Bikes are a blank canvas for many owners. This brand is guilty of reducing anyone to fettling with them, in one form or another, be that paintwork, accessories, exhausts, wheels. From the slightest mod to a full blown build project. It's as close to a mechanical man made disease as you can get and it's very contagious.
There is nothing wrong with taking the artistic approach, for me aesthetics are important, but performance always comes first, even if it compromises the former. It’s more an observation (to be expected) that on the Ducati Forum, style takes precedence over performance, even when discussing a pure performance machine. Also, I would not refer to sticking an Akra Can and some magnesium wheels on your superbike as converting a blank canvas
Possibly not. However I do appreciate that looks are subjective and that performance is not. Saying that, perhaps this is where our priorities differ. I want the bike to look as well as it goes. For me personally the frame colour is all wrong and it's possibly the first thing I will change. I've already posted a number of images of possible variations some of which IMHO, lend themselves better to the design of the bike. Lord knows why they decided on silver. Here for example is the Speciale with colour matched magnesium frame and swingam, when fitted with the optional mag wheels. Maybe not to everyone's taste (The swingarm looks better in mag when the black wheels are fitted and vice versa, just to add some contrast). Again I admit, totally subjective.
Personally I think you need to get the oxy acetone torch out and straighten the exhausts so they are symmetrical That would be more annoying to me than colour of frame or swing arm So I guess what I am saying is we all like / dislike different things The important thing is your happy with your bike
Yes they are odd. Looking at the inconveniently tipped over Speciale, highlights just by how much they are asymetric. I'm guessing the architecture of the back end didnt allow for another solution. Cue a 1299SL style exhaust? I heard on the grapevine that Redline Moto are producing one for the V4. Then again they have promised much but delivered little in terms of a tangible product. Let's see what Termignoni and AR come up with. Leo Vince have all but disappeared so maybe Zard might produce another option. Aftermarket manufacturers are going to be burning the midnight oil over this bike, that I am sure of.
Thing is, you can't actually ride a bike on the forum- least of all one that doesn't effectively exist at this moment- but you can play with the way it looks. I suspect this is less about people's priorities and more about what's possible at the moment, whilst everyone is in a holding pattern/ hibernation/ a wooly pully. There's only so much chatting about power you can do, most especially since no one has ridden it. Playing with the aesthetics gives us something to do.
I guess my comment was a little tongue in cheek. I like the idea of owning the V4 and cannot deny the sound of it is infectious but I doubt I'll own one anytime soon. I'm not a fan of how it looks though as previously mentioned, mainly down to the fairing and exhausts but also, if I were to consider one it would have to be the Speciale, but the asking price is madness over the 'S'. The appeal of the V4 engine is very strong but alas the design team at Ducati flunked this one. It seems like all the focus was on the engine and the styling was flung together at the last minute. I see some changes coming to this model for sure. Wish it looked more akin to the Anniversario. I will definitely have a test ride at some point next year and see if the Porsche quote of "form follows function" is indeed the case here. I suspect it will be. Looking forward to seeing it at Motorcycle live, if only to re-affirm my thoughts.
The weird thing with the Speciale price is that the R version when it comes out will be the same price since it needs to meet homologation rules for WSB, and that will have the lightweight internals faster reving engine which is incredible on the current 1199R and completely overshadows any of the added bling once you ride it.
Yep, info below for you Stu... WSBK Homologation Rules The current rules state that 125 units must be produced at the time of the first homologation inspection, 250 by the end of the bike’s first year of racing in WSBK, and 500 by the end of the second year. In an attempt to ensure that costs do not get completely out of control, engine tuning is still limited and a price cap of £35,000 has been put on all homologation bikes.
The R will be interesting. It'll be no less powerful but 103cc less displacement. With an R most of your coin goes into the engine. Plus they'll have to leave room for improvement/performance for the inevitable V4 R 2.0
The all new V4 R at £35k.......... optional wheels = £3,500, optional sports exhaust = £4,500 and optional mechanical suspension £3,500.....
The race engine has been built and in testing for some time. With the new regulations restricting revs, requiring all teams to have the same spec engine and control ecu, I'm not holding my breath for an homologation special like the 1098R step function. Far too many of what used to be regarded as exotic parts are already out there in the top end mainstream road bikes. Andy
I knew you'd come around eventually! Frame colour aside, I'm still waiting too see it next weekend before I puill the trigger. I've got a refundable deposit down at SS just to get in the queue, so I have the option to back out if it doesnt float my boat.
