First Duc ride

boom boom · #1 (**permalink**) 04-21-2006, 02:26 AM

I spent a couple of nights this week first washing and detailing,then waxing my SS1000. That thing looks like sex on wheels....never have i owned a bike that i could just sit and stare at....i fiddle with this ...adjusted that, basically set it up so that it would be comfy. Started it up enough times that the neighbors started peaking out their windows. Starting to appreciated the sound of those Remus pipes (haven't forgot about you Quickdraw). Hadn't really ridden yet just up and down the drive a couple of times. Today i had to bring it in for its federal inspection. Instead of trailering it down i called my Ins. co and had it insured for the day, so i geared up and hit the road to our local Canadian Tire (canada's fed insp garage). First impressions...this thing has grunt...it pulls hard but vibrates worse than a harley. the mirrors are almost flopping around till 50mph or so (i think some of this may be attributed to a weakened fairing cage (can this be welded or will i have to take out another mortgage) secondly i found the brakes to feel very wooden. it was difficult to get a feel for them. I found the clutch very heavy but i did sustain a bad injury to my wrist last year. ( i have read threads about an aftermarket slave that reduces pull effort...any advise) I am going to get rid of that 190 rear tire ASAP....! Now for the good news....2 minutes after pulling it into the inspection garage there was a crowd around the bike, mechanics, service writers, customers...evan the construction guys working on the new plaza (one nice guy also named mike who has a 916) the five minute inspection took 45 mins. When i left everyone stopped working until i was out of site (felt like a king)

Now this may be blasphemy to some of you ...but as i pulled back into my garage i found myself missing my gixxer... for all its beauty i was wondering if this is the bike for me. right now i don't know what to think....

foopenhiemer · #2 (**permalink**) 04-25-2006, 05:42 AM

never would of had a crowd around your gixxer. I still ride a 95 900ss. Best thing about the bike is that's it's styiling is just now starting to look a bit dated. Tell me a any of the big four bikes that can say that after 10 years.

henkieh · #3 (**permalink**) 04-27-2006, 10:23 PM

If you tune it up a little you don't mis your gixer

ironbuttduc · #4 (**permalink**) 04-29-2006, 07:29 AM

The brakes feel "wooden" because you weren't going fast enough!

I had the same impression of my SS after coming off a Honda. Thought I'd made a big mistake. It didn't have the "refinement" the Honda had. Think of it like strong coffee or dark beer, you don't like it so much at first, yet you're oddly drawn to it. After some time, you won't want anything else. You can eliminate a lot of the vibrating by running at a higher RPM. I smooths out nicely above about 4500. The clutch is heavy. That's the one complaint I still have, especially in a San Francisco traffic jam on the way to Laguna! I've heard both ways on the slave cylinder. They're about $200 so it wasn't worth it to me.

What you'll really come to love about the bike is the pull and the handling once you get it dialed in. Like being on a monorail!

Ducatis don't purr like cats like the japanese bikes do. They snarl and spit and bark, but they're fun once you "get it."

galaxy · #5 (**permalink**) 04-29-2006, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boom boom

First impressions...this thing has grunt...it pulls hard but vibrates worse than a harley. the mirrors are almost flopping around till 50mph or so (i think some of this may be attributed to a weakened fairing cage (can this be welded or will i have to take out another mortgage) secondly i found the brakes to feel very wooden. it was difficult to get a feel for them. I found the clutch very heavy but i did sustain a bad injury to my wrist last year. ( i have read threads about an aftermarket slave that reduces pull effort...any advise) I am going to get rid of that 190 rear tire ASAP....! ....

Welcolm to Ducati my friend!!!

Regearing that thing a little lower will fix a lot of the vibration problem and just all around make the bike funner to ride. One question though...are you sure that thing has a 190 on the back????

Yes, you should receive 7 lashings for the comments about the GEEEESSSRRR.

mouser830 · #6 (**permalink**) 04-29-2006, 06:20 PM

Yes a Duc is different than a Goose or the other birds.

I have owned many bikes as well and fo many of us it is a soul of a bike that is number one. I fist found this on my 2001 MotoGuzzi V-11 sport, secondly on a restored 74 MotoGuzzi Eldorado, never on my 2005 Harley Springer Classic and never on a in-line 4.

If the bike has no miles give the brakes a few hundred miles and there are inexpensive aftermarket pads.

I was amazed at the "shakes" my SS has on the highway upon roll-on. It is there and apparently part of theat "soul". My Guzzi twins were much smoother, albiet not as free reving.

I have looked and thought and looked and thought, what else would I like? Other than the "Vinvent" using the RC51 motor that never came to be and the MotoGuzzi MGS-01 Corsa.

It's a DUC

boom boom · #7 (**permalink**) 04-30-2006, 03:57 AM

thanx for the replies guys....don't get me wrong. i love this bike. i just don't like riding this bike........yet. if i were only a poser this bike would be perfect, but i am a rider. and yes this is not a typical generic cycle. owning a duc has a certain panache to it. for example i took out a cbr1000rr today and only garnered attention from people who are into bikes.(didn't really like it though) if i was on the duc..... women would propose to me, babies would offer me their candy, old folks would back into storefronts while trying to see me etc.....as my buddy says "sex on wheels" my buddy took it for a ride and lost (vibrated) the licence plate. he liked it but like me normally rides I4's or v4's. he raves about the looks (best looking motorcycle period) but could do without the vibes ....or clutch pull.... Right now i am torn...i have listed it in our local cycle ads but am still unsure if i will sell it. (maybe i should change my user name to "whiner or crybaby")

Galaxy what gearing would you suggest. and can any of you guys let me know of a new clutch cylinder that may ease the strain on my shattered left wrist. name and numbers would be helpful. also what type of front and rear brake pads can i add to give them a little feel. Has anyone experimented with alterations to the birdcage, such as filling it with sand to absorb the vibes. i am gonna have the suspension set up for my fat ass soon. tia mike

garysol1 · #8 (**permalink**) 04-30-2006, 04:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boom boom

. if i were only a poser this bike would be perfect, but i am a rider. and yes this is not a typical generic cycle. owning a duc has a certain panache to it. for example i took out a cbr1000rr today and only garnered attention from people who are into bikes

I have had my share of Ducatis (3)and Triumphs (1)and I have loved them all for diffrent reasons. When I was younger I loved the attention the Ducatis got and I loved there soul. Now I ride a souless machine that no one gives a second glance at......Guess what? It's the best and easiest to ride bike by far I have ever owned. I could care less at this point in my life about pleasing the bystanders. I want to ride for me now. I want fast and smooth, I want reliable and affordable. I have all of those things now. No soul and no cares.

Mr. Bigglesworth · #9 (**permalink**) 05-01-2006, 04:06 PM

Hi boomer

would you be interested in trading your duck for my rc 51 ?? Im in toronto...check out the ad in the classifieds....

MikeDeB · #10 (**permalink**) 05-01-2006, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boom boom

Today i had to bring it in for its federal inspection. Instead of trailering it down i called my Ins. co and had it insured for the day, so i geared up and hit the road to our local Canadian Tire (canada's fed insp garage). First impressions...this thing has grunt...it pulls hard but vibrates worse than a harley. the mirrors are almost flopping around till 50mph or so (i think some of this may be attributed to a weakened fairing cage (can this be welded or will i have to take out another mortgage) secondly i found the brakes to feel very wooden. it was difficult to get a feel for them. I found the clutch very heavy but i did sustain a bad injury to my wrist last year. ( i have read threads about an aftermarket slave that reduces pull effort...any advise) I am going to get rid of that 190 rear tire ASAP....!

I find that the perfect primary balance of the 90 degree V-twin is much smoother than the terrible primary balance of the 45 degree V-twin; I have ridden a few Harleys over the years and frankly wish I hadn't. And, my mirrors don't flop around; they are blurry though. Are you sure your SS doesn't need a tune-up? Both of my Ducs are smooth through the rev range. They are also smooth during a roll-on at highway speeds; no shakes. This may be attributable to them both being in tune, FCRs, modded airboxes and straight-thru cans.

Your brakes should not feel wooden. Consider new pads and a fluid flush.

A new clutch slave will reduce lever effort and the possibility of leaking. Yoyodyne or Evoluzione both make good slaves; Yoyodyne being the preferred one.

Yes, get rid of the 190 rear tire. Go back to the stock size of your bike. In fact, make sure both tires are of the correct size.

I love both of my Ducs. I find them fun and easy to ride. They have character and soul; which is lacking, sadly, in bikes from the big 4. And they are fun and easy to work on (for me).

If you don't feel pasionate about your Ducati, if you don't get a warm & fuzzy feeling when you first walk into the garage, if you don't feel like the luckiest person alive when you're out on a ride and you can't help patting it on the top of the vertical cylinder when the tank is off, then maybe a Ducati is not for you. And that's OK; an Italian mistress is not for everyone.

boom boom · #11 (**permalink**) 05-03-2006, 09:04 PM

Mr Biggleswworth....e-mail sent....

MikeDeB Thanx for the info I will get 'er all tuned up and will check out those clutch slaves...

And about the italian mistress....my wife is italian and i am pretty passionate about riding her

. hopefully me and the duc can come to an understanding.

thanx to all who replied.

MikeDeB · #12 (**permalink**) 05-04-2006, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boom boom

MikeDeB Thanx for the info I will get 'er all tuned up and will check out those clutch slaves...

And about the italian mistress....my wife is italian and i am pretty passionate about riding her

. hopefully me and the duc can come to an understanding.

thanx to all who replied.

You're welcome! I hope you can too.