New your opinion and info

S

Sydnie

New member
Well, I'm new to the forum, so let me introduce myself first! I'm from Cleveland, Ohio and have been riding for roughly for about 11+ years.

I'm writing tonight because I find myself in a dilemma. I'm in the market for a new motorcycle, and have eyed the ducati on and off for the past 2 or 3 years.

I consider myself to be an everyday rider, and rarely do I take a bike to a track. All my riding experience has been on sportbikes, ranging from 600cc thru 1000cc.

The past 2 years, a few good friends of mine have been riding Harleys ( I know you hate that name), and I
 
That second last sentence may have already answered your question.

Reliability - apart from the new model teething problems (VR's etc) reliability is not an issue imo. Whether it was designed for 'everyday' use is another argument. NOT imo.

The more you ride your Ducati, the more it will cost you in routine maintenance.
And in my opinion, there is no substitute for regular maintenance. You can neglectfully run Jappers into the ground but not Ducati's.

You've ridden a hog............. Time to get a test ride on a Ducati
 
This probally wont help much but try and test ride your short list as much as you can.

The best bike in the world for YOU is the one YOU want to throw your leg over every day and keep going past the office.

I split my time between both my bikes, the 1098 will commute but it not at its best.

Cheers
Ross
 
To clarify your statement in regards to the ducati needing regular maintenance, does this imply what just the recommended services from Ducati?

In other words, I have received a print out from my local Ducati service department, stating the scheduled maintenance costs and services. Out side of that regular maintenance, is there any additional maintenance you as a ducati owner "must" perform on the bike to maintain the ducati quality as you rack the mileage?

With a Jap bike, you can park it for a long period of time and get up and go when you want. Outside the general oil changes etc, and brakes here and there, thats really all it takes to maintain.

With the Ducati, as I'm trying to understand more thruely, is that I must maintain the services recommended by ducati in order to have the best possible reliable ducati in the long run, otherwise I run the risk of a broken bike. To add to that, outside of regular maintenance services, what other at home services do ducati owners do on there own to help maintain the motorcycle?

Thanks for the input so far guys. I will definitely be getting a test ride on the bike when I have the chance.

Keep the input coming guys, the more the better. Thank again!
 
I went through the same thing a few years back. My solution was a Victory Vegas because I felt I wanted to slow down and take in the scenery. It was an excellent, gorgeous bike but I found myself scraping the pegs around every corner. I installed a big bore kit for more power and that wasn't enough. I then tried running with my sportsbike buddies which was a mistake even at moderate paces. After two months I traded it for an Aprilia Tuono Factory and got back into sport rides ever since.

For me, the Night Rod would get old quick. Cruisers are simply not nimble and the VROD is just a fast cruiser. It has a sport bike powerband so you need to rev it up in order to get real motion. If blazing down the straights is appealing it may be an adequate choice, but once you hit the twisties there is no comparison. A friend has a VROD and I have put several hundred miles on it so I speak from personal experience. The bike also lacks an identity IMO. That is why resale is poor and traditional Harley guys don't get it.

Infinite mentioned a Buell as another choice and he is right. I put about 50 miles on an 1125cr and it was phenomenal. It offers great handling, great power, comfortable ergos and exclusivity. The one thing that stopped me was its looks but it never failed to get the attention of passerbys.

I opted for the Ducati because I drove two 848 demos and they both reeked of personality. I believe a bike should generate a certain amount of passion from its rider and I can't find that with the cruisers and I-4 Japanese models. In my short time spent with my 848 I am out in the garage looking at it, on the boards reading about it and riding it as much as possible. Some bikes make you feel special and the 848 (and probably other Ducati's) does it for me. To me, this makes it worth the extra expense and loftier service bills.

Give the SBK line a ride and see if you can tolerate the ergos. If not, look at the Buell, the Duc Fighter or the Duc Hyper. I also recommend the Aprilia Tuono Factory if you can find a dealer.
 
Just do it my friend! I bought my first Ducati this year in February and I will be a fan for the rest of my life. I have been riding since I was 4-5 (actually got my first bike for 5th birthday), and I have wanted a Duc since I was about 8. I love it. Yes, I have had one small issue (voltage regulator went out), but that was taken care of in less than a week and I have not had another problem. I have ridden about 2800 miles on it so far and I would only suggest a speedymoto triple clamp to make the every day riding more comfortable. Other than that be prepared to fall in love. Every ride I fall in love again! I even have started parking her in the house so I do not have to go to the garage to look at her!
 
Thanks so much for all the replies. Delman27, your post was very comforting and I felt at home with what you had to say.

Is it at all possible for you guys to describe what this character / soul / Identity feels like in terms of your mental state when you ride the motorcycle? It may seem like a stupid question, and I've ridden long enough to understand the concept, but because I haven't experienced this first hand in regards to a motorcycle, I'm not sure if I have a proper / accurate comprehension of it all.

What I do know, is that I do want a motorcycle that makes me feel unique. I want that "it" factor. I am going to assume the Ducati does deliver that "it" factor but it would nice to hear some of you guys described it in your own words.

Thank so much everyone! I'm very excited this time of year, shopping for a new motorcycle. This is a big decision for me, as whatever I go with, I will be riding for at least 4 years or more. I don't want to bike swap anymore.
 
"it" is when you come to a stop at a popular bike place and sit idling there ready to turn off your bike and all eyes are on you and your bike since its such an awesome piece of art. More so when it has an aftermarket exhaust.
"it" is when after you get off at a gas station or parking lot or even getting ready to get back on and people come up to you and make conversation about your bike.
"it" is when even the HD guys give you the nod of approval, not that it really matters but still an "it", ha ha ha.
"it" is when you are riding alone in a nice set of road twisties and that bike is just handling the way you want it to...with the music of that exhaust playing in your ears and at the same time, that engine feeling so alive and active underneath you.
"it" is you and that unique machine as one and after the ride, just wanting to clean it up and keep giving it attention knowing you know have to pay some attention to your spouse and or kids, loved one(s) but would really prefer to lube/clean the chain first (while its still warm) and dust off the wheels and windscreen at least...
Lots of "its" my friend. I too came from sportbikes and sport tourers and even a Wing and also like you wanted to slow down with an cruiser. Also had a V Rod (Sreaming Eagle no less) but as mentioned here, was scraping pegs and just missed the sporting side of riding so much. You won't know it untill you can't do it...Go test one and you will see what we are all telling you.
 
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