An hour actually, as the ride was cut short by a downpour. Having acquired the bike six weeks ago I finally found time to collect it last week but had only ridden it for about 15 mins in Geneva before madam caught sight of me in very unsuitable clothing and gave me a sour look (which, if you have seen the photos, is difficult for her), demanding it return to JoeC towers immediately! So today I managed to sneak an afternoon to myself and head out accross the mountains to Châtel to see a supplier of mine. It has been about 35° here for as long as I can remember and attired this time with jeans, hoodie and timberland boots I took off. It likes to wheelie this bike, even at about 130kph and off the throttle, putting a massive grin on my already goonish face. It also pulls like a steam train, I think I could probably hitch up my work trailer to it and it wouldn't bat an eyelid. The torque is endless but I stayed mainly in 2nd and 3rd so as to enjoy the view of the sky. I hadn't ridden a bike with a slipper clutch for a long time and had almost forgotten how sweet the downshifts are, with the only squirms from the rear end being caused by my not knowing how to activate the traction control and exiting corners slightly adverturously. Sadly, as I headed towards my son's in Morzine it started to rain. I don't mind pushing it in the dry but the second conditions are anything other than perfect, I turn into a baby and literally shit myself so that was the end of that. More to follow, most likely from the track, it's not a pretty bike but it looks like I'm gonna get on with it.
Just done the D979 near Bourg-en-bresse not a million miles from you. Lovely roads and as I have seen about 5 or 6 fully leather clad guys on sports bikes I’m guessing it’s a common area for a blat
@JoeC hold fire on buying any more bikes - get yourself a better camera please! Or at least clean the grease off the lens! Glad to hear you got out for a little spin!
Cool stuff dude. I worked in chatel for a few months in summer a few years ago and swore I'd get back there, due to the roads around those parts and the amount of bikes I seen having a blast! One day... Make the most of the weather and bike.. It must be bonkers around there!
Meh, if I spend any money on frivolous stuff like cameras and phones, that's gonna seriously screw my future bike budget!
I managed to grab another quick hour today as the sun has returned with a vengeance. I had almost forgotten the feeling of a bike that lifts the front wheel when exiting fast right and left handers; that kind of floaty feeling when you know that there is little or no contact with the tarmac and the bike just shakes its head before contact is regained and everything sorts its self out. Traction control was set at 4 (I read the manual) and I didn't notice it and I think the steering damper may have been at zero as I recall having it slackened right off to help getting the bike in and out of the garage. The bike is certainly fast and the rev limiter is reached fairly quickly, but it's not the wild untameable animal that I had expected. I almost wish it wasn't so collectable, I'd quite like to find its absolute limits but that's gonna mean falling off!
If it’s not feeling like a wild, untamed animal, you are not twisted no the throttle hard enough, fast enough
“it's not a pretty bike but it looks like I'm gonna get on with it.” What??? Am I missing the joke! It’s the best looking sports bike ever made. Gobsmacked!
Not when you have one of these parked next to it. The detailing and level of finish on the 999R is just next level!
Well each to their own Joe, but for me the lines of the xx98’s have never been bettered by anyone. MV’s spec ed Tamburini designed F4 pushes it close, (if you ignore the headlight) but other than that, nothing IMO, not even your very attractive 999R looks as good. Hey we can still be friends, right?
Maybe it will grow on me, it's early days? I hadn't even noticed the 999's until I bought one (I now have two and currently looking at a FILA) and now they just catch my eye every time I'm in the garage.
You have two 999s, one of them an R & a 1098R & you’re looking at a FILA? You’re outta my league brother! I’m thinking about mebbe one day adding a Multi, an Africa Twin or a T800 just to give me a different experience but it’ll take me forever & a day to convince the missus we don’t really need a new bathroom. Ahh...the green eyed monster is a viscious bedfellow!
Personally, I think the 999 is now perceived to be a beautiful bike as it was heavily criticized for its looks and a sales disaster at the time, most of it down to the looks and double-sided swing arm. It had a flat, "ironing board" poise, not the "head down, arse up" poise of the 916. Subsequent Ducatis have gone back to this poise and single swinger after the lessons of the 999. Even Ducati wanted to distance themselves from this bike at the launch of the 1098, buy calling this 1099cc bike a 1098 and get rid of the "9" at the end of the designation. Now the bike has matured from ugly duckling to a beautiful swan in the passing years and is definitely a grower in the looks dept. I think too much is made of this and people seem to elevate it to the title of "most beautiful Ducati". It isn't, it's just had an interesting journey in the last 15 years and matured well. One thing I have noticed, is that 999 owners certainly seem the most passionate about the looks of their bikes. I'm not knocking the bike, I think it was just a marked change from the 916 and a bit ahead of its time. I still fancy one myself. I think the 1098 has it in the looks dept though, it's far more aggressive.
It’s just the headlights that trouble me, but other than that, this might be the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen
There's no league, I just work hard, sometimes seven days a week and am fortunate enough to have built up a wealthy and loyal client base. I don't have any other vices, have never had any debt so what disposable income I have I am able to invest it how I choose and at the moment that happens to be Ducatis.
