I settled on an 848..... It looks good and fits my 5ft 11inc frame really well, I can do servicing and most repairs myself.. The performance and handling is just fantastic.. Anything more would be just for pose value as I don't think that I will be able to push this little puppy to its full potential ..well let's be honest ; ) I will however be trying my best.. What have you got and why?
Chopped my 999s in for a 1098 in 2007 , couldnt stand it , so chopped that in, after 3 months , for a 2006 999R . Will keep it for a long time .
chose the 848 because the fugly was getting on my tits due to an intermittent starting fault. i was gonna rebuild it and use it as a trade in for the 848, but after putting the deposit down i diagnosed the fault and decided to keep both. theirs days i hate it due to it leaving me feeling like a pussy. on the whole its a belter. must get suspension sorted way to hard. fugly is perfect handling just not enough boom boom.
To be fair the 1098 was one of the first base models that came into the local Ducati dealers if I had hung on and got an R im sure I would have still had it .
Fin what starting problem? Mine has an intermittent starts then stops then sometimes starts again of its own accord, oh and a fugly as I like to be different and an 851 as I wanted one as a sprog
The 1098R is a different animal. It took me ages to beat lap times of 999R, a much more useable bike. Sublime. The 1098R is a riot and ace fun but takes a highly skilled pilot (not me) to eek out its potential.
@Baldyboy it got progressively worse over two years, to the point it just gave up. it would crank over no prob, but no spark, it would bump every time, you could make it spark by removing the plugs and turn the rear wheel by hand. substituted all the wiring but still couldn't make it spark of the button.after a wee chat with D.G. took a gamble on a new starter. sorted.
yip, never seen that one before. looking at the components, the engine management looks/is straight from a punto, which is v.voltage dependent regarding engine E.C.U.
I love quirky/intricate/intermittent/beautifully sculpted or cast stuff and it's nearly always Italian. It's not purely the handling anymore as too old to exploit properly and afraid of more broken bones. If I had to sell all bikes it's the early 851 that I would keep.
Had the knee down round the roundabout super sports bike fantasy like most I suppose but in reality it would be wasted on me. I know my limitations. So currently have a Hypermotard 821 SP which for me works very nicely in absolute hoots per mile, doesn't cripple me after a day out (well not as much anyway) and is also just a little bit different. Then just because I like the look and I'm fortunate enough to be able to afford it a Full Throttle Scrambler will join the HYM in the spring. Why a Ducati? Heritage, history, passion, design and not massively mass produced and Japanese.
I hear you brother...just looking at it makes me happy! And as for riding it...well winding it open leaves me screaming like a little girl.. Good job I have termi's so other road users can't hear me.. Maybe I just need some psychiatric help
1098 SF. Bought it to replace my Speed Triple. I like nakeds because I cut my teeth on such bikes and because I think they make perfect road bikes. I loved the Triple - the grunt, the sweet handling, but I couldn't get comfortable on it and the lack of top-end hilarity left me feeling slightly short changed. Basically, I wanted a hairier, lairier Triumph. Another Speed Triple, but on steroids. Stumbled on the SF by pure chance. I hadn't given it a thought until someone on another forum where I went looking for suggestions said don't buy anything until you've tried one of these. I was heading towards a V4 Tuono having ruled out an S1000R until I test rode a SF and the rest is history. I love it. Its exactly what I was looking for. Old school simplicity, stonking performance, lithe handling, all day comfort, miraculously little wind blast and with open Termis a sound like nothing on Earth. This bike is a keeper so I'm splashing out on blue-printing, head work and mapping. I won't part with it because they won't make them like this again.
I've got a workhorse (99 vfr). Wanted a show pony. Could pretend I wanted comfort, handling, performance but I didn't. Looked at gsxr 750 (handling), 09- R1 (comfort/performance-ish), 04 fireblade (erm... something) and went for first edition totally standard 848 for looks and sound alone.
Multi, as I wanted something to slow me down a bit and get another bike for track/racing. Also coz it has all the funtionality of a GS, with better handling and loads more power. Oh and it wheelies well too
