It's the handling that I like best and back in the day, yes, it was clearly superior. But these days? It's probably more a question of the style of handling, i.e., more effort required to get it to turn, but unrivalled front tyre feedback and rail-like handling in the bends. But does the SF feel like this? I didn't seem to when I test road one. Seemed faster handling and skittish. When you read tests, it often appears that the testers who spend their lives on Japanese machinery don't always prefer Ducati handling. The irony is, though, as you point out, that on the road the Duke has the best front end feel, whereas the GP12 has poor front end feel compared to the competition.
My experience is limited compared to most on here, but of the bikes I've owned, nothing has given me the same front end feel as my ST. It just feels so secure and my confidence has gone through the roof. Nicky has noticed that I'm tipping the bike over much further than before, and has had to condition herself to go with it. She's a brilliant pillion who I don't notice during normal riding, but now she's almost leaning it for me.
I can name a few that should have a factory ride ahead of Rossi, but sadly race performance counts for nothing. Its all about passports and selling bikes or farmyard animals or whatever else in whatever market. I am assuming he is no longer being paid for being "the Doctor" since that myth is now well and truely busted
