ducati are too expensive.....now in particular, and a bike more attractive used than new because of this. I had a 1098s and also bought my 999r Fila, the 1098 was ex demo with 700 miles and 5 months old, the 999r was 5 years old with 385 miles and inpractically new condition at under half it price new, so well worth it. However the comment above re the looks etc the exotic bikes get is relevant, not because of show, but they are quite unique thoroughbreds.
The 1098 isn't all that really, and under engineered for the price compared to the astonishing RSV Mille Factory which at least comes wth carbon, unlike the Duke which you have to buy extra.
When i learned the crank bearing was the same as the monster, on the 's' mid range model on top of other reasons it got sold. The engine isn't that strong or tuneable. So you have to buy an 'r'. Which has no carbon anything like the older models like the 999r.
Ducati have continually raised the prices for less quality. The 999r and 749r got less carbon as time went on.
Servicing is silly prices, and because the product is unique, it is also mileage sensitive, meaning if you dare to use it the value plummets, and if you don't service it the value plummets, even if yu don't use it. This is what makes it stupid.
This problem is caused by anoraks who perceive they may be buying a crumbling mess is it has been serviced at home, or by miles alone. It happens with Ferarri, Porsche, M.B. etc and M.V. and so on.
Another problem is the trend started by Kawasaki with the 636 where the engines get a cc hike to keep the performance figures up, which is cheating. We cn all get a bit more power just doing that, but if you don't develop the engines core, that is all you will hav available. Ducati have cheated by throwing in pistons 100cc bigger, then claiming massive performance, and we all fell for it, now it is pluss 200cc, and we fall for it again.
Soon they will be harley size cylinders!
1000cc bikes need to be 1000cc bikes and Ducati have never produced for the road, a more powerfull 1000cc bike than the 999r which is why i bought one, and sold the cheat bike which was plummeting in value before a service was due and with low miles, as they keep chucking out replacement/additional models that the ducatisti all go running after.
They are fools to themselves, as their reaction reduces residuals. Ducati hold a small marketplace, and more 1098s were sold because Ducati suddenly said the servicing costs were halved. Partly due to the extended interval! Isn't it funny how nothing is signiicantly different in the engine yet they can announce this? We wouldn't accept this if the second hand one we were looking at was serviced at extended intervals. Manufacturers of cars are using this tactic to sell motors, and have been for several years, and it is a farce.
Ducati make nice bikes, most bikes these days are nice, although getting smaller and smaller, to the point that for me, they are too small. Bodywork is getting less and less too on sportsbikes, making them look more like the naked range with low bars.
Kawasaki now went back to 600cc and development, and Ducati should follow this, and use the technology they already have, and evolve the v4 into a road 1000, keeping up with everyone else, and earn their money of the product, not the old reputation.
