"Perceptually pleasing" sums it up...Saw a yellow 996 back in the 90's...had always been drawn to Italian styling. I've looked at lots of other bikes,but they don't make me feel the same way. I can quite happily look at individual parts of my 999 for too long, but the bike overall makes me feel good..how the mirrors follow the line of the fairing, the pinched tank with that pressed in groove you have to dig the polish out of, the angle of the rear seat unit at the vents....I find ducatis give a physical experience, unfortunately Japanese bikes are too bland (sure they're not all like that)
i ended up with one because the salesman at apprilia was a wank, i wanted a tuno, went in to D.G and there it was a fugly parked at the right angle. 2mins later signed on the line sorted. i liked very much the 749 but none where in the shop that day. tbh the present line up doesn't cut it for me the now.
I'm agreeing with everything that's been said on this thread! :biggrin: For me, I had been off bikes since the mid 80's when the first Blade came along, which made me start to wish I could just go and get back on a bike again, but a new baby kept me away from the opportunity. Then the 916 exploded onto the scene - Oh. My. God! I just KNEW that one day I would own one! (I think I've got this the right way round? the Blade before the 916 by about a year? correct me if I'm wrong everyone :redface. The sound and the looks just made me stop and watch whenever one went past me on the road!...Foggarty only cemented my desire to own one just as soon as my boy had grown up enough and my other half would let me get on a bike again!... It wasn't until '98 when my then other half was in hospital waiting to deliver our second boy, that I thought "fuck it" and went out and got myself a set of leathers and bought a new ZX-6R - scared the bloody life out of me after about 12 years away from bikes!...a couple of bikes later, I kept my promise to myself and got that 916....Oh fuck, I had arrived!....:biggrin:
Thanks 2Good - I thought the Blade came first, or at least that's how I remember it, but my memory lets me down sometimes...:redface:
Memory? I was there! Mates had blades in 92 & they were something else, so I joined the flock in 93 & then bought another one new in 96 to go with my 94 916 (bought in 95), girlfriend at the time had an RVF400. They were happy days with regards to bikes.
First ever bike was a black 748, loved it, got stolen from the gym Will only ever buy jap now, But will always like to look at a ducati
had a 748 years ago hated it..(fool me!!)...and slagged ducati's of ever since...then woke up and thought id have another go and got a classic 996.....now in love with it!!...the years iv lost ..oh well...least im back on one.
I had a Fireblade and a friend wanted to buy a 916 back in about 1998. I thought he was mad, but went along to ride it half way back from Birmingham to Newcastle with him. It was pouring down, but I was hooked and sold the blade soon after :biggrin: I've owned another couple of interesting bikes since, but always end up coming back to Ducati.
Great bikes, but after having to spend a grand on a service and battery that I've only done 200 miles if that's year on, That ducati say needs every 2 years is a joke, what a great noise they make with the right exhausts on, no jap can match that
My mate had a Foggy rep. He sort of got me interested in the marque and sorted out my first Duke, a 748. This bike set me up for the future.
I passed my test in '96, and saw a nearly new 900SS parked in the street. It looked the nuts with a square headlamp, trellis frame and plain red paint. It just looked like it was there to do a job, no frills, and no styling - just bodywork to cover the mechanicals and no time wasted designing something to pose. In some way, because of that they looked more "serious" to me, and I decided I wanted one. A few years later a friend bought a Yamaha TRX850 and I had a go on that, it put me off twin cylinder bikes. Fast forward a few years and I got invited out for a bike ride by some guys in the local. Two of them turned up on Multistrada 1000s and went well, obviously enjoying themselves more than those of us on Jap bkes. After a few rides and getting to know them, one of them let me ride his 888 SP4 and it was everything I wasn't expecting - in a good way. Despite me riding crap on it, there was something about it that got to me. So the thoughts of that 900SS came back. Started looking but all the decent ones were in the West country or Scotland, which is hassle if you live on the South East coast. Then a '92 851 came up for sale localish and I couldn't help myself - so pleased that a 900SS didn't come up first! So now I have that square headlamp, trellis frame and plain red paint. Happy as Larry I am.... I bet I'm not the only one to have the clutch rattle as my ring tone, which my wife thinks is particularly sad!!
Watched 750 and 900 bevels racing at Brands in Bol D'Or 1978. That was it. The noise, especially on acceleration, and the skinny looks.
Always enjoyed the superbike racing but was a bit hooked up on Japanese bikes, it was only in 2004 a cheap 999 appeared so I bought it, I was already a fan if twins having had a TLR for several years, the 999 was just awesome. I've had a few Ducati's now, 30 I think and they are always my first choice when looking for a bike, they suit how I ride and I love 'em
Amazing how i have had a fair few, over 10 I reckon, yet I chose a track bike which is Jap because I wanted cheap and reliable riding. Thats something you just don't seem to get. So a bit like Stella, Reassuringly Expensive
My main track bike is an R1 for the same reasons, cheap to buy run and repair, I have the 853 for those special track days tho
If funds and garage allowed, I'm really leaning towards something like an 851 or a DD bike with a 1000ds motor in it for track days. Maybe if I don't get to race much this year and start enjoying simple trackdays again I will chop it
