Good on you both. I must admit I think it looks lovely, but I'm not even employed at the moment so in a few years when they bring out another special hopefully I'd be in the position then
If I had lots of sponds lying around, I'd buy one. Just to have an unobtainium bike which, I imagine, would be stunning to ride. But I won't mind if I never get one. It's not like I'm going to put a poster of it on my wall or anything. I was out on my 999 today and had a hoot. Was the bike's performance and handling limiting my speed? No. The dried mud on the road was, the wet patches which hadn't seen any sun, the traffic in places, the radars I knew about and the places I suspected they might put one, and other people's dwellings. Would I have had more fun on something else? Doubt it.
Only if you didnt have to pay if you binned it ;-) I'm really starting to want a desmo, dont think I'll ever be able to afford it but I want one
I had a friend who did loads of trackdays and multiple courses about 10 years ago. He had an SPS at the time with half of Demon Tweaks' catalogue bolted to it. He used to say "treat it like a whore". He had no real sympathy for his bike - ragged it rigid. I think that is necessary to go really fast. If you're worried about binning it, you'll never make any progress. I doubt racers give a rat's arse about their bikes - they are just the means to an end. This is probably why you see them carthweeling into the gravel so often. If it's someone else's bike - well, you do have to be rather circumspect, don't you?
Thats why I sold my 848. Even tho the Gixer wasn't that much cheaper, crashing doesn't mean weeping at the trackside when ai crash it. I will, no doubt.
That's the attitude I have always taken with the Desmo, as if you ride it gingerly and worry about it you are far more likely to bin it. I just wrote it off mentally as soon as I got it, then every day is fun and I never think about babying it around. I ride it just as aggressively as everything else I ever rode. Hopefully some of these will be used well. Although the Desmo brigade got a bad press from sideline watchers, I only know people who have them and use them in anger as they were designed to be ridden. Most are scratched from can transports, most wear track fairings, quickshifters and slicks. None wear the road exhaust. Many haven't even done the first 7,5000mls service as they have only been thrashed on track since they came out of the crate. Hopefully these are used the same way.....
Does it matter how it gets used, track, road, shops or stick it in the living room.. People who sit on the side and say "he can't ride it" or "what a waist" only suffer a case of the green eye, if people buy it, it should be up the them how they use it, I hate these people who look on and say those comments and deliberately ignore the owners when at the cafe etc as the green eye fills them with envy.. I say if you want buy it! Love it and enjoy it how ever that may be, your a long time dead and life is short so if you've worked hard and can afford it crack on and get one ordered before you miss out and kick yourself for being so slow! As for those who came into money (jokes withheld), you lucky bastids make sure you let the poor people like me have a go...Ha Ha.
I have a plan Arthur, why don't we just form a group and buy one together kinda like timeshare? we can take it to open pit lane trackdays and all spank it. obviously if somebody bins it though they have to pay for repairs........ Just watch everybody ride round like Bambi on ice so if we had say 20 people it'd be.....erm.........still quite a bit each
my brother and i were contacted by an heir hunter company this week (Fraser and Fraser) about a distance relative whose died..it looks like were both beneficiaries amongst others....so who knows....i might be wiping my arse on £10 notes next year...(doubt it though...probably just get a pissy old mattress or sumthin')... keepin my fingers crossed that these coffin chasers will come up trumps..
All these stories sound pritty familiar... i m a fully selfmade as well.. with only seven years ago not much showing that anything was about to be made. So things can change.. What i love about this Ducati community, that is so much different from the 4wheel variant is this : Whether it's the SL or the most modest of SS's or Monsters, 99% of the feelings they generate are exactly the same. And people will communicate and bond over this common factor. So Ducati must be one of the very few luxury brands that is inclusive rather than exclusive. Now how many brands will allow that? So Alien, you especially as i know how soon and hot you got going on this 'Special', and Flyer, and all who now get that thrill of anticipation, I wish you all the very best and the capacity to savour these finest of moments to the max ... ... I just solved the cooling problem on mine with a Radiator being decided and on it's way.. so now let's see how much SL or RR we can make this one.... ... nr 001/500 is quit something... but can't beat a 001/001 ... LOL !
The guys on this forum are true gentlemen and I'm proud to be part of it. I'm also a proud Ducati owner and biker. Together, we represent a much more cohesive, tight knit and supportive group than that enjoyed by our four-wheels loving brethren. The SL will be one more Bella in my collection, she'll be looked after and pampered but ridden like a bitch. I won't worry about "binning her" to do that is to take away the pleasure of our being together. Thank you Gentlemen.
I have an invite to go see the bike in Bologna. Still deciding whether to go or if I want to take the plunge and buy one. a few things are putting me off, not least paint scheme induced flashbacks.
Yes. The paint scheme. It does look pretty nice. But it should not be forgotten that it is basically a fag-packet paint scheme. It's Marlboro colours, isn't it? That's not news. You can sort of see the rationale behind that for the Desmo as the original is put on the track thanks to the cancer-sellers. But the Panigale? It's just a pity, in my view, that of all the paint schemes in the world, they couldn't see past the cigarette manufacturer no matter how good it looks. What it doesn't look is surprising. And that is also a bit sad for such an out-of-this-world bike.
