Well I saw a Bennelli for sale and as soon as I saw it I had to have it. What a looker. Problem was it just did not go as much as it looked. However sold on Italian looks. Enter RSV mille type R Factory. What a bike. Everything good to start with. After a while you start to think it's a bit heavy and it is a bit uncomfortable but still good. Just passing a bike shop, as you do, and nice man said try this one out sir. Standard 1098 but it had my name written on the screen. Must be an omen. As soon as I left the dealers forecourt I knew this was the bike for me. Everything just felt right. Problem is can I ever move on now. Might just be able to fit a second bike in but would not be able to justify the money to the wife. Only other thing that comes close would be a Panigale and I can not afford one. Life's a bitch but then how many people have a 1098s. As someone else said when you are playing trumps the Ducati always wins. Regards Steve
Because it was the first bike I test rode on the way back from passing my DAS! ''twas a Monster 800sie some 8 years ago. The Pani was bought on looks!
It was love in first sight. I fell in love with the brand even before i got my license or know anything about motorbikes. My friend had a Monster 750, adored the look of the bike and the noise that the two carbon canons made at the end were amazing. Started doing research and getting ready to get my license. Decided to get a 748 for my first bike. Everyone were telling me that was mad idea, I won't even survive beyond 1000mile under my belt. Above all i would even get insured for a start. Now looking back with more experience, they were right. So opt out for a baby Monster 620 dark to start off with. 2 years later traded in the Dark for a 996s and I still believe the best looking bike to date. Nothing come close and won't swap or trade in for anything. Even the engine decideds to call it a day, it will be sitting in my living room as a piece of arts. Fast forward, almost 10 years later, started missing the easy riding and the deeper exhaust notes that the monster used to make. So went out and bought another older style Monster a year ago. Old skool I know, but I do love the 90's Ducatis, not sure about the newer generation to be honest. Anyway I am now a proud owner of a 996 and a monster. These bikes have charisma, personality and above all they have soul. The twins are so much fun to ride around, I love the laziness of the engine, low end grunt and the torque they offer. Rode an R6, R1, CBR, and Bandit, SV 650 and other bikes, they are all very dull and boring, especially the parallel 4's. If I do ever get another bike, providing my other half won't file a divorce, it will certainly be another Ducati, which one.....hmmmm well time will tell. Diavel is on the target (glad she does look up any bike forum!!)
I had years of experience of riding Japanese bikes. My first, in 1979, was a Yamaha DT100, then I went on to ride RD250's/DR350's, CBR600's then on to the 1000cc's, such as R1's and CBR1000's. The first Ducati I rode was the 1098S and I was immediately hooked. I've had other Italian bikes since, most notably the Aprilia RSV4 Factory, but nothing comes close to Ducati !
Because I had to go one better than my brother who bought a CBR600 for his first bike :tongue: But mostly because I wanted something that looked and sounded different to all the other bike my mates had and I had been obsessed with Ducati since 14 years old.
Because mates of mine own Gixers , R6s , Blades etc...and everytime without fail we pull in somewhere my ducati gets pretty much all the attention...thats why i love them ( oh and the noise ) my three bikes to date have been : 2002 748s 2007 1098 2012 1199 panigale cant get enough of the whole ducati experience
Total fluke. Never owned a sports bike, just trailies, commuters and hacks, when a life changing event made me think "f**k it, I will get a bike I fancy". was very close to a 900ssie, a triumph speed triple, and a BMW GS, then a guy on another forum dropped me a pm to say he was getting rid of his 998. First instinct was " yeah, right. Like I can afford something like that.", then realised I was in "f**k it" mode and fitted a client visit in to Scotland with my sales manager, took the lid and leathers and a big bundle of cash, tested and inspected the bike (didn't have the first idea what I was looking at, tbh). 4 years later, have added the ST2 to avoid riding the 998 through salt n shoite on British roads and contemplating track days on the 998. Isn't fate a weird thing?
Foggy made me do it ... I loved WSB during his era and when I got to my 40th birthday and found myself with a bit of spare cash I traded in both my VFR800 and my Blade against a brand new 998FE - didn't even have a test ride as it was the last one in the country and the dealer wouldn't let me. 30 mins later it was in a ditch with a broken headstock (that's another story). Thankfully I had gap insurance so after my wounds had healed I bought a used 996SPS from a local lad. During my 30 mins on the 998 I realised I preferred the SPS which I had test ridden beforehand so clearly it was meant to be! When the novelty of the SPS wore off a little and I realised I needed something more suited to the Somerset roads I almost bought a Hypermotard but tried a SuperDuke as well. It totally blew me away and was enough to break the total Ducati spell. The SuperDuke makes a perfect complement to the SPS. A couple of years after that I added the ST4s for occasional work trips and the 620 Monster was bought for the Mrs when she passed her test a few years ago. Neither of these have been used for the past couple of years but I haven't been able bring myself to sell them. They aren't worth much and they don't cost a great deal just sat there so I still have them. Same with my 600 Monster DD race bike - though that needs some repair work after a big off at Oulton. Now I have the D16 I can't see the SuperDuke or the SPS getting a look-in for the next few years so an adventure bike is the next possibility on the cards maybe - to replace the ST4s and the SuperDuke (the SPS is a keeper). I will try the old and new MultiStrada and the old and new KTM Adventure, but like Wilko in his post above, I also love the 1990 Ducatis and I'm really not sure about the new bikes with all the electronics.
Having owned and loved my Yam MT-01, its sale allowed me to buy and cherish a beautiful Ducati ST3s ABS, spending a fortune on upgrades before I sold it before Christmas last year. That was the start of my Ducati bug and having a certain amount of money available to spend, I now have a lovely brand new Diavel 'Red Corse' Stripe in my garage; Although my work means it only has 150 miles on the clock so far My mission now is to spend a significant amount on bling without the wife getting to find out !! -LaZ-
Looks great. White wheels are a bastard to keep clean, but when they are, they look splendid with a red bike.
I chose a Ducati cos I've never had one, always liked the Monsters but scared off by horror stories which now I realise were told by people who never actually owned one as mine has been fantastic! Also by some strange twist of fate, I actually drove past mine a week before it was advertised by the previous owner, it was down a road I would never normally go down and I was like 'wow, I like that!'. Literally 5 miles from where I live, she'd owned it a year yet I'd never seen it riding around. AND even stranger, it was 1st registered on my birthday!!! How coincidental is that!!! No history, many owners etc, something I'd never touch but I took a chance, hpi'd it, all clear, so I went for it, and its been the best bike I've ever owned, I love it to bits!
I had a Fireblade back in about 2000. A friend of mine wanted a 916, to which I said something along the lines of "What do you want one of those for?". He bought it from Birmingham and we split the journey back riding 50/50 each. I was hooked and the Fireblade went the journey soon after :biggrin: Apart from the odd classic, I haven't owned a Japanese bike since.
Pure lust made me want an MH900.Couldn't find one so I bought a Sport Classic S.I then needed a bike to tour France with my friends so I bought a GT1000 Tourer.Then I found an MH.GT1000 now sold as I no longer tour.Sport Classic now sold as it became to uncomfortable for me.Most likely the MH will be disposed of this year thus leaving me with a nice sensible bike that my wife talked me into buying!A SF848 which I like very much.
