CBTand buying a Desmo

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Well it has arrived at ProTwins

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graeme4130 said:

Didn't fancy a 1299SL then ?
That'd be a perfect bike to have with the Desmo
I as very close to ordering an FE, but just can't have another fast road bike for my own safety, and it's just too nice a bike to have as just a track bike and no faster than my race bikes (although sounds much better)

The SL is nice, but not £75k nice

It’s a work of art for sure (even with the fairings removed it looks amazing) but the FE is a “bargain” at only £36k!

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Delivered this afternoon - what a beautiful looking bike! Despite talk of it sounding quiet, it’s louder than the Tricolore and not far off the Desmo so no idea where that came from - can’t wait for an early morning ride tomorrow

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Nice collection Tony Once you’ve got a Desmo, hard not to part with it - they’re for life!

I’d also take a look at the later Ducati’s - have been out on the FE this morning and it’s a mental bike (even taking it easy as I’m running it in), the noise, the turn in, the quality of engineering - it’s got the lot

As for a job to pay for it all - I work in the Banking Industry.

Keeping all the bikes - they’re just all works of art in their own right and I’ve got plenty of stories and memories on them now that they’re part of my life - enjoy:

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VonSenger said:

Yes, its called "The Parts Bin Special Before The V4 Comes Out Super-duper Buy Me now"

Where can I get it? Sounds amazing

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Tall_Paul said:

So, V4 Speciale ordered yet Duggan?

My current collection - notice a theme:



The Speciale - notice a theme:



Yep - ordered - arrives Apr ‘18 - very excited about this bike

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So why Ducati?

As probably applies to most people’s car or bike obsessions, it starts young. Just like the first fast car you remember seeing as a kid (Porsche 911), through to the first Supercar (Ferrari) or classic (AC Cobra), the first motorbike I ever really remember was a Ducati. Heading into London with my dad on a Saturday morning to visit my Nana, at the junction where the A1 pulls onto the North Circular, I heard a noise from behind as we pulled up to the lights. Filtering through the traffic and then pulling up alongside my dads car - Ducati 916 That was it - sold.

Took me a few years to pluck up the courage to get into biking as I had been brought up on stories of them being very dangerous (one family friend died on a bike, robbing his son a father before he was born) but just decided one day - fk it you are a long time dead! Nearly four years ago now and bloody love bikes!

No 916 yet, as I’m really into the technology / engineering on modern bikes (up and downshift quick shift & blipper - what’s not to like), but still love my Desmo, as for me that’s the pinnacle of motorcycles.

Plan for the collection after the Speciale is a 1098 Tricolore, then the R 749/999 and 1098 - have been doing a bit of research on a RC30 though (as you can probably tell - I’ve got it bad), so we will see how it goes.

Here’s a few more photos:







And me in the garage when the FE first arrived - morbidly hungover, but super happy

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So up for an early morning viewing at the NEC and can’t get over how beautiful the bike is - star of the show in my ( biased) eyes!

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anonymous said:

[redacted]

In the flesh it looks beautiful - flat lights and IMHO looks the best profile of the Panigale range - was out in the garage tonight and only the Desmo tops it in looks terms love the unequal pipes either side too!

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Gunk said:

Still not as stunning as an RC30 though



Arai are also producing a limited edition matching helmet



Only today I was pestering my wife to let me buy an RC30, she is softening to the idea but I’m not quite there yet!

Gunks - no offence mate - and I love the RC30, but looking around the show today and the had a NR750 on display and I just thought the bike looked really old (size / switchgear / indicators etc) Mrs Duggan liked it and could understand why it was such an important bike (after I’d run her though the spec - yawn), but still said it was nice - in “an XJ 220 nice - kinda 1980s look) nice.

Then round the corner were two Desmosedici RR’s - can’t believe it’ll be 12 years since it was unveiled now that’s how to age a bike well!

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BlackPrince said:

How much does Ducati pay you mate?

I don't understand rich people's fetishization of Ducati vs say, MV, Aprilia, KTM or even Yamaha.

So I take it you're a Ducati enthusiast then, rather than a bike enthusiast lol
edit: which is totally great - the world needs more Jack Grattons

Edited by BlackPrince on Saturday 18th November 20:57

This is the strange thing - until I totally immersed myself in Bikes, I just liked generic 1ltr Superbikes and the noise they made.

But irrespective of that, I’d always knew about the Desmosedici and just thought it was the most beautiful thing - engineering / looks / sound - I still think it is the most important possession I own and something I will never sell - hence why I went out and got my licence.

Looking around the NEC today and there are some wonderful bikes out there, but with respect, Ducati’s are just perfectly styled/manufactured. An example - Norton RR - lovely bike and profile is nearly perfect - but the polished chrome looks cheap & the dash looks like it’s out of a Dixon’s store - love what they have done, but just aren’t quite they. Same with MV, same with Aprilia.

Total bike nut - doesn’t mean I don’t love the whole bike thing & how much more of a club it is than cars - just happen to like Ducati’s.

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BlackPrince said:

I know you're not a Ferrari owner (AFAIK) but do you feel the same is true about Ferraris compared with other cars?

Nope - owned what is considered to be one of the great modern Ferrari’s a few years ago (Challenge Stradale), but still think my 991 GT3 RS is far better than it and is one of the greatest cars ever made.

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spareparts said:

Of course the 991RS is ‘better’ than the CS. It is also at least a dozen years newer and more capable. The CS however is a classic and notable for many reasons.
‘One of the greatest cars ever made’... emotive language for what has been said about many GT3s during their history since 1999. But there will be a ‘better’ RS after the 991 version which is relatively boring to drive compared to any of the earlier variants. The 991GT3.2 is even ‘better’ than the RS, faster, and more exciting to drive with the manual!
The point being made about Fezzas and the RC30 is fair - there are many other cars and bikes apart from the latest Porsche RS or Ducati that are truly exceptional and either more fun to drive/ride; or they have far more historical significance in bike lore, even if it is not from Bologna or the latest shiny toy.
The enthusiasm to go from CBT/DAS to having some of the most desirable modern era Ducatis in a short time is great, but you really should try riding some other bikes. Dont get me wrong - I love my Ducati. And as a fellow long time Porsche enthusiast who totally gets the GT3 thing, there are no finer engines in the world than those made by Maranello

Edited by spareparts on Sunday 19th November 01:39

Different strokes for different folks Sparepart old son

I’ve driven and owned the lot, from AC Cobra’s through to Merc 190 Evo II, from 1964 Lotus Cortina’s to Clio V6’s, from Lotus, to Ferrari, to Porsche, to McLaren and I can safely say the 991 RS is the best car ever made

I’ve owned a 997 GT3 RS (supposed to be the ‘best’ modern RS) and can with some authority say the 991 is better. Anyone who clings to the manual-shift-is-better mantra is living in the past - from bikes to cars and any other Supercar manufacturer - all have moved on. The new GT3 is nice, but it’s not an RS! For me, after all of the cars I’ve owned, this is the keeper.

As for other bike makers, I will, like I have with cars, look and own others - but for me at the moment Ducati make the most beautiful bikes and in my eyes, the Desmosedici is still the greatest bike ever made (and it’s not even the latest), just like the Porsche 991 GT3 RS.

Edited by duggan on Sunday 19th November 19:16

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Don’t necessary agree with all of the comments on their review, but good to see a Desmo and 1299 FE together in a 44 teeth review:

https://youtu.be/pmlux1noc8o

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BlackPrince said:

duggan said:

As for other bike makers, I will, like I have with cars, look and own others - but for me at the moment Ducati make the most beautiful bikes and in my eyes, the Desmosedici is still the greatest bike ever made (and it’s not even the latest), just like the Porsche 991 GT3 RS.

Edited by duggan on Sunday 19th November 19:16

Have you ridden the RC213V-S?

I've very briefly and slowly driven a 991RS and a 997.1 RS and the 997 was tactile and feelsome (and im not even including the manual gearbox in my assessment) whereas the RS certainly accelerated quickly but was (relatively) leaden by comparison, though much more alive than its other 991 brethren

The RC213V-S is an amazing motorcycle, an engineering showcase and unfortunately haven’t had the chance to ride one. There is a great review of Bruce Anstey’s race bike in Performance Bikes this month. It’s always going to be “better” than the Desmo, given its 10 years younger and 3 times the price - and I think the price is the problem - I’d never get that past Mrs Duggan for a motorcycle

As for the 997/991 RS debate - don’t think you can really get any proper insight into the differences on a slow and brief drive. I’ve owned a 997.1 RS for a few years and loved the think - could be the best “value” car ever made when I picked mine up at the bottom of the market for £70k with 6k miles on it! Just did it all and the addition of a Sharkwerks exhaust made it sound like it’d just left the Mulsane.

Sold it to get into McLarens for a while, but now have seen the error of my ways and have owned a 991 RS for a year now. It just does everything right, speed, handling, noise, looks - the lot - and it should do as it cost a bloody fortune.

Really don’t get the argument about manual being better or more involving than PDK - times have moved on and I think the manual/PDK debate is a generational thing - the PDK is so good, I just don’t miss the third pedal at all! Still in the honeymoon period with it after a year, but look forward to every drive.

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Has been a while, but thought I’d update my biking adventure.

Out on the 1299R FE this morning and it is quite possibly the most crazy bike Ducati will ever make! Have fully run it in now and could open it up a little and for me it’s just the way it picks up in any gear (5th gear wheelie for example) - will be sad to see the V/L twin go, just given the character it has!

Anyway - here’s a few photos of the boys! Still loving it and can’t wait for the Speciale to arrive in (gulp) a month - 227bhp!!!!!!

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So TonyF - what do you think?

Mine will (or so I am told by the dealer) be one of the first on Magnesium Wheels, which I think is the only option on the Speciale - can’t wait to get it.

For me it’s a struggle to see how it will be rideable on the road. Nuts thing is that I’ve only ever ridden bikes with >190bhp, other than the schools trainer for a few weeks, so I’ve known nothing else!! But the FE today - absolutely bonkers - if anyone gets a chance to ride one - it blows/scrabbles your mind in equal measure!!

Edited by duggan on Saturday 19th May 20:41

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Speciale arrived a few weeks ago. Good time to get the family together for a photo! Still absolutely loving my biking journey after four years...

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Been a while, but no bike action today - had a chance to play around with the new toy though

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Don’t really have many of the AC Cobra as I’ve just got it, but here are a few of the bikes - all still being used and looked after