First Ducati After A Long Break From Riding

She's gorgeous mate. A very similar face to ours. Our girl is called Fialka, which is Czech for Violet. They are a lovely breed.

The old analogue vs new 'perfection' is something I found with modern cars. I had a 991.2 GTS - great fun on the track but far too good to be fun on the road. It was actually a bit dull unless you did stupid stuff and I rarely looked back at it. The 964 is great fun on the road, even at semi-legal speeds, and, to me, it's gorgeous. Plus it smells like a car should.

The SP2 is without doubt a track machine. While you can potter about on it on the roads I wouldn't mind betting that an older bike with less power might be more fun. I'm also very much drawn to the SportClassic / MH900e, as well as the 9x6/998. I need that lottery win.

 

Jump in the DeLorean and go forward and get the next few months winning lottery numbers. Happy to pay for your petrol.

 

Harder to steal a car without the steering wheel.

 

I thought I’d try something different from the Rizoma Stealth setup with Rizoma indicators, so I got the sequential indicators from DB Race along with CRG Arrow bar-end mirrors. I like the indicators more then the NRC version as there are no screws showing on the top and it’s a cleaner look without the Rizoma mirrors. I’ll probably sell the Rizoma mirrors and indicators once I’ve tried riding with the bar-end mirrors.

 

I think they must be quite new because they were not on their website when I last looked, and it wasn’t that long ago.

I think I first saw them on the Conquest Racing website.

 

Fairings done and generator cover fitted.

The bolts really are made of cheese…

 

I seem to have inadvertently included a bin in one of those pictures...

 

Thanks.

I’ve got a rough ballpark of what I’ve spent. Obviously the bike wasn’t cheap and some of what I’ve done might be considered a downgrade (wheels, for example) but have added cost. I got the wheels and exhaust for a good price and installation was very cheap over here compared to what I read that some people pay.

Changes to the bike have included:

- DP magnesium wheels.
- DB Race indicators.
- CRG mirrors.
- DB carbon rear fender.
- Ilmberger carbon swingarm cover.
- Ilmberger carbon cover under fuel tank.
- GB Racing generator cover.
- DP clutch cover.
- DP clutch lever guard.
- DP track fairings.
- Paint (about £1,200).
- Melotti Racing axle sliders.
- Akrapovic low-exit exhaust.
- RaceSeats, err, seat… obviously.
- Evotech tail tidy.
- WRS screen (I managed to get fuel over the screen the very first time I tried to fill it up…).

Probably something else that I’ve missed but I think that’s it. I’ll get around to selling the Rizoma Stealth mirrors and indicators at some point.

I don’t think it really needs anything else. If I was going to go full carbon bodywork and other bits and pieces then I think I’d have been better off with a base or V4S.

I am really pleased with the bike - love it - but I find myself looking at SportsClassics, GT1000, etc, and fancying something calmer for the road. This year I’ll see if I enjoy track days as much as I expect I will. I’m not sure I would keep this bike if I didn’t take it on track. Then again, I’ve not got back out yet after the winter break and I’ll probably be grinning like an idiot again within a couple of miles. I’m feeling strangely nervous, much the same as I was last year after 25 years off bikes, but I think it’s excitement after months and months looking at shit weather and going in the garage to pet the bike.

 

Nothing changed that can’t easily be reverted of course and all original parts safely tucked away.

 

SO nice to get out today. Winter seemed so long this year!

 

It’s very rare to see any rubbish anywhere here.