What's all this about Ducati bikes then?

Defender, Italian engineers understand three things very well, love, passion and soul. They don't understand reliability and built quality particularly, but they don't care.

Jap engineers tend to chase perfection, you just need to listen to the latest Honda adverts about solving problems. It results in a very good quality product, but it's a slighty scary psyche to have IMO. Hitler thought he was creating perfection....

Are you in love? If so is your girlfriend/wife 100% perfect and reliable? If not then why do you love her?

Just as a man can love a woman who is far from perfect, the Italians love what they create, it doesn't matter that they are not perfect. I like that and I respect that.

If I had my choice of company car I'd probably have an Alfa, but I wouldn't buy one with my own money given the mileage i currently do. If I could afford two bikes, one workhorse, one toy, the workhorse would be Japanese and the toy Italian. If I was seriously rich there'd be a Ferrari in the garage. Buying Italian is a heart not a head borne decision.

It has nothing to do with winning races. A Ducati was a dream bike when Stoner was in nappies. MV, Cagiva, Guzzi, Benelli, etc don't win any high profile races any more, but they all still have a cult following from people who just love the bikes. People with passion loving bikes with soul.

I'm so full of **** aren't I?

[fizzwheel]

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

it doesn't matter that they are not perfect. I like that and I respect that.

I think thats part of it, the little niggles and the things that annoy you, its the imperfections that give it the soul that makes the bike feel alive.

Jap bikes just dont have that IMHO, all the quirkness and the character flaws have been engineered out of them.

Originally Posted by wyrdness

RRP is ?7349 (with 2 years interest free), but you can get a low mileage used one for ?4399.

That would be very tempting if I wasn't saving to buy a house.

PM Me if you want to get a better deal Im sure I could put you contact with a certain person (Namly my old man) to sort you out one for much less than ?7349.

They were doing them for ?7k with 0% interest at the bike show too. I thin my 6500 was a little low, but haggling is the name of the game.

Sure the 1130, and the RS model is more expensive, but top spec suspension, radial brakes, carbon fibre bodywork... Dribble...

Originally Posted by Defender

Umm, they look better than a Ducati but if its breaks down, how many dealerships have they got?

At the end of the day there isn't a 'crap' bike on the market and everyone to their own.

Parts backup formally was very very bad.

However, Benelli got new owners last year. Parts backup is now better than Ducati and Aprilia.

MV is the one you want to avoid for parts. It is meant to be truley awful at the moment.

I understand a Jap bike may be faster, more reliable, better parts etc, but for me its about being a little different. An R1 will still always look like an R1, go to a bike meet and sure its nice to look at, but the crowd will always go to a bunch of excotic bikes parked together. I guess its a sense of smugness that your not "part of the crowed, a sheep"

As said, theres the passion, the love, the little tiny details on the bikes. Like that Tre, all the pegs, mirrors, panels etc are all triangular, going from the pics, you can really see, but get up close and you notice these things.

MOre of the Nelli (RIP) and an RS model..

http://public.fotki.com/DaimoB/gener...ike_-_benelli/

998 Info Strada Duke colours, the year Colin Edwards pipped Bayliss in the last race at Imola (What a race)

Originally Posted by fizzwheel

I think thats part of it, the little niggles and the things that annoy you, its the imperfections that give it the soul that makes the bike feel alive.

Jap bikes just dont have that IMHO, all the quirkness and the character flaws have been engineered out of them.

I dont think thats totally true...my SV has niggles, wobbly bits, and vibrates alot on tickover. I like that my dads GSXR is so perfect, it would make a good commuting bike as it wouldnt fall apart. Seems a bit boring though. Sure, it goes fast, and handles as good as everything else, but...theres no effort needed. No shaky bits. Even starting it is easy, you dont have a choke to worry about!

Great bikes, SV's.

Matt

Originally Posted by plowsie

998 Info Strada Duke colours, the year Colin Edwards pipped Bayliss in the last race at Imola (What a race)

oh yes, definatly. my most favorite race weekend of all time - a true "win, or crash trying" set of races. I'm gonna have to dust off the VCR of that and watch it when I go back home, and make my mate watch it who dosnt like bike racing. Those races will convert anone to 2 wheels

Matt

Kinda why i loved my little 2.0 corsa.

Sure I could go buy a Clio Sport, or Pug106 GTi, both just as fast, both handle better, but both ride on rails.

The corsa is raw, skatty, simple, and fun. You have to work harder to use it well, and thats what i enjoy. Who need electronics limiting power, use your hand, and thats what makes driving/riding cars and bikes so much fun.

Originally Posted by alpinestarhero

oh yes, definatly. my most favorite race weekend of all time - a true "win, or crash trying" set of races. I'm gonna have to dust off the VCR of that and watch it when I go back home, and make my mate watch it who dosnt like bike racing. Those races will convert anone to 2 wheels

Matt

It was the way Troy tried to slow Edwards up in the corners so that Xaus would catch, was v.clever

[fizzwheel]

Originally Posted by alpinestarhero

I dont think thats totally true...my SV has niggles, wobbly bits, and vibrates alot on tickover.

Thats not what I meant. To start liz's 749 involves a definite sequence of events, if you dont follow the sequence it dont start. Its funny to ride, you have to ride it exactly right, right gear at the right time etc etc you cant be lazy on it you cant get away with being in the wrong gear, the bike chatters back through the transmission it judders it vibrates, it needs total 100% focus on riding. Even changing line mid corner etc etc you need to think about what to do much more so than on my GSXR. It demands total involvment but from that point of view its much much more rewarding to ride.

Originally Posted by alpinestarhero

I like that my dads GSXR is so perfect, it would make a good commuting bike as it wouldnt fall apart. Seems a bit boring though. Sure, it goes fast, and handles as good as everything else, but...theres no effort needed. No shaky bits. Even starting it is easy, you dont have a choke to worry about!

Matt

Thats what mine is like, its easy you dont think about it, in the wrong gear no worries it'll pull through it smoothly without fuss. want to change your line mid corner, just nudge the bars. Its almost to easy to ride. The challenge isnt the same. However if you take the GSXR up the rev range a lot more, it requires alot more focus to ride, so it starts to become more of a challenge, but also your in alot more risk of loosing your license at that point to. Whereas you can ride the Duke slower and its still challenging and rewarding to ride.