With respect for your opinion, the facts stand in opposition to your statement... Ducati have always built smaller bikes, and have a longstanding tradition of building "junior" versions of the larger machines (a very Italian trait) and building "scrambler" models of varying capacity. The Scrambler deserves its Ducati badge and is a hoot to ride, and a very accessible feel good machine. It's got a decent family tree and really if it wasn't for the overtly hipster marketing claptrap about land of joy and whatnot then I doubt it'd be attracting the same levels of sniffiness. The latest 400cc and "pro" versions are a bit cringeworthy I'll grant you, but the Icon, UE and Classic are handsome bikes with very broad appeal. Something like a Pani' is a dream combination of power and looks and wears one of the best badges in motorcycling. Hell, even the name is evocative. That doesn't mean that Ducati should only build this kind of bike because they do it so well. They have a great base of touring/adventure, cruising and fun options in the range, which is probably the very thing that allows them to keep racing and building the aspirational sports bikes. The Scrambler has been a massive hit and I'd be amazed if it's not wildly profitable for Ducati. So rather than deriding the Scrambler, try thanking it for the R&D Euros it will make available in Bologna for the next evolution of the sporting Ducati. And thank it also for contributing toward not exposing Ducati as a loss-making part of the VW empire at this time of crisis. A profitable and growing business unit has the power to endure. I unashamedly love my Scrambler. It's the best bike I own. Hands down.
May be its the Scrambler marketing that has put me off, makes me feel too old to own one. The 400 must be there for the younger rider. I don't mind the scrambler as a bike, I don't mind the look and can't comment on the ride, never even sat on one. I'm just saying Ducati to me are sportsbikes. The 959 is a lovely bike, reviews about its rideability are good. Can I afford a 959? Probably not, do I want one? Yes.
I think a lot of people felt/feel the same. Ducati probably turned off as many existing fans as they attracted new ones with the marketing but once you look past that there's a lot to love. Quite fast enough, very chuckable and a lovely fat fistful of torque whenever you feel like enjoying it. I would say the majority of people I've seen on scramblers have been older riders, usually not quite understanding all of the selvedge stylings of the adverts but who like the bike for what it is. My dad wasn't convinced until he rode mine, he's now fairly keen (but does like Monsters equally well so whether he'd go Scrambler or Monster remains to be seen). The 959 is awesome. Saw one last week in Italia Moto. They've a white one as their demo and the exhausts are a non-issue in styling terms but as you said, to spend £13k on a bike and to have a very cheap looking exhaust seems wrong. The Akra is apparently about £3k for the full Monty. That makes the 959 at £16k bike. That's kind of mad. I'm really interested to see the 899 market this summer, a lot of ex-PCP bikes should hit the market. For me the 899 would be enough, a 1199 or 1299 would be overkill. A Monster 1200s though...
I've never even sat on a scrambler but I have to admit the advertising has put me off. Donning that leather jacket and piss pot helmet is just one step away from becoming a member of the Village People for me. :Mooning:
As many have said before, if the pipes are an annoyance, then you are into 1299 money. I can happily admit, I imagine the 1299 would just to much power for me on the road. Jez, I reckon the 959 would be too much power. I am looking forward to seeing the 959 in the flesh. Probably buy one without riding it.
If money were no object then I'd order one tomorrow. However for someone of my riding ability and given the state of British and other European roads and the viciousness with which speed is blamed for all evils that are more accurately attributed to either revenue generation needs, poor driving skills and discipline by other road users or the prudish hatred of motorcyclists by the masses... my 749 is actually still massively over-competent. And if that gets stolen or crashed then I'm out of pocket by £4500 max, rather than £13,000-£16,000... When the dude rocks up on his 959 will I feel a little like he's got the fitter bike? Yeah, of course. But in all honesty and as lovely as it would be, it'd be wasted on me.
A bit like having the 959 and a 1299 parks beside you, no, I believe when women say size doesn't matter.
do it, pcp it, if you dont like it, give it back in 3 years, if you love it, keep it. ducatis will become like all other bike manufacturers, which are like car manufacturers. Theres a size and style for all, and engines to suit your budget. Now its Audi, it will definitely head that way. The Pani is an A3. Do you want the S or the RS?
Had a look with my girlfriend at the 959 yesterday at our local dealer and having seen the pipes a few times now, they become less offensive each time. I don't "like" them, but I don't hate them either any more. It actually sounds very similar to the 899 under-slung exhausts I thought. So, the upshot of this is that my girlfriend would really like one and she will test ride one over the next few months and if she likes it, I'm sure a 959 will be gracing the garage not long after.
To bluntly put it I think the exhausts look shit, however this may be the way it's going to go and we'll either have to like it or lump it. It reminds me bit of when Ferrari and Lamborghini used to build cars with pop up lights. They were cool but then someone decided that when you knocked people over with them they were more likely to cause serious injury than if they weren't there so they were banned and pop up light car manufacturers had to incorporate the lights into the lines of the car. I remember as a teenage lad screwing my nose up at this even though It was never going to be a problem of mine. The first cars looked a bit weird but the manufacturers learned to make them look good and now we think nothing of it. I really hope this is going to be the case for Ducati.
I prefer the bike with the under slung exhausts but the 959 cans wouldn't put me off buying one. I reckon there will be some sweet looking aftermarket cans for the bike very soon anyway.
The titanium Akra option side pipes look better imho, but they're still a £1,700 addition. Perhaps if sales stall, these might come down in price
The 959 will have a xmas deal next year with the underslung akros for free for a limited time only ,then the thing will fly out the showrooms
I'm not sure it will though Remember the Akra underslung exhaust is a circa £3k option when you add in the required bodywork That's 25% of the value of the bike. Sales would need to be exceptionally slow for them to be giving that away
