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From Buell to Duc... a story about changes!

11K views 44 replies 20 participants last post by  signit98 
#1 ·
First Post! Go Ducati! Harleys suck blah blah blah
 
#2 ·
Happiness...is a warm Duc. Bang bang, shoot shoot.



A truly happy person...so rare these days!



I've scaled back to a Speed Four for my high-mileage commuting but I know what you mean. How nice that a motorcycle has brought you happiness. Sure it's temporary but so is all happiness. Ride on.
 
#3 ·
Ahhh...your quest for eternal happiness is now over! Or were you just as happy with the other bikes initially? The other owner rode a whopping 5K miles in 3 years (overt Gabe Manifesto reference) and was probably just as happy initially. How long till all that "character" becomes irritating?



Oh well, enjoy the bike, but you already know that your happiness will most likely be fleeting. The greatest happiness of all is to be content with what you have. I struggle with it every day....
 
#6 ·
I went from an RC51 to a Duc 999.

I also found the mechanical noises quite upsetting.

after 5K and counting, on the odometer, the only thing that actually bothers me is the dry clutch. Annoying isn't strong enough.

sit at a light and let out the clutch and it grabs at a different point EVERYTIME!

oh well.



the handling is pure heaven, the heat it generates is pure hell.

 
#7 ·
Trade Buell XB12S for a Ducati 999???

Our local track here in the Phoenix area has a test ride day and brought several Ducs to test ride.

I rode the 999 and ST3 and was very impressed with both actually to the point of planning my next purchase to be a 999. The bike just flat went like stink around the track without any drama what so ever. The ST3 as well although I dragged the center stand hard on the ST3 in the very first corner after coming off of the 999.

My only concerns about this trade were just what you mentioned. COST!!!! Not just in what the extra price of the bike would be but what about insurance costs on a 999 and what kind of mileage and reliability does it have?
 
#8 ·
Re: Trade Buell XB12S for a Ducati 999???

I pay $1,800. foremost insurance . in N.J.

I have an 05 999

I'm 51 and clean record!! what a rip .. huh?

and about maintenance?

clutch lasts 6K at best.

that's the service interval.

I don't ride the clutch, drag it out, do wheelies or anything to cause excessive wear...

I'm in line for a new one already . $190. for the clutch. plus installation.

first service is approx $400.

next service (at 6K) is about $5600. maybe more.

everything is expensive. ducs are just a little more.

oil change is over $100.
 
#10 ·
Track days = Heroin of the two wheeled junkie

>>The good folks at Ducati of Oceanside are organizing Track Days at Willow springs ...

Beware of track days!!!

After taking my 996 to the track a few times the street wasn't fun anymore. I needed more and more track time. Soon I was selling my 996 just to get my fix. I resorted to the crack house of motorcycles... the Kawi EX500 racer.

Racing had its hold on me as I spent all my time, energy and money on getting my next track time fix. Soon Visa was calling me about that trip to Daytona. The landlord called about late rent and my buddy wanted me to clean up the mess in his garage. (I could swap an EX motor in less than 45 minutes)

Now I'm going through therapy and being introduced to two wheels slowly. Starting with a bicycle. They say if I can handle that I can move up one notch to a Harley.
 
#11 ·
Great write up! I enjoy hearing other people's experiences. I am actually thinking of performing the opposite trade- I have a Ducati SuperSport now, and am looking to sell or trade for a Buell or Speed Triple. The handling and braking on my duc is great, and the power is plenty to get me into trouble. Only downside is the riding position, it's not the position itself, it's the lack of airflow. On those hot days, I get hotter quicker than on unfaired bikes.



Thanks for the submission. Enjoy your new bike!
 
#13 ·
Duc > Buell ZX-6R>Duc .'. ZX-6R> Buell

Thanks for validating my next purchase a 06 ZX-6R Kawasaki 636. I love how the BuellerMuellers get on MO saying how their 1940's vintage engined Buells can spank everything in site. Now we have a first hand account how a Ducati spanked a Buell. Since it is common knowledge Ducati 748s and 9s are inferior to Japanese 600 inline 4s. Common knowledge meaning racing results and every motorcycle comparo known to man. By extrapolation one must conclude that the ZX-6R and it's Japanese brethren are indeed superior to Buells.. Thanks signit98.

By the way I suspect those who think 600s are not the best value in motorcycles have either never ridden one or rode a 600 10 years ago...By the way my 01 ZX-6R has 98 hp

By the way this is a idiotic troll :)
 
#18 ·
Typically you can save yourself a bit of service cash by removing all the plastic before you take the bike in.



I've had mine serviced at GP Motorcycles in San Diego since I bought it.



The jingle-jangle clutch and whumpa-whumpa valvetrain noise are all part of the Ducati music.
 
#21 ·
Re: Why is it?

Your insecurity astounds me. Are you really so weak minded and unsure of yourself that you have to validate your decision to ride a 600cc Kawasaki by deriding anything different than what you ride?

I used to think you were stupid. I have figured out that you have prevalent insecurity issues. You're only able to validate your decisions by viewing all other choices as inferior. A secure person makes a decision for a particular situation, and moves on. Your insecurity prevents you from simply accepting your decision; you have to rationalize your decision by

convincing yourself all others are wrong.

If you were secure, you wouldn't care what decisions other people made. You'd be glad that they're happy.

You need help.
 
#23 ·
Re: Track days = Heroin of the two wheeled junkie

Track day addiction is probably a real chemical addiction to whatever adrenaline, endorphins, or whatever else your body generates during track time. Watch the movie Riding Giants and note how Laird Hamilton, a big wave surfer, gets truly depressed when there are no waves.
 
#24 ·
Re: Why is it?

Nope. I have 8 motorcycles. 4 dirt bikes, 4 street bikes. Some air cooled, some water cooled. Singles, twins, Hondas, Yamahas, BMWs. None of my bikes have been back in a shop after I've purchased them. I do all maintenance/repair/modification myself. Even have built my own CDI boxes.

Since I was twelve, I've probably owned 20 motorcycles. I worked as a mechanic at a Honda/Yamaha/Suzuki/Kawasaki shop. Back in the late 1970s/early 1980's, hopped up a TON of Kz900/KZ100s. I like I-4's as much as anyone. I used to demo EVERYTHING.

My favorite ride of all time was the 1979 Honda CBX. I-6. The most technologically advanced motorcycle of its day, and it is STILL beautiful. Too bad i was only 18 when it came out, and I was saving for engineering school.

The whole point is that I've ridden everything, and can see benefits and disadvantages to everything I've ridden. Engineers make choices, designers make choices, and CONSUMERS make choices.

To disavow someone's decision is childish and illustrates your security problems. How many different motorcycles have you ridden? Have you ridden a Buell? I have. I liked it. I decided not to buy one, and moved on. My brother has a Buell (one of only a few in Switzerland), and he loves it. Good for him. He's happy.
 
#25 ·
Re: Yer holdin' out on us!

Didn't get it yet, any day now. I had to make some changes so the Dyna fell through. I am getting a Thruxton though, that should still work out.

'Far as kickin' me out, you'll have to catch me first....I don't have a GPT anyway but my grey chin beard is almost long enough to braid, does that count?
 
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