Brought home an Italian Twin
06-27-2010, 04:02 PM
#31
Member
Squid
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 48
Ive never been on a 996 (or 916, 998...hell, Ive never ridden any Duc) but its something Ive had my eye on since the 888. I tend to ride my bikes and have never been fond of the $1000 you need to drop every 6,000 miles. They remind me of an old Ferrari I had where the 30k tuneup cost $8k. Just not practical in my world (these days). With that said, I would love to have one!
Please give us your impressions as they compare to the SH!
Please give us your impressions as they compare to the SH!
06-27-2010, 04:48 PM
#32
Senior Member
Superstock
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Colorado
Posts: 338
You know besides its killer good looks, its more power, its better handling and braking, its better suspension, its lighter weight, the ducati 996 really isn't that much different than the hawk 996.
06-27-2010, 05:16 PM
#34
Out of my mind, back in 5
MotoGP
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Skurup, Sweden
Posts: 6,109
Ive never been on a 996 (or 916, 998...hell, Ive never ridden any Duc) but its something Ive had my eye on since the 888. I tend to ride my bikes and have never been fond of the $1000 you need to drop every 6,000 miles. They remind me of an old Ferrari I had where the 30k tuneup cost $8k. Just not practical in my world (these days). With that said, I would love to have one!
Please give us your impressions as they compare to the SH!
Please give us your impressions as they compare to the SH!
Like most bikes they come with a manual... If you read it, it says you need to check the valves, not adjust them all the time... And when you do need to adjust them, well it's not rocket science... But agreed, Honda's are a lot easier to work on...
06-27-2010, 05:26 PM
#35
Out of my mind, back in 5
MotoGP
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Skurup, Sweden
Posts: 6,109
It's a bike, not a deity...Now a Norton Rotary, or a Desmosedici, or an oldschool GP500 bike... That's a work of art...
Doesn't mean I wouldn't race anyone of them if I had the chance though...
Would probably scare myself half to death, but it's worth it...BTW I did get the chance to take a Honda NSR GP500 replica around a track for a few laps... Quite a lot tamer than the real deal according to a former GP500 pilot who tried the same bike... Well enough to make me take it easy though...
Last edited by Tweety; 06-27-2010 at 05:40 PM.
06-27-2010, 05:58 PM
#36
Senior Member
MotoGP
Join Date: May 2008
Location: San Clemente, CA
Posts: 3,451
My ridding/surfing buddy has a 2002 yellow 998 he bought new. The body work and frame look identical to your 996. He has Termignoni carbon fiber exhaust, dry clutch and turn signals removed front and rear. I don't know how he keeps from getting pulled over, but it's never happened to him. He also has a red 851, but he says the 998 handles much better. That single sided swing arm sure looks nice.
I need to trade with him one of these days when we're on a ride. But I don't think he'll like the way my VTR handles, especially since my suspension is stock and he weighs 50 pounds more than me.
I need to trade with him one of these days when we're on a ride. But I don't think he'll like the way my VTR handles, especially since my suspension is stock and he weighs 50 pounds more than me.
06-27-2010, 07:27 PM
#37
Senior Member
Superstock
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Kansas City
Posts: 499
Ive never been on a 996 (or 916, 998...hell, Ive never ridden any Duc) but its something Ive had my eye on since the 888. I tend to ride my bikes and have never been fond of the $1000 you need to drop every 6,000 miles. They remind me of an old Ferrari I had where the 30k tuneup cost $8k. Just not practical in my world (these days). With that said, I would love to have one!
Please give us your impressions as they compare to the SH!
Please give us your impressions as they compare to the SH!
I'll post up more as I get more time to ride on some decent roads (if I can find any here on the KS/MO border). so far, riding position isn't as extreme as most people tend to cry about. I need to get more than an hour in the saddle at a time though to know for sure.
It's definitely not made for around town...feels heavy steering at low speeds and the undertail exhaust gets pretty warm when you get stuck in traffic. all this goes away when you get going...the smile comes back as soon as you twist that grip too
power is great, and deceptive....smooth throughout the rev range and it never feels like you're getting a huge rush at any particular rpm and above...it's just strong all the way through. it doesn't like to lug along at <3000 rpm though (which the Superhawk doesn't tend to complain about). she revs very quick.
braking puts the Hawk to shame (that was expected though).
I haven't done enough yet to comment on suspension feel, although it's handled some bumps at a decent lean angle with no problem.
I'll try and keep my thoughts together and do a few same day comparison rides on the same routes and let you guys know more
tell you what, the Duc is one hell of a head turner
06-27-2010, 07:43 PM
#38
Senior Member
MotoGP
Join Date: May 2008
Location: San Clemente, CA
Posts: 3,451
I hear you. My buddy, on one of his Ducs, always gets the looks anywhere we go. But since I got my Yoshimura titanium slip-ons, with the street baffles removed, I get a few looks as well.
When we get in tight twisties, I don't even try to keep up if he's leading. But he's been impressed with the punch I get out of corners, when I'm in front.
When we get in tight twisties, I don't even try to keep up if he's leading. But he's been impressed with the punch I get out of corners, when I'm in front.
06-27-2010, 09:58 PM
#39
Member
Squid
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 48
I never did understand why people said Ducati's where expensive to service... During the three years I owned a 748 my only cost for service was oilfilters, oil and various other small part...
Like most bikes they come with a manual... If you read it, it says you need to check the valves, not adjust them all the time... And when you do need to adjust them, well it's not rocket science... But agreed, Honda's are a lot easier to work on...
Like most bikes they come with a manual... If you read it, it says you need to check the valves, not adjust them all the time... And when you do need to adjust them, well it's not rocket science... But agreed, Honda's are a lot easier to work on...
06-28-2010, 01:28 AM
#40
Out of my mind, back in 5
MotoGP
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Skurup, Sweden
Posts: 6,109
I did ~5000 miles in three years on that 748... And during that time it did not return to any dealer for any service... During that time it needed adjustment on the valves once... And when I sold it the buyer had it checked by a duc mechanic, who commented that the engine was "as new"...
06-28-2010, 05:14 PM
#42
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MotoGP
Join Date: May 2008
Location: San Clemente, CA
Posts: 3,451
06-28-2010, 10:03 PM
#44
Out of my mind, back in 5
MotoGP
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Skurup, Sweden
Posts: 6,109
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