Someone help with the Ducati dilemma...

[surfchick]

Hi crew,
me just passed my full TODAY. yay. I'd really love some advice from either the triumph crew or the ducati crew-
I'm looking at next bike, don't care much for working my way up the cc's slowly figure i'll get there on whatever...so at the end of the day I really want anything in the ducati 916-998 range, would prefer not to spend more than 15k but walked in on a triumph 675 and thought hmmm. liked both, will test all of them, but I really want to hear from anyone with these older ducatis - maintanace actual costs and experiences as at the end of the day they seem to have unsurpassed beauty-but almost everyone is warning me off them due to fickle engine and gearbox stuff. I would actually have to commute on this bike though so how you ducati riders find that? Also I'm 5'7" and only 60kg so wondered if it might feel a bit heavy into corners..? opinion here?
any comments would be really appreciated as the sensible part of me goes-go newer and a bit cheaper in the jappers, but OMG the beauty of the ducatis... heeeeeeeeelp

[James Deuce]

Get a 748. Exactly the same as a 916/996/998 except it's much easier to ride on the road. Maintain it properly and it will love you back. Treat it like a Suzuki and it will break its chain and dump its engine oil all over the back tyre in the same corner at the same time.

Ignore the naysayers. Do something mildly outrageous.

[Grahameeboy]

Get a 748. Exactly the same as a 916/996/998 except it's much easier to ride on the road. Maintain it properly and it will love you back. Treat it like a Suzuki and it will break its chain and dump its engine oil all over the back tyre in the same corner at the same time.

Ignore the naysayers. Do something mildly outrageous.

So buy an SV1000S......can ride like a Suzuki and it will not break

[surfchick]

cheers jim- i did wonder about that- they're a bit cheaper too... I'm more into corners than straight line speed soo might not miss the engine size? plus i'm small so that's gotta count for something
x

[surfchick]

So buy an SV1000S......can ride like a Suzuki and it will not break

might take one for a spin... jill's got one eh?

[Grahameeboy]

might take one for a spin... jill's got one eh?

Yep and me too...best value for money bike....

[James Deuce]

Every review of the 748 I've read has commented on how much nicer the 748 is to ride on the road and how nice the 916 series is on the track.

I've ridden a hot 748S and it was both nicer to ride and quicker than the 916 I've ridden. The 748 has had a LOT of money spent on it though

The 748 engine spins up a lot quicker with fewer vibes than the 9 series engine IMO.

Plus the yellow ones with the white stripe and gold piping look fantastic.

Don't listen to Graham, he's just being a Suzuki zealot.

[Keystone19]

Yep Alex - I've got one - feel free to swing by and take it for a spin anytime.

Personally, I'd go for the Triumph 675 but they're all a bit different in riding position from what you've been on ! Might take a bit of getting used to.

About time you got that license too! Congrats by the way! When we going riding?

[Grahameeboy]

Every review of the 748 I've read has commented on how much nicer the 748 is to ride on the road and how nice the 916 series is on the track.

I've ridden a hot 748S and it was both nicer to ride and quicker than the 916 I've ridden. The 748 has had a LOT of money spent on it though

The 748 engine spins up a lot quicker with fewer vibes than the 9 series engine IMO.

Plus the yellow ones with the white stripe and gold piping look fantastic.

Don't listen to Graham, he's just being a Suzuki zealot.

So where is your Ducati garaged Sir Jim..............

[James Deuce]

Too old and fat to enjoy riding one for more than 30 minutes.

Plus that broken neck thing makes it a literal pain in the neck to ride a sprotsbike for long.

[Grahameeboy]

Too old and fat to enjoy riding one for more than 30 minutes.

Plus that broken neck thing makes it a literal pain in the neck to ride a sprotsbike for long.

You youngsters................

[rogson]

If you want to impress your girlfriends/boyfriends at the coffee shop - who know nothing about bikes but believe in brands - buy a Ducati.
If you want to be a cool chick buy a Triumph.
If you want value for money buy Japanese.

Simple really.

[slowpoke]

Personally I don't see the attraction with the 748's.
They are, for all intents and purposes, identical to a 916/996 except for 20 less horsepower. Sure it's a revier (is that even a word?) motor but why would you pay similar money for less grunt and less rideability. The extra torque with the bigger bikes makes 'em much more forgiving, especially once you've done the mandatory mod of gearing it for more real world speeds rather sticking with the the moonshot OEM sprockets.
Reliability isn't a problem if the thing is mantained, but the actual maintenance is more expensive.
The biggest drawback, especially for a less experienced rider is the limited steering lock. I can almost guarantee you'll drop the thing at a service station, or in a carpark, or doing a U-turn, especially if you are shorter in the leg and can't give it a quick "Ducati dab" with a foot as you reach full lock with too much lean. They really are a shocker in that regard.

Please don't take it as a put down and it sounds cliche'd but if you have to ask about a comparison between a Ducati and something a bit more mainstream then it's probably not for you. You either want a Duke or you don't.

They are more maintenance intensive, more expensive to maintain, harder to maintain, less powerful, heavier than their "opposition" but on a nice day, on the right road nothing quite compares.

[slowpoke]

Yep and me too...best value for money bike....

Hahaha, having a look at the stubs in my cheque book the whole "value for money" thing went out the window a loooooong way down the road......

[JimO]

If you want to impress your girlfriends/boyfriends at the coffee shop - who know nothing about bikes but believe in brands - buy a Ducati.
If you want to be a cool chick buy a Triumph.
If you want value for money buy Japanese.

Simple really.

what are you saying when you buy a harley