[QUOTE Wish my 1198 turned or held a line like my 916.[/QUOTE] You're joking, right? I've owned both and my 1198 was a far superior machine in all aspects. Sounds like you need to have a tinker with your 1198 set up. The game moves on... Get those 916 specs off.
Lady wife grabbed the last copy from under a chap's nose today. When he complained she asked him what bike he had. When he answered "A Suzuki..." She retorted "ours is a Ducati, thank you" and ran off with it- unfortunately, some git has nicked the supplement from it!
I didn't think they did enough to acknowledge the evolution from the 851/888, even went as far as to state "bulbous and baggy 888s". I don't think the history of 851/888 supports that. We kept being told what a revolution the 916 was but I couldn't find anywhere where they told us what was revolutionary (I'm not saying it wasn't revolutionary, but that we weren't told why). The engine is based on the 851/888. The frame is still a steel trellis. The body work still plastic/carbon fibre (depending on model). The lights and swing arm were mentioned but surely more than that is required if revolutionary needs mentioning all the time? Yes it's a shorter wheelbase but that's been a trend in bikes since way before the 916. Also if you're going to devote pages to a strip and rebuild then before and after photos really are a minimum requirement. As for not including the 748 because "by definition it's not a 916", well it's a lot closer than a 998 which is included even though it's got a testastretta engine. On the issue of number of pages, the Christmas issue is bigger so we get to pay more for it, the post Christmas issue is smaller so.....doesn't seem quite fair! It is nice to see older Ducatis in print though, just could have been better.
Quality 'special' so thanks very much. I particularly like the run down of 916 models, as it reckons my FE is a future classic!!!
i think they should do a 916 20 years on and what incarnations of the bike have evolved from the variety of spare parts ducati have developed since…..you know a meeting gathering say at donington for all bikes 916 based and modded…..
(1998) never forgot the time they slagged f*ck out of the suzuki TLr series stating it was a pig heavy slow - a dog basically. (in 1999 a TLr went around the iom at from memory 111mph) an under developed new twin that was beating fireblades and R1s came home about 20th! then a few years later they were saying its a forgotten gem and awesome. to the point - they havent a clue
surely the before and after photo's would be the same.. it's a strip and rebuild not a restore or special build, so it would look like a 916
Anyone who claimed the 851/888 was "bulbous and baggy" never spent any time with one. I'd had my 888 6 years when I bought a 748R, and had both in the garage. The 748R was easier to ride. I preferred the 888. It was anything but soft. You sat on the 916 and in the 888. The 916 was/is a great bike, but I never felt it was as much of a game changer as was made out. It sold in much larger numbers than the 888 and was more accessible. The 888 in its time was light years ahead of the Jap machinery. Most of the Journos at the time had never ridden the 888 or had slagged it off as unreliable expensive Italian crap, and then eulogised about the 916.... JMHO.
Not me except when someone on a forum tells me that there is a Ducati supliment. This was in reply to Phil who in post #49 said 'M<cn... does anyone buy this contradictory sh(i)t.
The GSX1100SD Katana and the 916 are the two best looking OEM bikes on the planet. However at least the 916 could go round a corner and it was more comfy too. The big kat was a fecker. I loved it. I only recently sold mine (2ish yrs). Along with my 510SMR to buy the 1198. The 916 takes the prize though as it cleaned up everywhere. It is rightfully King Duke. I might just restore mine to OEM concours as my project, as blinging 2 bikes is tough let alone keeping them both on the road fully services and maintained. Its only a 98 916BP. But I have an emotional attachment to the old girl.
Cant get a copy anywhere on the Isle of Man :-(. Ive been trying everyday since the 2nd, but all the newsagents have is the christmas 'special'. I just know the next one that comes in is gonna be next weeks, meaning Ill miss the 916 issue. Damn the weather!!
