The proper way to sat do it and as far as the Duc, go for it. If it makes you happy go for it, life’s too short not to enjoy it as long as you can afford it. Plus I’m sure it will come with at least a $50 Starbucks gift card they will add on for $100 but it gets you access to sit in the parking lot and tell everyone how awesome it is That being said they are crap on the street, as in worst damn thing I’ve ridden. As others stated unless you get some SBK goodness to overcome it’s shortcomings on the track they suck ass as well. But if it makes you happy do it
I do agree they are pretty good to ride on the track, I’ve ridden a couple not even close to set up for me and were still fun to ride. Too bad they looked like a dogs asshole.
The 999 was an awesome bike. I loved mine and it was very fast for its time. I easily pulled on my lighter cousin on his RC51. Loved the look too.
I'd second this. Easiest to go fast on was a '10 RSV4. Most enjoyable laps were on a seriously massaged 1098. Quickest laps were on a stock 1199 with a decent map and Ktech forks. Well, quickest laps were actually on a GSXR750 but that wouldn't be appropriate dialogue for this thread.
I ride my Ducati to Starbucks and regale the clientele with fascinating stories of desmodromic valve actuation. Chicks dig it. Sometimes I make the barista write Taglioni on my cappuccino cup.
Sold my 09 1198 a month ago. Beautiful bike but wasn’t getting used like it should have been. To me the sexiest bike alive. Never took it out without people taking pictures or video of it. So clearly that’s not just my opinion.
talk about bad timing, pretty sure we aren’t very far from one another (I’m in Frederick) and I would have definitely bought that.
All of the 'big bore' Ducatis are great. I've loved every single one I've ridden, but there's some definite step changes in engine design in my opinion. The 916 was amazing, but man the 998 testastretta was really quite a step. The 999 never really impresed, but the 1098..my god. When those were new I was shocked at the power and the 1198 obviously added to that. Then we come to the Panigales - the 1199 was quite amazing, but was so much harder to ride engine wise. The 1299 was far better stock for stock engine wise.
That's one of the few Ducs that I have not ridden. It is a beaut Clark, and I'd pay that much if I were in the market. I've had a decent variety of Ducs. They all have some similarities that give away the heritage, but they all ride very very differently. I still really like the 748, the handling, etc. It is hard to describe the difference. Weekend and to work? Do you have somewhere to stretch its legs? Seems like a job better suited for something else. You ever rode a Hyper? Try mine if you'd like, it will go about anywhere.
I see NC plates on that Duc.....are you riding from NC all the way out to the west?? That's a lot of riding if so!
I did once. There's an awful lot of nothing between Asheville and Texline, Texas (where the scenery begins). Plus tires. Since then, I have a hitch hauler on the back of my FJ. I ditch the FJ at various "tent space" places depending on where I am riding first. This year I started in NV and rode over to pick up the UTBDR to WY, then rode some of Big Dog's routes from WY up to MT to visit some buds. Then rode back down the IDBDR (where I could get on without frickin snow), back to UT for a while and finished up in NV. Didn't have a single bad camp spot this year. They were all spectacular, plus did not get eat by a griz in MT, always a good idea. This type of travel is why I Hyper...plenty of juice to bust down the road, but can still make it to the secluded spots.