Still need to work on Mrs T but was thinking of upgrading my 999. I know these are two completely different machines but I quite like the 999 but you can't overlook the power and gizmos on the 1199. Does the 999r come with a slipper clutch? I have fitted one to my 999 and it makes track use so much easier. Test rides on the 999r are hard to come by - are they that much better than the stocker? What sort of power increase and weight loss do they have? Cheers Si
Nope no slipper as standard on the 999R loved mine once the suspension was set for me, power commander, quick shifter transformed the bike
Am I right in saying the 2005 model has a more powerful engine? Anything else you should look out for?
Nope, Ducati aligned themselves with the Japs in 2005... i.e. they started quoting dry weight and power at the crank not at the back wheel.
No Question definately a 999r, Ducati just dont make em like that anymore they've gone more umm... "economical" since the 749's & 999's. Or put more bluntly plastic-japtastic. Forget the figures, Gp inspired monocock-up chassis + computers and the gizmos are just more to go wrong eventually! The 999 also comes with proven race pedigree as one of ducati's most successful ever race machines, oh and then theres that sound for the purists. http://vimeo.com/47019504 + The missus need never know you changed it?????
Anything "preaudi" is going to be infinitely more desirable in say, about five years time. The 999 is imho the last of the truly original sportsbike Ducati built. For me, the pani will always be associated as the audi bike, for good or ill remains to be seen, it could pan out to be nothing more than an expensive white elephant race wise ..... we'll see. Heritage, true racing heritage, to date. It can only be the 999R ...
Come on Greyman Audi didn't get hold of Ducati until May last year, the development timeline means the 1199 has nothing to do with the Audi ownership and the 1098/1198 in-between there too, so whilst I appreciate it's your humble opinion please base it however vaguely on facts?
So the different power figures are only where they measure it, the engines are the same? I read they changed the fairing in 2005, is there anyting else between the models?
Point taken Roy, however, the development as it stands right now is down to audi and no-one else. They've already (imho) dumbed the feckin thing down by eliminating the mid-range, although there is a rumour they are seriously starting to look for it again. We'll see. As for getting them in May of last year, yes true. Again however, that deal was on the back burner for a long time previous - audi knew full-well what they were letting themselves in for and such must be held responsible for any success, or lack of. Building in corporate safety nets should not be an option with a motorcycle company whose heritage is based on racing results. A point which I am happy to argue. My apologies for any misunderstanding.
Correct, although I think the last ones did have a few more ponies. fairing (nose cone) changes came in 2005, I don't think there was much more although I'm sure every model year there are a few tweaks here and there
There's no need for apologies, but Audi had nothing to do with development prior to a deal being completed, external 'might happens' don't impact a development cycle 3-5 years long. Audi get disclosure room access prior to a deal, even in a protracted deal, but they don't get influence. The Pani was launched at the end of 2011, so development was back to just after the 1098 launch, it'd be a funny old world if you developed your new model based on who might own the company 6 years down the road. It was only the year before the 1199 that Ducati were smoozing Mercedes.
Simon contray to popular belief there was a whole host of changes to the 999 in 2005, and not just visual but i aint a 'techy' so here's a couple of links. Happy reading! 2005 Ducati 999 - Sportbike Review - Sport Rider FastDates.com Pit Lane News - New Bikes: 2005Ducati 999 and 999S
Corporate safety nets. Let me explain. When audi took up with Ducati the lawyers were busy with each other explaining that they didn't want to be sued by every tom, dick and harry that swung a leg over their new baby. ie- Audi know the marketplace and knows how to go about selling it to potential customers. But if these potential customers are hapless americans with more money than sense then some sort of 'fail-safe' needs to put on the table for the deal to continue. Fine, say Ducati, what we'll do is we'll make it so it has the same characteristics as every other motorcycle out there so that when the law suits come knocking we'll be able to say that it produces it's power in exactly the same way as every other (jap) motorcycle. Think about it. There is no way audi would have come on board with a 195hp machine readily available to joe public without some sort of safe-guard against being sued by disgruntled parents/partners of deceased offspring/partners, being built into the equation. Excellent, done deal. Except of course, it isn't. The fecking thing doesn't deliver on the track. Yet. When and if they start to get the cam profiles and timings sorted out to (amongst other things) get the bike performing the way it should then maybe it'll start to be competitive. In the meantime everyone else is laughing as they ride on by. On 999's :wink: The whole fecking thing is balls-up. Plus the chassis has huge problems at race pace as well or so I'm told - so that is more down to development again - not concept. I'm not going to harp on about bringing back the trellis ... I'm of the personal belief that they 'got shot.' Realised they were up a blind alley with the development of the twin and passed the buck - audi buys white elephant heritage, isn't the same as audi buys white elephant. Is it? They'll sell it on past glories regardless of if the fecking thing is any good or not ... It's a bag of worms this one ... Agree to differ, don't hit me guv ... Apologies to the OP for hi-jacking in a I hope this somehow sort of helps sort of way ...
Umm... interesting perspective Greyman, and indeed it was indeed lauched with the emphasis on track, track, track, checkmate etc. And every tset review seems to have been conducted on the track? Guess this panigale bike has a lot to live up to this year or that elephant might just get a little bit too big to ignore!
