hello, Not new to Ducati's but new to this forum. I started riding ducati's back in 1997 when I purchased a 748SP. It wasn't my best experience as the first ride on the bike it was awful, handle absolutely terrible wouldn't go round corners, wobbled all over the place. It was only when i finally go home I realised I had a flat tyre, a nail right through the side wall somehow.... oops You then realise that you don't have big enough socket to get the wheel off. That evening we decided to go to the local Italian restrurant and mentioned to the owner I had a brand new Ducati but couldn't go anywhere. He insisted that he drove us home and we sat in the garden with the bike on it's stand listening to the sound of the v twin rumble, sipping brandy at 2am in the morning. The 748SP lasted for 5 years where it had morphed into a 853sp with loads of bits and pieces as part of a long term project with Pro Twins guys. Eventually I traded that in for a 998R and transferred all the bit's and pieces over, so I effectively had a different version of a 998r. Superstock plus spec is probably the best descrition based. It was like the old bike but on steriods Had that a couple of years but sadly it had to go. Eventually i couldn't resist a bike and brought a BMW R1100S boxer cup, great bike, two seats but not a Ducati. Then suddenly saw a great spec, full service history 999r on ebay and won the auction. Two and a half years down the line i still look at it and say wow that a great bike. I really miss the 998r because of the amount of time and effort that was put into it to make it a truely special bike but the 999r is a quicker more comfortable bike all round and a lot easier to ride fast. lapman
Great intro post, welcome to the forums. Keep one hand on your wallet and the other on your trousers, they're a light-fingered lot here!