hello , im looking into buying a ducati 999 as i think its a prestigous bike and looks the part , im a massive suzuki fan and i own a gsxr 600 , just id love a ducati , and id like to ask what they are like to own , to ride and to maintain and basicly what 999 is like around 05 reg and what power etc , many thanks guys
Hi and welcome, im sure someone more knowledgeable on the 999 than me will be along shortly to give you some answers
Having ridden both bikes, I'll put in my tupp'ny-worth while we are waiting for some real advice. An '05 999 will have a lot more useable power, torque and top speed than your gsxr. The exciting action from the throttle comes in at or just before 3000rpm - IIRC, the gsxr 600 didn't wake up before 10000rpm. The 999 power/torque curve is likely more linear throughout the rev range but better informed folks will hopefully chime in here. Making the 999 go round bends will seem very difficult to you after a gsxr, the steering will seem very slow, but this can be addressed by getting the suspension tweaked/adjusted and maybe playing with the steering geometry, ride-height and such. That's a must and it isn't terribly expensive, as the standard fitted suspension items are completely capable. Cost of servicing is likely to make you wince, it's a fair-sized chunk of money every 6000 miles. Servicing isn't something you want to skimp on with a Duc, needs to be done properly. When I went from my 999 to a gsxr 600 (a temporary thing) I hated it and wanted my Ducati back. It's possible that you will feel the same way (in reverse) as the two bikes will seem very different. The 999 will reward your efforts, though, its a consummately capable bike and (my opinion) the best and most striking looking bike on the road today.
thanks very much mate for your input , for me the ducati will be usd for the times when we get cloudless days , so a rare thing lol , you say serrvicing , every 6,000 miles , it cant be much to change the oil etc or does it need other bits servicing ?
I won't go into detail about the difference between Ducatis and other bikes - I'm really not qualified. Someone will be along to explain the specific details and such, The belts need replacing every 12000 miles or two years, for starters, and there's other things that need attention. If you go to a decent independent garage for servicing, it will cost you less than going to an authorised Ducati dealer - but you want to be sure that the independent knows what he's doing. I know some owners do their own servicing, but again, you need to know what you're doing and to know the specific differences between the servicing requirements of a Ducati versus the rest of the bikes out there. <waits for informed input on the thread>
Hi Suzuki man, You can sit splitting hairs all day long over jap versus Italian etc etc but IMHO a bike either fits or doesn't. I've had an old SRAD gixer and loved it but always hankered for a twin. My 999 is my second Ducati and a 2005 Nero S (2005 on has a slightly different engine and swing arm). I love it and do alot of miles on it in most weather. Servicing is an issue but for a bike of this age I like to do as much as I can. An oil,filters and plug service is quite easy once you know a few of the tricks( the issue plug spanner doesn't fit in the cylinder unless you file the ends round). Belts and valve clearances are the biggie, but a decent independent should be able to do this for about £250. I would like to do this myself sometime but I haven't plucked up the courage yet. I find it strangely comfortable and it sits at progressive motorway speeds well. Your arse gets hot in traffic but other than that id be content using it for almost any journey. Hunt around, the post 999s model has to be the one to go for I reacon for all the reasons above plus you get the ohlins goodies too. I like the adjustability of the steering damper.
thanks buddie , ive just been lookin at an 07 1098 with 10,000 on the clock , how are them in relation to the 999 ? , thanks
The 1098 will have noticeably more power and be cheaper to service. The belts still need changing every two years though.
I'd still go for a 999 (I did), but I guess it's what you want. I like many others see the 999 like an appreciating classic. I love the marmite views of it. Youd probably get a nicer 999 cheaper than a 1098 and still have money for the bling syndrome that ensues Ducati ownership.
Thanks guys , I'm however lookin now to get a 1098 , however I need to get me a loan out first , but out interest I'd like to ask a couple more questions , I'd like to ask why the belts must be changed after so short time when the Suzuki tl 1000 r or s model never need to be changed or atleast not after such short time ? And the other question is what would I need to get the power up from 160 to 180 on the 1098 like on the 1098 r , thanks
12,000 miles for belts or two years on non R models, R's every 6,000 from memory due to the higher revs/different bore/stroke internals. R's are as close to the race bikes as you can buy (plenty of differences though) so expect a better flightier bike but probably not as forgiving and cheap to run. You can run the risk of not doing the belts, but the consequences are not worth the risk, plus come resale time no FSH and belt changes will put off most potential buyers
yeah id change the belts as required im just puzzled they need changin after such short use !! , the TL thou as im sure you know has a very powerfull ass engine yet there belts dont need changin , if belts need changin so much on ducati's then IMHO they should be usin not belts but chains with auto tensioners !! , im goin to manchesters deealership tommoro to have a look around them and see more of what there about so the 1098R has the 1198 engine but the s or just 1098 doesnt have that ? sorry for my lack of knowledge , i know very little about ducati's and im willing to learn about them , i can tell you all there is to know about the GSXR but on th ducat's s i know little , is thre anything to look out for on the 1098 model like common issues to address and faults or signs that its been thrashed , the ducati to me is like the ferrari of motorbikes
you dont have to change the belts at the recommended intervals mine are now on 3yrs and will be changed in the next two weeks, it's not that I'm a cheapskate and trying to save money as I do them myself. I believe the two year thing is Ducati's insurance policy of making sure belts are well within tolerance before there is the slightest chance of failure (as any sensible company would do) and seeing an avalanche of compensation claims. Hence I leave em three years, modern belts are kevlar reinforced and stronger than my wifes resolve to not have sex,so you takes your chance. The plus side of learning belt change is you can check tension every now and then, stopping the cahnce of a belt jumping a tooth,which is far more likley than a catastophic failure.
Suzuki TL's have both chain and gear driven cams, no belts. Get a Honda SP-2, they have gear driven cams and sound fantastic. Or get the new Panagale, which is chain driven.
What you'll learn is that R models are homologated so although look the same as non R's bar some carbon/bling the motor is completely different, different bore/stroke, injectors, internals - titanium rods etc, slipper clutch (some models). The 1098R and 1098R Bayliss was a 1198 motor but don't be confused thinking that and 1198 has the same motor as a 1098R, likewise the Multistrada has an 1198 motor BUT it isn't the same as the 1198 bike
I was going to tell you all sorts of things about a 999 but now that you are in 1098 territory... I often ride my mates' bikes and have ridden all manner of things. But getting back on my own Duke is always a little bizarre. It's like sitting on a missile. Seems very stiff, with no lock to the bars and has amazing bottom end compared to Fireblades and the like. It's definitely harder to ride from the off. However, after a few miles, the sheer confidence you get from the front end is massive and you always feel you could have done any corner much faster. Ducatis respond to rider body English better than Jap bikes. If you think it's going to steer itself, you're probably wrong (although haven't tried 1098 amongst the multiple Ducatis I HAVE tried). So you use your body to get it to go where you want. This is far more fun and rewarding and will really exploit the handling. Expect a strange experience from the outset, but with a few miles under your wheels, you'll start to understand it. Most don't look back. A few never really get the point of it. If you ride a Ducati and look at videos of King Carl et al riding the race bikes, you begin to understand their body positioning vs the Japanese mounted riders.
Agree 100%, I would personally consider a bike that does a relatively low 3/4 thousand per annum is absolutely safe stretching the 2 year belt change to three years. Ducati are just covering their backsides.
