Triumphrat

sbpark

There is a really nice shope here in san diego that recently moved a new location and to celebrate held a group ride this past sunday. They are primarily a Ducati shop, and also sell Aprillia, Moto Guzzi and Husqvarna. There were about 20 bikes on the ride, almost all Ducatis (a few 1098, a multistrada, some other ducati models and a lot of monsters mostly 1100), an Aprillia, and i was the only Triumph. all of the guys there were really nice and welcoming, and i received a ton of compliments on the thruxton, especially on the sound of the bike with the predators. one guy who was behind me in the twisties came up nest to me at a stopping point and told me he just loved the sound of the bike when i twisted the throttle. a few guys there were amazing riders and it was amazing to see how far some of those guys lean over on the twisty turns, but i felt like i held my own on the Thruxton (most of their bikes were running front tires close to the width of my rear!) the new fork springs and 15w oil performed wonderfully, and i leaned the bike over further than i had before and could take turns a little bit faster. held my own in the twisties with the majority of the riders aside from a few that were obviously guys who raced and were on top of the line sport bikes and full leathers.

one thing i have to say is i have a new appreciation for the ducatis. they just seem like quality machines and they come set up really nice from the factory. doesnt really seem like they need much as far as mods or replacing parts because they come with really nice stuff. it looked like most guys had aftermarket exhaust and that was it. i am a new fan of the look of the new monster, and eventhough i am not a sport bike fan you cant help but think the 1098 and 1198 are sick bikes, but i still dont like the sport1000. there was a guy there who had a silver paul smart sport1000 and that bike was nice though.

i still dont think i would ever buy a ducati because it doesnt suit my personality, but if you are in san diego and are in the market for one GP motorsports seems like a great shop (i dont have any association with them, just like helping out a local business). they mounted a rear sport demon for me and also had rebuild kits in stock for my neighbors '72 Dresda Bonneville. thought it was pretty cool that they had that stuff in stock!

the ride was just over 150 miles and the majority of it was super twisty roads. it was an amazing ride and cant wait to do it again!

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'07 Thruxton, Caspian Blue Checker, FCR's, 813 cams, Pieman ignitor, Predators, ported & polished head...

Dangermouse

I don't hate Ducatis -- and I largely agree with your opinions here. I have to say, though, it is surprising to me that the engine layout on Ducatis isn't more widely thought of as being ugly. Maybe it shouldn't or doesn't matter, but an L-shaped twin leaning forward just isn't visually appealing to me in any way. I can't think of any engine layout that bothers my eye as much. I can deal with Guzzis, BMW boxers, inline engines like a Rocket, and pretty much anything else I've ever seen -- but that tripping forward L just drives me nuts.

Obviously this is a matter of taste.

ruger

sbpark, you are one fortunate individual to be living in San Diego. You've got unbelievably good roads right out of town AND those great roads link to others without the need to get on freeways! They can keep Ojai, Angeles Crest, the canyons of Malibu - give me the bottom chunk of California any day!

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• Ruger •

Long may you run.
-Neil Young

Calliway

Love Ducati's and one day will own one. I was dealing on a 2005 800SS just the other day.

mm1ut1

I had a 900SS Ducati along with a Honda GB500, BMW R100CS, and a Yamaha FJ1200 while stationed in San Diego in the early 90s. Then I met my soon to be wife, sold all the bikes and moved to Wisconsin. Sometimes I stay up late at night and look at the pictures...........:

MES

You done seriously f'ed up boy Juust joking, of course.







No I'm not.

biker7

Nice review sb. Can you elaborate on why Ducati's don't fit your personality? The reason I ask is Ducati makes all kind of bikes from a hotrod version of our bikes aka GT1000 to one of the greatest sport bikes ever...the 1098 and many different iterations of the monster which is a high performance naked. Why don't they resonate with you?
George

sbpark

george-

i am not really a sport bike guy. never really been attracted to the crotch rockets at all. i know i will get bashed for this, but it's kind of like going out and buying a corvette or other really expensive sports car. what are you trying to prove or make up for?! and i am going to go on a limb and say that the overwhelming majority of guys who own those bikes cant even ride that bike anywhere near the bikes limits, or will be in a situation on the street where you can even do that, so what's the point. like i've stated before, i still haven't pushed my thruxton to it's limits, and everytime i go out i can rail on it and feel what it's capable of instead of wondering what it can do. to me, bikes like that just belong on the track, but as i say, that's my opinion and to each his own. regardless, they are gorgeous bikes, just not my cup of tea, and i dont like the way they sound (i know a lot of people like the dry clutch but to me it sounds awful) and the sport1000 is ugly in my opinion, and its more uncomfortable than my thruxton. the lines just dont flow on that bike. to me it's like they designed the tank to look nice and then everything else on it was an afterthought made around the tank. that said the new monster design is really nice, but if i was in the market for a bike like that hands down it would be a street or speed triple.

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'07 Thruxton, Caspian Blue Checker, FCR's, 813 cams, Pieman ignitor, Predators, ported & polished head...

jbiahduc

I can appreciate both. I really enjoy the time I spend on British Iron, but I can't help missing the torrid affair I had with my little red Italian friend.

I had a 2001 996 before I was married (man that seems like a lifetime ago), I loved that bike! By far the best bike I've ever ridden, everything on it worked better than you expected. It made me look good. I'm no racer, but I did some track days and I outran a lot of guys on jap fours that were probably better riders than I was. It came from the factory with Ohlins suspension and Brembo brakes, like you said, just buy some aftermarket exhaust that suit your noise thresh-hold and you're set.

I had a Daytona for a while, but I never really connected with that bike. It was nice, and I loved the sound of the triple, but it wasn't sexy like the Duc. More importantly, it just wasn't as user friendly (not talking ergonomics here). The power delivery, front end feel, and the stopping power just weren't telepathic the way the 996 was. It never inspired the confidence level the Duc gave me.

The Bonnie is a different world. It is perfectly happy taking in a lazy back road, but when I want to push, its limits are closer to my own. I can feel like I'm doing something without risking my license. I love the Bonnie too and it suits my needs better, but I still miss the 996.

JB

Calliway

After reading your post I am sitting in a corner of the room with my knees up to my chest rocking back and forth and I am sort of crying.....: