Is the suspension really that superior on the RSV, in your opinion? Aprilia definitely doesn't win the battle in weight or power. A 999R puts down 140hp to the wheel (with a flatter torque curve), almost 20hp more than an RSV factory, and weighs about 8 lbs lighter wet. Hell, even my 'S' with slip on termi + ecu put down 135hp on a dynojet.

I also like the multi btw, but man does it have an ugly face. :rolleyes:

http://photos.motorcycle-usa.com/IMG_5836A.jpg

I'm looking at this bike: http://nh.craigslist.org/mcy/765433519.html

needs a fuel pump and wiring as well as ignition/key.

honestly didn't think I'd catch the disease and that the CB would last me a couple of years.

That vintage 900SS was perhaps the prettiest Ducati of just about all time. Some would argue the Hailwood. Others the Paul Smart. But that 900SS represents everything that's right about sexy Italian styling. Fuel pump is an easy and inexpensive replacement (you don't need the $800 Ducati one).

Funny comment about the Multi aesthetics I once heard: The bike's so ugly, the plastic bodywork is cast (not painted) in the color, because paint won't dare stick to it.

900's are cool, but not this cool:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1216932692.jpg

I say you ought to test ride a few bikes before deciding you have to have a Ducati. Far too many people (myself included, in times past) buy something on the basis of how it looks or sounds, some magazine test article or, god forbid, random internet wisdom.

I've had a few, along with scads of Japanese sport bikes, the odd BMW... I still have one Duc, a 1998 916SPS. If I were someday limited to one bike, the Duc would go and I'd keep a 2001 GSX-R1000 that seems to be my favorite. Why?

Well, for one, the 916 can be a bit cantankerous at low revs. It wants a minimum of 3,000 revs to run smooth, 4,000 is a lot better and if you want to twist the throttle hard, I'd suggest being north of 5K. It's geared tall too (in fairness, the standard 916 was geared a little lower in the first few gears) so it pretty well hates city traffic. I have other bikes with a dry clutch, so I have to say that they aren't all as loud as a Ducati. That's not the half of it though, the real problem is that they are a wee bit cantankerous (there's that word again...) Not all dry clutches are like this, it seems to be a Ducati trait. They like a certain rate of engagement and a certain amount of power put through them when they are engaged. Get outside their happy zone and they are grabby, at best.

On my 916, despite aftermarket bars and a different seat, the riding position isn't that great. I feel like I am sitting on top of the gas tank. Way high, and way forward. It takes me a while, each time I ride it, to get used to this.

I live in a hot climate and all my Ducatis have liked to stay moving. Stopped, they get hot quick. When hot, the fueling and the clutch issues noted above get worse.

At the end of the day, the GSX-R is way faster and handles better, couldn't care less what revs I use, is more comfortable and happy to run in the city and has no vices or peculiarities. Gets better mileage, too. I still like the Ducati for the occasional ride but you might want to spend a little time on one before risking your nads with the wife by buying one.

Just my 2 centavos,
JR

All of the above may be true (or close to it)....but there can be no substitutes for a bike that makes chicks ovulate....and nearly every Ducati does that. But I'm biased as i have a 916.

show me the typical chick that can tell the difference between a sweet duc and my sweet ninja. most chicks dont give a ****. most think, 'oh neat, you have a motorcycle'

I have a chance to pick-up one of these, in fact it's identical to this. What do you guys think? Ugly? I loved it in person:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/00-Cagiva-Ducati-Gran-Canyon-400-Miles-Like-New_W0QQitemZ260263291371QQihZ016QQcategoryZ6719QQ ssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosti ng

i think javadog is right on the money. i have lusted for a ducati for a loooong time. even though they are obsolete, ill still get a 748 someday just because its a piece of art. but, riding my ninja, i have never felt the need to ditch it. it rocks in its own sweet way. however, if your heart is set on it. do it. im gonna one of these days. having seen the new 1098...im obsessed with it. my god is it beautiful compared to previous designs

i know nothing about those. personally, i think its butt ugly but it looks like a really fun ride and thats what matters most

This is unreal.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5Qy5_GUDXk

pretty cool. im not a big fan of monsters but they are really versatile. when i lived in NYC, there were these dudes that rode monsters and they would rip up the streets of manhattan like maniacs on motorcross bikes. it was something to behold
:eek:

my g/f can tell the difference between a ninja and a duc. And just to prove that she has excellent taste she prefers aprilias to both.

You need to find women with more of a sense of aesthetic :p

park them side-by-side, start each and let her pick one...

You know, it never dawned on me that I should pick a bike because chicks dig it. I'm always the last one to get the memos.

JR

Shaun, say it ain't so

I hear yah, love mine but I can see down the road wanting something bigger. Maybe a vintage 750f ??? I get more thumbs with this thing than I can handle. A guy stopped me at the mall today saying how much he loved it, remembered riding one.............

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1216957866.jpg

Even worse, one that makes chicks ovulate. Hmmm...if I'm picking up chicks with my Duc, the LAST think I want is for them to be getting preggers!!! I gotta be able to drop them off on the way to the NEXT chick's house!

If I ever get a bike, it'll be a 550F. I ain't a horsepower fan on bikes, but i have fond memories of 550Fs and think they are the single coolest bike ever made.

The nice thing about chicks who prefer ninjas is that the next "rider" lives only one trailer away.

just kidding of course...I loathe motorcycle (car, boat, watch, house...) snobs as much as anyone else...variety alone makes it worth getting up in the morningSmileWavy

I've got to say Jerry, your bike is absolutely stunning! and I get some thumbs too, I think because the bike is just so friendly. Yeah, friends said I would catch the disease and I downplayed it against my love for the 911s, but the passion has grown just as strong. I love the CB, it's a lot like my old 63 VW Pick-up, just happy to go anywhere like a good dog. The difference is I principally want a bike to ride (budget prevents getting something nice and turnkey, therefore looking at bikes needing a little work) whereas the cars are principally about restoration, so it's a healthy balance I think. :)

When my friend Tim down in RI, who rebuilds Ducati's, showed me the other day, and recommended it as a solid model, it was love at first sight.

Thanks again for your help with the Cagiva, but I've definitely found my next bike. If I save for a few months, I can get a beautiful $3500 bike, turn the key and go. or keep looking for the $1500 - $2200 bike needing work.

Take a look at this SP: http://maine.craigslist.org/mcy/767137383.html

Wow!