Same with trumpets! A Bach Strad will do it all, and very well. A Smith Watkins will cost u another £2000 and u need to be sure u can feel that difference!! This is why I'm not sure they are £700 more worth than Akrapovic! Question though, does anyone buy them full price? Or so people just get them when there is a deal to chuck them in or when they get offered a silly discount or off of evil thief?
termi has the advantage in that fitting them doesn't affect the warranty. Added to that, they are supplied with a map or even a replacement ecu for the bike. In terms of quality, the Leo and Akros I've had on 749s are the best, but then they're not cheap either; the Akros are hand made from the race division. I just had a term fitted to the hyper and it's a really good bit of kit.
Termi system for the Desmo? Don't ask. You can buy another bike for that kind of money..... The Yamaha MotoGP Akros are very nice. I think breaking up the monopoly pricing with Termi would help, as Jerry says, they get away with a lot of it as it is "warranted" by the factory and doesn't affect Ducati warranty. Giving them a kick up the rear might just bring the prices back down to earth a bit. But none of the high end manufacturers are cheap. I think a lot of the cost though comes from the design and tooling work to setup and make work designs for bikes that are still sold in relatively small numbers. If you make an exhaust for a GSXR you are going to shift a lot more of them. Tooling up and designing for an 1199 is never going to result in a low cost when you are selling hundreds rather than thousands (or tens of thousands) of units. Termi have scale though and supply across Europe so they should be cheaper than Austin Racing can make one for in Inconel for example....
I think it would be shame, although not surprising if Termis are on their way out. I don't think I would ever buy Termi end cans or full systems new just for the obscene dosh. Thankfully all my bikes have come with either full systems fitted or wrapped in their boxes waiting to go on! But It will/would be a shame if we see the relationship between Ducati and Termignoni shrivel on the vine - we come to love our bikes clad in them and there's a certain amount of prestige value...
My mate, who is an infinitely better guitarist than me (I'm pretty beginner, really) has an American Standard Strat, and I have an American Deluxe (so more expensive). His guitar actually sounds nicer than mine a lot of the time, TBH, part of which is playing through a Marshall. But his still sounds better if I play mine through his Marshall. But mine feels nicer to play. I can't explain why, it's just in the feel. I could swap the pick-ups out of mine and have the best of both worlds, but really, I like mine as it is. I'd sooner just get a second Deluxe and do different pickups on that, or make my own out of all the best bits. So, you can tell the difference, even if you're not a master. And an expensive guitar is forever. They don't wear out and need minimal maintenance, and they don't go out of date either. Not much good bolted to a bike though, admittedly. Re exhausts, I had Spark carbon cans on two of my Dukes and they were very good and sounded superb. A fraction of the price of Termis.
I have the Zard end cans on mine. I did a deal when I bought it with the dealer. I think they look well as they are designed for the bike. As for exhaust prices, I agree, I bought a brand new Yoshi Titanium for my gsxr 1000 for £220. There is a lot more material in it than the Terrywogans (£440 for x2) and superb quality. I actually sold it on ebay for £150 after 6 Years of use! My mate has Miv on his ducati, are they Italian?
My strat is an American Deluxe too. In Cherry burst with rosewood fret. I just put some 9's on mine but the action is too low for them and I cant find a bleeding allen key small enough to re-adjust them. ebay now Ive remembered...but i need to google the size.
I can't say i've every really rated Termis, and if they're only being replaced with Akrapovic then that's no bad thing. When it comes to spending my money it's always gone on Akras. What you have to remember too is that when you look at your nice new exhaust wondering how it cost so much for some pipe and a carbon sleeve, you're paying for all the development to actually get improvements from fitting it. I'd rather have a shit looking system with big gains than a great looking one which lowers output. Akrapovic have always seemed to have both though.
I like Akras, I had one on my SMR510. Made my ears bleed. Termi cost is a joke for what they are. A bit of tubing. I could probably get a set of headers made cheaper myself.
Akro did the SL exhaust as it's all Ti and Termi don't manufacture in the material. The prices have slipped a little on the newer bikes now that UPMAP and now UPKEY are being used. This does away with the need for a new ECU. Still pricey, but "official" aftermarket always will be... The price of Termis isn't cheap by any stretch but they are Ducati prices as they have sole licence to sell Termi thru Ducati Performance. DP is big business for Ducati and nothing really in the range is "cheap". It's warranted though for 2 years and doesn't affect the bikes warranty either. All little factors that add up to hike the price.... and "justify" it. I really rate Akro. Stunning and the SL exhaust system is a work of art. Maybe it'll get a wider application, but it still won't be cheap.
I don't think this is san end to the relationship. I've seen Remus cans rebadged to DP on Monsters, the 999RS ran rebadged Zards and my 49s run Akro. (I think I said earlier), the quality of the new Termi systems is very good.
