Definitely 900ss. The bike I desired to own in the 80's and the very reason for eventually buying a Ducati.
The habanna was for failed mods of the past to now all act cool, hipster beardish , ciabatta with advacado topping,drain piped jeans with weathered look tan brogues but the biggest problem, you needed to be no bigger than 5ft 2 because if you were, instead of just looking like a failed ex mod now failed hipster who was a cock, you looked like a failed ex mod now failed hipster, who had stolen a midgets scooter, kinda cock
clearly it being a professional workshop 99% of those that enter aint particularly interested in getting into a cock sizing competition or a name dropping exorcise. with the aprillia it usually goes along the lines of, thats a cool wee thing, handy for bombing around the town? i will say aye, cheep as a chips, park it anywhere, no stress, with the bmw its usually a back in the day convo. good craic, customers love em.
Sorry ET ... what I was trying to say was .... For me Ducati-ness is all about the combination of beauty and raw race-bike performance over user-friendliness. For me a true Ducati requires commitment to own and ride and makes no compromises or concessions by trying to make its performance easily usable. The iconic beauty of Ducati clearly peaked with the 916 shape. Poll after poll shows that the majority agree on this. The Desmoquattro is clearly the most iconic Ducati engine (again poll after poll agrees) but in the 996r and 998 it started the slide into smooth, refined, usability that has continued ever since and has resulted into Ducati engines being less and less different in character from any other big sports bikes. So for me the most 'Ducati' of Ducatis is the one before the 996r and the 998 ... the 996SPS. It has the looks and is the rawest most chacterfull incarnation of that most amazing of engines. If you haven't ridden one to the rev limiter you won't understand. Anything after was just trying too hard to be user-friendly and has lost a little of that Ducati essence. I reckon the 996SPS was peak-Ducati. The connoisseurs choice ... and yes I am biased ;-)
Bit bias as due to age I didn't have much interest before the era of Foggy. Does that void my opinion? Which I guess is why the question has no right answer. I have no idea what bike saved the brand financially, I don't buy a bike because it sold in the biggest nos. Which bike do most people think of when you say Ducati?... I guess for people (I know) in their mid 30's or 40's, saying I have a Ducati...would first think of 748 > 998 shape perhaps? Many polls have placed them top 10 sexiest bike of all time, even with non Ducati owners. My views fall more in line with my views on cars , with what is currently available brand specific? I rather a 911 2.7 RS from the 70's, than a mediocre model even if it does not handle as well, Otherwise I'd go full Monty performance, with a modern one that redefines the bench mark model... but I'd choose something sensible as a work horse not for fun. If I had to pick two bikes, I think the 1299's would be next stand out bike to me, in the future it might make more sense (long term) if Ducati do not bring out any more fast V twins. I'd also consider a new V4 because it might redefine "that special" moment in time. I do how ever find myself liking the twin shock models way before my time... I've looked into the cost of them, even these creations people build. Maybe interested in one, in the future. I don't think round hear (Supersausge Cafe/ Jack Hills) It matters 0 % what bike you ride, Ducati's are ignored as much as the next bike. Some people get more excited about practicality, others it's the Kwak H2, or Supermotos. I don't buy a bike because of what other people think of it.
Clearly depends on when you first took notice of the beautiful but sometimes fragile things. For me its one of these, the MHR will always be THE ducati, belts be gone!
Hailwood & Fogarty... you Brits can't design & create bikes like Ducati but you sure can ride them better than us!
