the next couple of years.
Incidently, not that I'm saying there cheap but I think the Biposto model of each full capacity superbike range (851-888,916-998,999 over the years) has never been cheaper and its not just relative its price on the shop floor. In fact I'm paying less now for a new un than I did for a 916! wayback when and that wasnt quite new!!!! Bargin!! :P
The grass is always greener and becareful what u wish for and all that

[999TREV]

Guys, guys
As Mr Barry Sheen once said.
''MCN never let the facts get in the way of a story''.
I'm holding on to my 999 base model becouse it makes me smile, if Ducati cut it from there range i have a bike that no one else has around here (having said that i do live on the east coast.) Could have had any litre bike i fancied at the time but I know i would only want to sell it in 6 months time.

[desmobob]

In some ways part of the appeal of owning a Ducati is because I know I've bought into a brand that make an incredibly expensive model that’s winning races. I wouldn't buy a Hysoung bike from China because although mechanically sound, (and have longer history than most Japanese manufacturers), don't have anything that makes their badge... that bit special. Ferrari make cars that are extremely expensive, but split the parts down to their cost equivalent and they certainly aren't as expensive as the cost of the car as a whole. They don't depreciate mainly because they're not so readily available, (some models you have to be offered to buy). If Ducati try to be the motorcycle equivalent of Ferrari they need to stop making so many limited edition models, otherwise they're simply not limited.
They need to find a careful balance between making quality affordable and reliable bikes, (something the Japanese are very good at) - as well as super fast, beautiful looking and amazing handling limited edition specials.


[Edited on 25-5-2006 by desmobob]

[bolds]

Originally posted by yeti

S'not only tabloid speculation. I was offered an 04 999R Fila rep with 500 genuine on it for £8k a couple of weeks ago. Try to get a 998R for that money and you'll be struggling. I'm afraid the punters have voted with their wallets on this one.

Im sure you could get a cat"D" 998R for that sort of money as well If you were into vintage stuff that is

[Gizmo]

i don't think this is MCN's fault, its Ducati's inability to accept that the way they market product and released info to the press has not adapted to reflect the changes the internet has brought and the need for printed magazines to beat the websites with stories. |The new bike must be past the concept stage , taking a critical path back from a November launch in Milan means that given a "normal"lead time of 60 -90 days for components, time to run a small preproduction batch, manufacturing moulds for fairings and other unique parts and testing it all works, the design has to be somewhere near final now. Compare the route Ducati take to a succesful European brand like Triumph which is increasing sales , they allow limited press publication of the prototyping and testing of new models in the likes of MCN, it doesn't harm sales as the dealers and customers then know what is coming not speculating on it. I don't understand why Ducati don't releave visuals on concepts onto their own website to stop the speculation other than thinking they'll lose the impact from its launch, not much use if you've lost 5 month sales and upset dealers and customers in the process.

[Rod]

Originally Posted by Gizmo

i don't think this is MCN's fault, its Ducati's inability to accept that the way they market product and released info to the press has not adapted to reflect the changes the internet has brought and the need for printed magazines to beat the websites with stories. |The new bike must be past the concept stage , taking a critical path back from a November launch in Milan means that given a "normal"lead time of 60 -90 days for components, time to run a small preproduction batch, manufacturing moulds for fairings and other unique parts and testing it all works, the design has to be somewhere near final now. Compare the route Ducati take to a succesful European brand like Triumph which is increasing sales , they allow limited press publication of the prototyping and testing of new models in the likes of MCN, it doesn't harm sales as the dealers and customers then know what is coming not speculating on it. I don't understand why Ducati don't releave visuals on concepts onto their own website to stop the speculation other than thinking they'll lose the impact from its launch, not much use if you've lost 5 month sales and upset dealers and customers in the process.

I'm with you on that one. The new 1198/S/R bike must be close to or nearing completion in terms of the design. November is not that far away and as you say, tooling up, even for preproduction is a time consuming process, so we have to conclude that the bike is, bar a few last minute changes due to test results and costs, almost complete. I was not entirely convinced by the spy shots in the Italian "MotoSprint" magazine of the bike circling Mugello, as even with the black gaffa tape all over the fairing panels, it was at best a test mule for the mechanical components and if you can "let your guard down" quite that publically, it smacks of nothing short of a red herring visually to keep the press guessing. I like the idea of Ducati issuing some pre production concept sketches though. They would do well to get the feedback before they launch the new bike (as with the HyperMotard) before they commit commercial suicide and unveil the unthinkable (a rehashed 999). Let's hope thats not the case and that Alan Jenkins or the like has a hand in it's design as the Demosedici he penned is just gorgeous and leagues ahead of Terblanches recent abominations. If you disagree with that, then the post 999 introduction era which heralded poor sales figures, ought to back up my last statement.

[sbwells]

Originally Posted by Rod

I'm with you on that one. The new 1198/S/R bike must be close to or nearing completion in terms of the design. November is not that far away and as you say, tooling up, even for preproduction is a time consuming process, so we have to conclude that the bike is, bar a few last minute changes due to test results and costs, almost complete. I was not entirely convinced by the spy shots in the Italian "MotoSprint" magazine of the bike circling Mugello, as even with the black gaffa tape all over the fairing panels, it was at best a test mule for the mechanical components and if you can "let your guard down" quite that publically, it smacks of nothing short of a red herring visually to keep the press guessing. I like the idea of Ducati issuing some pre production concept sketches though. They would do well to get the feedback before they launch the new bike (as with the HyperMotard) before they commit commercial suicide and unveil the unthinkable (a rehashed 999). Let's hope thats not the case and that Alan Jenkins or the like has a hand in it's design as the Demosedici he penned is just gorgeous and leagues ahead of Terblanches recent abominations. If you disagree with that, then the post 999 introduction era which heralded poor sales figures, ought to back up my last statement.

Yeap......Like your thinking mate

[phil_h]

Personally, I think anyone would give them a better design than any of Terblanche's efforts for them.
They do seem to oscillate between great visual designs and complete dogs tho ... think back to the 860-series-dogs sandwiched between the bevel-SS and the Darmah, the F1 series then the Paso-dogs followed by the carby-belt-SS designs.
Here's hoping !

[Gizmo]

Originally Posted by phil_h

Personally, I think anyone would give them a better design than any of Terblanche's efforts for them.

But he designed the supermono, influenced the 916 and has created the best real world road bikes Ducati have made in the 999 and multistrada and ST3/4 plus did the sport classics. he changed the way we think about bikes making them smaller, thinner and more shaped. And all those projects retained the same basic engine/chassis configuration he was stuck with given the limits that must be imposed on real development. An amazing job in my book.

I've said this before but he is as influential as Jonathon Ives is at Apple and Ducati won't find a successor easily.

[desmobob]

I wish Ducati would read this little lot.