Going Italian

Well I have been spurred on by recent stories about close squeaks here with members nearly crossing the line but thankfully have pulled through so we can enjoy their company.
And to boot my wifes father is gravely ill and if he makes this Xmas which would be good we will be very lucky as they have placed a DNR on his file now.

I have been without a bike for nearly 30 years I sold my VF1000R Honda in 1987 and have regretted it ever since, though my wife put a caveat on me not long after we met about owning one.
As she had done research behind my back with a few of my riding buddies in the day and their opinion of me whilst a safe rider with others around me, I was a maniac (Really).
So with this in the back of my mind and my own journey towards that line I have got clearance and will pick these 2 up on the 20/10/2018.

Pic#1 New 2018 Ducati V4 Panigale "S" 1103cc is mine a 195Kg (Wet) bike with 214HP has more bells whistles and controls than sideshow alley at a fair and the space shuttle.
Got a tail tidy, tank protector, ARIA metal flake green/red/white helmet, Ducati leather jacket and Ducati racing gloves will look very spiffy I reckon.

Pic#2 New 2018 White Ducati Supersport 937cc is for my wife coming with tank protector, heated grips, panniers and a taller screen (Touring Pack) cheaper that way.
It develops 113HP for a 203Kg (Wet) she is excited about but very scared about the power but in street mode it will only give you 75Hp but with a little bit more torque than her 500RA Honda at 49HP 196Kg (Wet)

And thats it really as I recon I have 4-5 years riding in me as a Sports rider so after that park up the V4 and jump on my SuperBlackbird which is a tourer and away I go!!!!

Ducatis are beautiful bikes. I think you need to get a Moto Guzzi to complete the set though.

Second that one, not really into modern bikes, but the engine note and looks of the Ducati are just gorgeous!

Very sorry to hear about your Father in Law Ron, tough times mate...

Thanks Clarky appreciated

Umm sorry Paul mate I am not into Guzzi's just Rice burners and Grappa Burners!
My mate had a Le-Mans 850 MKIII or II in the 80's done up by Stalarsky's in Perth had hotly worked engine with Lafrenconi exhaust system etc he reckons it was good for about 160MPH.

Laverda?

Naaah! my riding buddies here reckon Laverda Jota's and the like rattle themselves to bits, I mean most of the fairing, footpeg & other important bolts on my 848 Ducati have medium strength Loctite on them now as I found the Ducati condition not long ago of 3 bolts rattling out of the carbon fiber heat shield.............

Mate, you know you want one, Admit it --- Audace - Moto Guzzi

Six speed, shaft drive, 1380 cc, 71 kW...

:D

:yikes::yikes: No not a Guzzi never that thing well its 104Kg heavier than the V4, develops 86.8Kw (116.39Hp) less horse power also the V4 develops 124Nm of Torque which the Guzzi is closest to matching at 121Nm guess I will wave to the rider of such a machine as I either do a flyby and suck the headlight off it or go around the outside of it on a sweeper.;):thup:

:super:

Safe & sound in the shed was a little damp coming home but no biggy the bike shop scrubbed in the tyres yesterday so we did not have to worry about slippery tyres anyway.

I have the V4 on street mode and most of the settings I modded to safe & stable initial impressions of that motor only allowed to 6K on the tacho its got ooodles of power to spare.
That still leaves me 8,500 to go apparently reports have the bike as very capable its the riders endurance that is the limiter when you get the thing in race mode with high engine out put.
The electronics package is mind boggling going to take a while to figure & tailor it.

My wife is very happy with her 937 Supersport S loves the heated grips we left that in street mode as that sets it up with only 75HP, so its back to me teaching her how to ride a bigger more powerful bike.

Terrific :thup:

Very rarely see a Ducati on UK roads these days, not like back in the later 90's early 2000's, when we were still in the post Foggy era, and Duc sales were through the roof.

I loved my Ducati M750 Corse which I owned from 2001 to 2004 when it was stolen. Can beat the sound of a Duc twin running Termi's :super:

Got the V4 & the 848 out as they needed to bond! I just thought it would be nice to get them together, the little 848 with the mods its got including Termignoni carbon slip ons surprises allot of other bikes.
We have a good straight section of isolated highway for the V4 once its run in and then some to try a full power sprint up to 4th gear why you ask!
Well all the footage I have seen on this bike the speedo stops at 299 Klm/Hr with 1,400 revs before the redline and the bike is still accelerating nope not for me...............

Also a proud moment for my wife she has only done 26klm's on the Supersport S but likes the feel of the bike but is still a bit timid due to the increase in size, she will be fine I feel.

Sorry you had your bike stolen I know the feeling having my practically brand new Z900 stolen in 1976 never recovered.......:(

What, just the S, not the Ducati Panigale V4 Speciale at $40K. If you hadn't spent that $13K on the wife's bike..........

Kidding aside, those are two beautiful looking rides.

Still, Guzzi is No. 1

Attachment 96767Attachment 96768Attachment 96769

Out today for 5.5 hour run with my wife we stopped at a small shop in the middle of nowhere Nilup Store for a breather and cool drinks I got a happy snapped by my wife she is awesome on her new bike and saved it from a nasty incident when the clutch cable swaged fitting jumped out on the actuating arm keeper on the clutch effectively giving her no clutch.
Thankfully she was only in 2nd gear but its not easy to stop a bike with no clutch she applied the front brake and stalled it out whilst keeping it upright as most times the bike will dive left or right and down you go.

I blamed the QA at the factory as the bikes come pre assembled and it would not have been easy to spot when un-crated besides she has done over 350klms on it.

Another stable mate going back to the maker when I first started riding I started out on a 1973 Honda XR75 a most powerful beast.:lol:

So the NON Italian is;

50th Year Anniversary HONDA 02/09 Repsol Fireblade Build No.383 comes with spare OEM pipes, Spare Fairings, Repsol bike cover, 4-1 system, ECU flashed.
Honda never released nor has made it known how many they made of these bikes in any year the real rare ones are the 2009 Aussie ones of which they only built 270 if I am correct.
Anyway it will keep the Panigale V4 honest but still wont beat it!:p

Be home here next w/end.

Looks like it's going 100 mph standing there Ron!

Powerful looking beast mate...

Well, grudgingly, but it’s ok:lol:

Home safe now to concorse it up to my standards ready for the planned run tomorrow be nice on the twisties but as I have only ridden it 165klms on a fairly straight highway its nice and easy tomorrow with a touch of wrist every now and then of course in moderation the 4-1 sounds awesome.

Very nice Ron, every time I read your threads I start looking for a Duke 748.......... some nice ones about and prices are very reasonable at this time of year.

Decided to make "The Angry One." my V4 Ducati "S" my own as the Ducati Red whilst very nice needed breaking up so I went along the line of a littleis more it looks quite nice and not done up like a "Speciale" because its not one of those but wanted something different its even more exclusive now, well to me anyway.

We put "real carbon" wrap in the ram air intakes in the fairings nose they look really good as later on a carbon fibre front m/guard is coming along with a rear hugger.

Bella bestia, Cinders. Bravo!
Davvero un bel lavoro!:clap::D:p

My new stable mate to keep my other brood company 2012 1199cc Ducati Panigale "S" V twin 1,500Klm's on the clock just had everything done to it 80 klm's ago, and that is all for this black duck a 178Kg bike with 195HP it will be named The Nasty One...……...I am not saying much but if you know your bikes it is a big outlay I have put together with the Ducati 848, 2018 V4 Ducati "S", Ducati 2018 Supersport, Repsol Honda, Blackbird 1100XX and now this one the MFWF has me in the cross hairs and I am Ducing (Get It.):lol: