if theres one thing that puts you off ducati ownership...

Funky, the local Harley mob were down my pub lunchtime - the Mills and Boon chapter, I've named 'em - and the average age was at least 60, there's hope for the ducatisti yet...

 

about a decade's worth

 

At most.

 

There are a few old timers who can keep with any young buck on the roads near me ;-)






ps I'm a buck, in case you're wondering....

 

is that a typo?

 

Its not their residual value i give a toss about. Its the fact that its ugly. The 999 was controversial at the time, but it had something and now that something is fucking obvious.

The Pani looks like a turd from the side. Its just not pretty and I damn well want my italian suits to be sharp. I can put up with losing as long as I look good coming last.

They may be motorbikes to you, you cold and callous monster. But to me they are my mistresses. I sure as hell aint gonna climb over Jane Fonda to climb onto Katie Price. Even though shes nabbing on a bit now.

 

I suspect that most of us may have gripes, but have not been put off owning a Duc.

Could be why we are all members of this forum.

 

Well I have a rather lovely 916. I'd also quite like a 999.

 

Love the old 2-valve motor, but I'd think twice about buying another fuel injected one, I'd prefer the simplicity of carbs.

 

Carbs are simple until something goes minutely out of adjustment and they cease to work properly. Fuel injection is far easier to diagnose faults with, and far more reliable to begin with.

 

Being a recent convert to the Ducati stable having spent all of my previous motorcycling years with the land of the rising sun I am realising that there is a price to pay for Ducati ownership. Once the honeymoon period is over you are looking at spending hundreds of pounds on replacing perfectly serviceable cam belts just so you can sleep at night. Shelling out for a highly paid Ducati mechanic on an hourly rate akin to that of the legal profession, only to be told that at 6000 miles your valve clearances are within tolerance (I could tell you that just by listening and riding the thing).
And we as owners are meant to go through this mental and financial anguish every 2 years! Not to mention the prospect of ever having to replace any parts judging by the ludicrous prices that even second hand parts fetch on ebay.
This is all however insignificant when compared to the buzz you get from just prodding the starter button and listen to her rumble into life. Then the anticipation of waiting 1.5 minutes while oil gets to the rockers before blipping the throttle. Let alone the ecstasy of twin carbon Termignonis on an open road overtaking a line of much slower traffic.
Ducatis have got soul. Period. And I'm pretty sure that somewhere beneath the anniversary red livery there is a pulse.

 

Totally agree with that. ....wasn't this year's free t-shirt in the DOC welcome kit almost unwearably naff ? I just sleep in mine.
Also the recent moves to restrict/control the clubs via enforced dealer affiliation and being over-precious about the use of anything vaguely reflecting their copyrighted logos.

Then there's the way they try and charge you an arm and a leg for fairly ordinary branded gear (not that I buy it myself, but that's not the point).
And the way I get a red-overload migraine whenever I walk into a dealer's.


But as far as my (2-valve) monster is concerned, I have no issues whatsoever.
It remains the best bike I've ever owned (since 1970).
With home servicing, its also been very cheap to run.
I like the belts, which are far better than the old bevel gearing and easy to replace.
And what's all this talk about vibration ? A 90 deg v-twin is ridiculously smooth .....just do the sums.

 

Lots of things, but I keep going back.

The Panigale was the most annoying. Firstly the plumes of smoke for the first 1800 miles which Ducati deemed acceptable. I broke down after 6oo miles with the sticking clutch rod.

My mate decided to buy a Ducati tall screen and found that the standard mirrors can't fold in! Bought a termi system fitted only to find the map wasn't yet available etc...

The MTS was a great bike, but I was unlucky with the kill switch problem - another breakdown. To be fair, the competition does seem to suffer less niggles - maybe I've been lucky/ unlcuky.

However, Ducati's do fulfil the main purpose very well - ie go round tracks very nicely. Depends what you want the bike for - if it's Sunday blasts, a few tracks days and lots of admiring glances - ideal. Not sure I'd choose one for anything more though.

Just my opinion.

 

So far so good tbh....so not put off yet.

Re; the Jap iLine4s. Had too many soul less Jap bikes. Was loosing interest in biking until I went Italian V twin.
Sold my K8 GSXR1000, a well set up bike with Maxton upgrades....did everything well (but did breakdown!!) and it bored me shitless.

 

So Jordon (Katie) and the Panigale have one other thing in common apart from their looks then,
They are both the wrong price....

 

The owners...

 

Thats a bit harsh...you should see some of the gixer lot ;-)

 

Gixxer people put blue screens on theirs. Enough said.