Morning Ducatters 

Quote from: Howie on February 14, 2026, 09:59:52 AMOh! I'm getting a new toy.  I'll post later.

morning

Hope everyone has a great start to their week!

This past Saturday and Sunday were the first two days without rain in two weeks here.  Temps have been normal.  Got some more rain early this week, then hopefully sunshine this coming weekend.

Thanks for the compliment.

I like what companies are doing with swingarm mounted plate holders  that integrate signals.  Great way to clean up behind the seat.  Triumph has a couple examples of tidy seats with these swingarm mounted plate/signal combos.

I do like the bodywork extending above the front wheel on this '73' model,  i've always thought that space has been underutilized.

Yamaha had(has ?) a 450cc dirtbike thumper where the intake is at the front and exhaust out the back.  I wanted to see them do some innovative street scrambler with that motor.  I think engine placement could have been really close the the front wheel.  That would have opened up a skeleton of tubes behind it to hold the rider up.

I like the Honda V3 concept.  I don't know what their plans are for that.

I like the Piaggio three wheeled scooter platform.  The bodywork execution though, ugh.  It's like they're actively trying to bore you to death.  Yamaha had (has ?) a three wheeled bike that I've seen one of here in Portugal.  Bodywork execution on that is slightly better, but it's got two fork tubes per side and they made them blue.  Oof.

Last thing: I like the design potential of electric motors on bikes.  I've seen a few designs I like but the battery pack (necessitated by kWH capacity) are huge lumps of...boring.  I don't think I could do better, but...

I haven't ridden anything in almost five years.  I don't have plans to change that.  I don't follow the industry much anymore.  That said, I still perk an ear up when I hear a good sounding bike zip past me.  So, some part of me still desires it.

This was fun.  Thanks for asking.
Ride safe!

Another find today.  This video was done by the Peterson Museum and covers the 916 and various versions. It features the last variants including the last one the 998 Matrix. Only about 315 of these rare bikes were produced.  I have never seen one!

Part two of the series can be seen by looking at the other options at the end of Part one.

Found this video made by Motorcycle News in the UK. This time riding the Ducati 916 in 2025. Meet the legend and view what is acknowledged as the most beautiful motorcycle of all time.



What a beauty!!!!!!!!

Record high of 68* in Denver today. Still exceptionally dry.  The rain that was supposed to happen this past week didn't materialize.  Might get some this week.

Quote from: Stella on February 15, 2026, 04:50:43 PMRan out of ice......from the indoors ice maker. A bit to spare from the outdoor maker it appears.   

You need to remain...flexible.

The icemaker in the fridge died long ago. It's just about time to replace the fridge. It's 16 years old.