I would say the period of shit quality was between 1994 and 2007. Post W201 190e. Much better since then but not the company they used to be. Calling plastic Leather does not help their case one jot
Possibly more like 40-50, The 90s Mercs rusted like nothing else and the suspension was a nightmare. My father in law had a couple and they were crap. The 90s one was nice inside but ate suspensions bushes for fun and was heavy and slow. The 08 one was awful, felt like a Vauxhaul inside. Compared to the 70s and 80s ones they were so poor compared to other brands available at the time. Not messed about with any post 2015 ones, but if they are even worse now I shudder to think how bad they are.
It links to the tank so not easy to lose it either. My first thought was ditch that and it would be ok. But Ducati say noooooooo
Remember how utterly fugly almost everyone thought the 999 was, compared to the 916, when it came out 22 years ago? I’m telling you. This thing will be a collector in 20 years…
Exclusive in the car world these days is - Bugatti, Ferrari, McLaren etc. I don't think even Porsche or Aston Martin qualify any more. Once a company starts producing an SUV, regardless of how good it is, they are chasing the volume market.
And if anyone from here buys one they'll be dead in 20 years time or sat in a nursing home smelling of piss and Werthers
20 years? Some on here have the outlook of a 90 years old. ‘When I were a lad Ducati’s were always red and broke down every ride…..etc etc ‘
Time for my opinion. I'm not sure I like the headlight etc. but on the whole it's a nice bike. BUT It's in no way any sort of tribute to the 1970's 750SS, which was the most sporting thing a brave rider could buy at the time. A more fitting tribute would in my opinion be a paint jobbed up V2 smaller engined Pani based bike built to be light, handle exceptionally, and probably be the ultimate track day tool without the excess of a huge engined V4 etc. It wouldn't matter that it's a modern design, it's the ethos and sporting credentials of the original 750SS that made it desirable. The bike they've launched would in my opinion be far more of a tribute to the original Monster range, which if you squint it's actually got a very similar profile to.
Why don't they start re-making the actual 750ss, not a tribute, scrambler with poncy bits stuck on it but the real thing - I'm sure loads would buy it...
I doubt the costs involved justify the end product. How much would you be prepared to pay for a new 750SS?
I think I read somewhere that they replaced the bevels by belt driven motors (Pantah) to reduce production costs in the mid 80s…
I think when bike manufacturers start producing retro repros it can be almost an admission of defeat or a loss of ideas. The exception possibly being Triumph with their Bonneville range. The very name Bonneville is so iconic and universally recognised it would almost be foolish not to exploit it. Ducati's heritage is much more esoteric. Most of the biking public couldn't tell the difference between a 750SS and a 900 Superlight and are probably ignorant of the details of the marque's racing history. Ducati have always been at their most commercially successful when they've looked forward, not back, pushed the tech envelop and done things that no one else is doing. The Monster was a case in point. It was relatively low tech, daringly odd, totally distinctive and hugely successful. I can't tell Ducati where they should go next, and that's the point. If you can see it coming it doesn't have the wow factor, and it's the wow factor that Ducati thrive on. They did it with the Monster, the sheer gorgeousness of the 916, the weirdly wonderful shouldn't-work-but-does Diavel that made everyone go WTF! I don't know what the hell it is but I love it. You could kind of say the same of the Multistrada. It didn't invent the adventure style sector, BMW and KTM did, but the Multis reinvented it and made everyone else catch up. I my humble opinion that's what Ducati do best.
