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Supreme Being
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 23rd August 2010 20:19
Posts: 1,002,
Visits: 1,795
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... i've got rid of it!
It all started with a trip to the local dealership to get a tub of brake grease that Halfords and the other local motor factors hadn't got in stock. They had a rather tasty Ducati Monster 620ie which took my eye - and at a price I could afford if I traded in the B12. I mulled it over for a week and then popped back in next weekend for a closer look. It had been lowered (previous lady owner) and when I sat on it I knew it was far too small and cramped for me. I was about to leave when the salesman pointed me to a Ducati GT1000 which was their own demonstrator - one year old and just 1000 miles. One 30-minute test ride and another week to think it over, and I went and did the deed last Saturday. I got almost as much for the B12 as I paid for it, and the new bike is a minter.
I'll put a review in when I've done a few miles on it. But as an initial impression - it utterly rocks. Torquey, light, and it handles like a dream. And the sound!
Top tip. If you're in a bike shop and the salesman chucks you a set of keys and says "take her for a spin mate, no obligation", DO NOT ACCEPT.
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2003 ST1300 Pan Euro
1995 Yam XT600E
http://goingfastgettingnowhere.blogspot.com/
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Supreme Being
Group: Administrators
Last Login: 15th July 2009 14:41
Posts: 377,
Visits: 2,187
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| Morning Mr. Dog, howze the new job going? Bought a new bike then. As your attorney I advise you to get some open pipes on board, Termi's would be nice (if they make them for that model), some clip ons, fishermans socks and a seat cowl - cafe racer'd right up Give us a 500 miles into ownership review mate.
Sideways through time
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Supreme Being
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 23rd August 2010 20:19
Posts: 1,002,
Visits: 1,795
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| Answers in order: 1. Job's going great, thanks. Very busy, but keeps me out of mischief. 2. Ducati do a package of Termis, revised air filter cover and a reprogrammed ECU. I want one, badly, but the cost is between 800 and 1100 notes, depending on who you ask. So, that'll be a no, then. If you know or hear of any third-party provider, I would be interested to know. It's got fairly flat bars, and the riding position is more leant-forward than the B12. If I made any modification at all, it would be to put the footrests further to the rear as I like to keep my back straight. 3. Review will be submitted when I have a few more miles on it. Cheers
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2003 ST1300 Pan Euro
1995 Yam XT600E
http://goingfastgettingnowhere.blogspot.com/
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Supreme Being
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 5th July 2008 20:20
Posts: 396,
Visits: 707
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Get some pics up 
The car in front, is now behind!
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Supreme Being
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 27th April 2009 13:10
Posts: 137,
Visits: 199
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My god I cant believe you got rid of a sensible bike and went for the mid life cricis thing, well bloody done, I bet she is beautiful, so what have you called her? I am really chuffed for you and as Ems says lets see some pics.....
..............................................................................................Its not the years of your life but the life in your years...or thanks to Black Dog, Its not the men in your life but the life in your men"....
www.yam-xt.com
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Supreme Being
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 23rd August 2010 20:19
Posts: 1,002,
Visits: 1,795
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It really is a mid-life crisis thing! It's smaller, slower, and top speed is limited by how hard I can hang on rather than how long I can keep the throttle pinned. It was a bad move, on the surface - BUT:
The sound, and the way it makes the power, are sublime. It's just as quick at all normal road speeds, but it's just such a fantastic machine to ride. The handling is out of this world. I had got used to muscling the Bandit around to make it go round corners. On the Ducati, you think of a corner, and you're round it. It's just so light and precise. I've fallen in love all over again!
Best trick on the country lanes round me, where anything over 50 is suicidal, is to keep it in second between 3 and 4k revs. Just accelerate hard out of a corner, then shut off for the next. I'll try to describe the noise:
Braaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap - NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Braaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap - NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
It's lovely. I could do it all day.
Will post pics when I get a nice day to take some. At the moment it's drizzly and miserable.
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2003 ST1300 Pan Euro
1995 Yam XT600E
http://goingfastgettingnowhere.blogspot.com/
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Supreme Being
Group: Administrators
Last Login: 15th July 2009 14:41
Posts: 377,
Visits: 2,187
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| Seduced by the alluring voice of the Ducati eh! I've never been fortunate enough to own a Ducati but I did have a VTR1000 and then a TLR1000, both with open pipes and the noise was just fantastic on them, I used to love revving the shieize out of them on open roads, when throttling off the sound of the overrun always used to make me cackle as well. The only difference other than the power characteristics I found was cornering. On a four cylinder bike you could throttle off through a corner, on the 'V' bikes that I owned you had to at the very least trail the throttle or rev it through a corner/roundabout otherwise it felt like it was falling over. Have been offered a 1098 for a coupla days to write a review on, but it's a privately owned machine so might have to wait 'till the weather gets better 'cos it will get filthy and wet roads, cold hands, dark nights, slow moving winter traffic etc are not commensurate with giving it a damn good hiding a thorough road testing, ready for the new UKBiker reviews onsite with a bit of video and pix (can't wait) You be easy now and don't get sucked into all that buy lifestyle products gig. A wardrobe of Ducati t-shirts, hoodies, fleeces, caps, coats, overalls, etc etc will cost you the same as a pair of handcrafted Termignoni's. Do you wanna PM me to arrange a T as promised? Keep it all upright and enjoy thrapping sonic booms off the Welsh hills
Sideways through time
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Supreme Being
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 23rd August 2010 20:19
Posts: 1,002,
Visits: 1,795
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| Yes, it does feel a bit fall-overy if you enter a corner on zero throttle, but on a neutral throttle it just glides through. I'm still feeling my way about, so no extreme lean angles, but there is so much more feedback in every situation that I'm guessing I will be hooliganising the main roads round here a bit more than before. Yep, that V-twin over-run sound. Highly addictive. Funnily enough, the bike it most reminds me of is my old V50 Guzzi - lighter to handle (not in Kg but relatively, if you see what I mean) and more powerful, but the same vibe and excites the same fun sensors. Brrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap - NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN. Sorry. Will PM you about the T thingy.
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2003 ST1300 Pan Euro
1995 Yam XT600E
http://goingfastgettingnowhere.blogspot.com/
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