Whilst a Desmo is a really good bike in so many ways and with a Lottery win to afford to run it. It would be the only way it'll be in the garage collection. However the SL is something totally different. Whilst I never fully appreciated it properly when I saw it in the flesh back in November 2013. Now that I see 1 everyday, I realise that its something special in different ways to the Desmo. Sadly I can't really describe how I mean by this, but the 2 bikes are so different in 1 way and yet the same in others. To me the SL is the start of a different generation to the Desmo ERA. In the Desmo you have a wonderful prototype project which was made into a road bike with 1500 units. In the SL you have the ultimate in current Technology,Design and materials used to build a Trellis-less framed bike. Whilst it is very light compared to a standard Panigale S/R models. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and as an SL owner this is mine.
Desmo bit only if it was enough of a win to afford to run and maintain it If it was just enough to buy then SL, at least it has warranty
I remember looking at 916 at Matlock bath in the early 90s and thinking IDE love to own one but as I was working in retail,earning shit wages,I knew it would never happen any time soon.at the time I was riding a gpz400 and I loved it to bits.so I had to set myself a goal in life and that was to own a Ducati.as time went on,I saved hard and did every scrap of over time I could get my hands on.with a young family in the mix aswell it looked as if my Ducati passion and owning one would have to wait several years.but then a change of career and money income would bring my dream to life,so in 2004 I brought a used 999bip which had only done 204 miles.for me it was the pinical in my life.the 999 was slated for its radical looks but for me it was like being married to a super model.i had the 999 for two years and decided to trade her in for a 1098,the looks of this new generation rekindled those memories from the early 90s when I was so in love with the 916,unfortunately the 1098 spent most of its time at JHP, but I never lost heart with my troubled 1098 and after owning her for 4years it was time for the next generation to take over,I first saw the panigale at the NEC Birmingham,but unfortunately my desire to swap was brought to an abrupt end,all the Ducati signature looks had gone,trellis frame,underseat exhaust etc,so off I trotted home disheartened with the looks of the panigale.but as the old saying goes,there's light at the end of the tunnel which turned out to be a used 1198s for sale at JHP Ducati coventry,I went over on a Saturday afternoon after work to veiw this beast dripping in ohlins.the 1198 had only done 850 miles and was like it had just rolled out of the factory,MINT.so over two years later I have no desire to part with my 1198s and fingers crossed it will be a trouble free relationship for years to come.
I have a 916 and an 1198. best of both worlds. Just need a 999 to squeeze in between them in the garage and life would be prefect. Oh and a Desmo...dream on Boots.
Cynically overpriced pimped road bike vs prototype MotoGP winner legalised for the road... Hmmm, tough call this one....
When you consider there are virtually no available spares for a Desmo it becomes almost unusable so it has to be the superlegover
it s pimped roadbike allright... but it's not cynically overpriced... to shad a pound of weight is hard. mine has no bit of plastic left and still the SL is 15 pounds lighter... but indeed, the once in a lifetime GP - road tamed beast still is quit something else... wasn' much of a adept, but now it's growing on me rapidly...
