Ducati 916/748
Discussion
i saw a yellow one coming towards me today(he was on his side of the road by the way) and i was really thinking how they still look good and current and they started in 1994, they look so much more modern than the equalivlent aged Fireblade etc, when people used to go on about them been a timeless design i thought yes they looked nice in thier day but modern bikes look better but something about that one earler made me really see thier point, im not saying i want to rush out and buy one or anything.
in fact i dont really know what the point in this post is,other than to say thier still a great looking bike
in fact i dont really know what the point in this post is,other than to say thier still a great looking bike
Edited by YamR1V64motion on Thursday 2nd August 23:37
An icon...YamR1V64motion said:
i saw a yellow one coming towards me today(he was on his sie of the road by the way) and i was really thinking how they still look good and current and they started in 1994, they look so much more modern than the equalivlent aged Fireblade etc, when people used to go on about them been a timeless design i thought yes they looked nice in thier day but modern bikes look better but something about that one earler made me really see thier point, im not saying i want to rush out and buy one or anything.
in fact i dont really know what the point in this post is,other than to say thier still a great looking bike
Thought about selling my 996 but ever time I look at it and listen to it I just can't part with her!in fact i dont really know what the point in this post is,other than to say thier still a great looking bike
my mate has a mint 748r in yellow with Termi's and it looks ace.
i know not everyone agrees but i gave Ducati great respect for going with the 999 design as it was very daring after the icon image of the 916-998.
I was actually a little disappointed when the 1098 came out as it seemed they had gone the easy route and rehashed the 916 look to keep the money flowing in.
Don't get me wrong if i was the boss and was responsible for the cashflow i may of done the same but as a fan i was a bit disappointed they didn't go for a new icon..
i know not everyone agrees but i gave Ducati great respect for going with the 999 design as it was very daring after the icon image of the 916-998.
I was actually a little disappointed when the 1098 came out as it seemed they had gone the easy route and rehashed the 916 look to keep the money flowing in.
Don't get me wrong if i was the boss and was responsible for the cashflow i may of done the same but as a fan i was a bit disappointed they didn't go for a new icon..
There's a really good article in either Bike or TWO this month where they compare the 998R and the 1098S. The 998 is the far far better looking bike in my opinion. Still stands the test of time.
What scares me off is the costs and reliability associated with running such a machine - which is why I opted for an Aprilia.
What scares me off is the costs and reliability associated with running such a machine - which is why I opted for an Aprilia.
hornetrider said:
There's a really good article in either Bike or TWO this month where they compare the 998R and the 1098S. The 998 is the far far better looking bike in my opinion. Still stands the test of time.
What scares me off is the costs and reliability associated with running such a machine - which is why I opted for an Aprilia.
its a good point. I'm not a scare mongerer on Ducati's and i know the later they got the reliability improved alot but my mates 748 after only a couple of weeks needed a strange stalling issue sorted and a fortnight later it would get stuck in 2nd unless you rev'd it to oblivion which cost a few quid to fix.What scares me off is the costs and reliability associated with running such a machine - which is why I opted for an Aprilia.
I'm sure to alot of people owning something 'exotic' like that outweighs the costs but for me even cars/bikes i've loved have got me down if they kept costing me money.
I do hear the 999 onwards are built very reliably though..
Fire99 said:
my mate has a mint 748r in yellow with Termi's and it looks ace.
i know not everyone agrees but i gave Ducati great respect for going with the 999 design as it was very daring after the icon image of the 916-998.
I was actually a little disappointed when the 1098 came out as it seemed they had gone the easy route and rehashed the 916 look to keep the money flowing in.
Don't get me wrong if i was the boss and was responsible for the cashflow i may of done the same but as a fan i was a bit disappointed they didn't go for a new icon..
I guess the problem with going for a new icon is, do it right and everyone will love you, do it wrong and every one will laugh and buy something else. Hence you may (rightly) have a lot of respect for Ducati producing the 999, but from what seems to be written, not that many were sold. i know not everyone agrees but i gave Ducati great respect for going with the 999 design as it was very daring after the icon image of the 916-998.
I was actually a little disappointed when the 1098 came out as it seemed they had gone the easy route and rehashed the 916 look to keep the money flowing in.
Don't get me wrong if i was the boss and was responsible for the cashflow i may of done the same but as a fan i was a bit disappointed they didn't go for a new icon..
I love the look of the 748/916 would happily have suffered the spaceship looks of the 999 and would love a 1098..just can't insure one!
virgil said:
I guess the problem with going for a new icon is, do it right and everyone will love you, do it wrong and every one will laugh and buy something else. Hence you may (rightly) have a lot of respect for Ducati producing the 999, but from what seems to be written, not that many were sold.
Absolutely... The 999 did split opinion and by the looks of it more negetive than positive. (Ducati buyers are such a fickle bunch.. 
) and can understand the U-turn with the 1098.Just thinking purely as a fan its a backwards step IMO as Ducati's have always moved the goal posts forward and the 1098 is playing safe with the old 916 style.
i like the 1098 too, when my insurance claim is eventually settled ive been thinking about buying one, or maybe hanging on until next year for the cheaper 848 but in reality i just know im going to end up going out and buying next years redesigned and rumoured to be very quick Fireblade, i think after owning and riding a fair few bikes ive quite happily settled into been rather a loyal Fireblade fan(should really change my posting name i guess 
) but i really do love the look of the Ducatis and have on occasion considered taking the plunge, i think if work goes well over the next year i may well buy an older 748 as a second bike just to ride occasionally and to know i have one tucked away in the garage, even if it does end up on SORN with a flat battery.
) but i really do love the look of the Ducatis and have on occasion considered taking the plunge, i think if work goes well over the next year i may well buy an older 748 as a second bike just to ride occasionally and to know i have one tucked away in the garage, even if it does end up on SORN with a flat battery.Edited by YamR1V64motion on Thursday 2nd August 23:38
I bought my 748SPS new in 1998 and still have it now. Thought about changing it once or twice but have never found a bike I want more. Was tempted by the 1098 but the Lambo purchase put paid to that idea, and I still prefer the looks of my 748 anyway. I've also considered an MV F4 now and again, but just can't part with my Duke. I've added some nice bits to it over the years and I still think it's the most beautiful bike ever made. It's, shamefully, only done just over 3K miles 
I keep promising to use it more but never seem able to due to time constrictions, other summer toys, and of course the shite weather.
If you use a good indie, the running costs are not as people say. A full service inc. belts, race cans fitted and injection refuelled to suit, new clutch slave cylinder seal, and MOT cost me £450 last year. I don't think that's too bad. Self-service is easy enough as with any bike, but belts and valves best done by a pro due to special tools etc. To get belts done only costs around £120 ish, rest is just fluids, filters, general checks. Haynes manual helps with most jobs.
Just added a GPZ1100A1 Unitrack to my toy cupboard though, the bike I drooled over when I was 17 and always said I'd own one day. Only 12K miles from new and fully rebuilt/restored. Looks like a 2 year old bike. Currently having some fueling issues resolved though
I keep promising to use it more but never seem able to due to time constrictions, other summer toys, and of course the shite weather. If you use a good indie, the running costs are not as people say. A full service inc. belts, race cans fitted and injection refuelled to suit, new clutch slave cylinder seal, and MOT cost me £450 last year. I don't think that's too bad. Self-service is easy enough as with any bike, but belts and valves best done by a pro due to special tools etc. To get belts done only costs around £120 ish, rest is just fluids, filters, general checks. Haynes manual helps with most jobs.
Just added a GPZ1100A1 Unitrack to my toy cupboard though, the bike I drooled over when I was 17 and always said I'd own one day. Only 12K miles from new and fully rebuilt/restored. Looks like a 2 year old bike. Currently having some fueling issues resolved though
Redbull,
GPZ - very nice.
I did a similar thing a few years ago and plunged for a Laverda Jota 180 crank (used it to commute to work for 6 months daily - i now have huge left wrist!!).
I also have a Norton 1966 Cafe Racer SS500cc.
And use a 1997 Fireblade Foxeye as daily commute and can't let it go as it just does what is on the tin!!
GPZ - very nice.
I did a similar thing a few years ago and plunged for a Laverda Jota 180 crank (used it to commute to work for 6 months daily - i now have huge left wrist!!).
I also have a Norton 1966 Cafe Racer SS500cc.
And use a 1997 Fireblade Foxeye as daily commute and can't let it go as it just does what is on the tin!!
hornetrider said:
Redbull, not being funny mate, but the running costs are low for yours cos the bleeding thing never sees the light of day!
3k miles in 9 years? Shame on you sir, shame on you!
3k miles in 9 years? Shame on you sir, shame on you!
Yup, you're not wrong - shameful I know. In my defence I did also have an XJR1300 from 2002 until March this year which took some of the miles off the Duke, still not many though. I have a van for work so don't even have any cause to use it for occasional commuting. I love it when I do ride it though, I just don't do enough of it. On the odd nice day we've had this year the Lambo has got the nod because I've only had it about 3 months, but I will get the Duke out more, honestly I will 
Edited by RedBull on Friday 3rd August 23:17
Red or yellow, they are a great bit of engineering. I think this is what interests me most - I probably won't do more than a few hundred miles a year - but I expect I will look at the bike every time I walk into the garage. They have an indescribable visual 'balance' where everything just looks right. Can't wait.
Watching Foggy ride as a kid made me want to get a bike, so when I had the chance to ride a 916SPS last year I was worried if might be a case of "never meet your heroes".
I couldn't have been more wrong (or relieved)... the noise was just ungodly, the stability inspiring and the acceleration was otherworldly. It never sounded that fast, but you just wound on the gas and everything just got sucked in like you'de pulled the plug on the horizon behind you.
I was giggling in my helmet like a school boy and trying to maintain concentration as the euphoria swept over me. It IS as good as I had dared dream.
The bike I rode was fairly extensively tuned and fettled, but it matters not. One day soon I will have to have one. Not easy finding a good one though...
I couldn't have been more wrong (or relieved)... the noise was just ungodly, the stability inspiring and the acceleration was otherworldly. It never sounded that fast, but you just wound on the gas and everything just got sucked in like you'de pulled the plug on the horizon behind you.
I was giggling in my helmet like a school boy and trying to maintain concentration as the euphoria swept over me. It IS as good as I had dared dream.
The bike I rode was fairly extensively tuned and fettled, but it matters not. One day soon I will have to have one. Not easy finding a good one though...
daytona600 said:
Watching Foggy ride as a kid made me want to get a bike, so when I had the chance to ride a 916SPS last year I was worried if might be a case of "never meet your heroes".
I couldn't have been more wrong (or relieved)... the noise was just ungodly, the stability inspiring and the acceleration was otherworldly. It never sounded that fast, but you just wound on the gas and everything just got sucked in like you'de pulled the plug on the horizon behind you.
I was giggling in my helmet like a school boy and trying to maintain concentration as the euphoria swept over me. It IS as good as I had dared dream.
The bike I rode was fairly extensively tuned and fettled, but it matters not. One day soon I will have to have one. Not easy finding a good one though...
What power was it pushing? I ask as i've always been lead to believe that Dukes are slow compared to their IL4 counterparts?I couldn't have been more wrong (or relieved)... the noise was just ungodly, the stability inspiring and the acceleration was otherworldly. It never sounded that fast, but you just wound on the gas and everything just got sucked in like you'de pulled the plug on the horizon behind you.
I was giggling in my helmet like a school boy and trying to maintain concentration as the euphoria swept over me. It IS as good as I had dared dream.
The bike I rode was fairly extensively tuned and fettled, but it matters not. One day soon I will have to have one. Not easy finding a good one though...
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