Many Ducatisti describe their bikes as having character and soul, obviously as an inanimate object a motorcycle can have neither, so what do we experience that gives this impression?
When it throws a strop and won't start. Anyway, you may enjoy this book. Spitfire, Concorde, Flying Scotsman, even the Millenium Falcon all featured. All machines with arguably "A soul"
Ducati's test most owners patience in a way a mainstream bike never could, and for that reason I would say owning a Ducati is more of an experience than an ownership
I don’t think it’s a lack of reliability that gives them character, I’ve had my 28 year old 900ss for 4 years and it’s been very good reliability wise, I’m thinking it’s more the way they run, slightly offbeat tickover, the big V twin low frequency vibes, maybe the lack of clinically precise running that we get from modern Japanese bikes.
The engine ... lumpiness at low revs, poor round town, buckets of torque, fantastic on the open road or a track, deceptively fast. The handling ... terrible steering lock, poor round town, needs to be positively countersteered into a turn at speed, very stable once into the turn. The ergonomics ... made for an orangutan ... long reach to the bars, very bent legs. Only ever really comfortable over 60mph. The looks ... classic simple lines, classic simple colour schemes. All sadly have been watered down in the last 15-20 years. Ducati Character peaked with the Desmoquattro Engine and the 851/888 and 916/996 series IMHO. ... oh, [edit] and the Desmodues of the same period
For my hyper: Grunt, sound, the fact that its about as complicated as, something thats not very complicated.... Involving...thats the word id use for my Duc.
You just feel you’ve got something special with the Ducati , and when you go out on it it feels a bit of an event
Ducati's do have something that other bikes dont, i cant quite put my finger on it but i had an Aprilia RSV4 which was also a gorgeous Italian machine but somehow my heart didnt flutter in the same way when i opened the garage doors as it does when i'm saying hello to my 1198S in the same garage...it just seems more alive and animated, i've also got an old oil cooled Gixxer that gives me almost the same feeling...whatever it is ,character, presence, Kudos i love it.
