Why did you choose a Ducati?

[yamifixer]

IN 1985 i new everything There was to know about motorcycles (i thought) there were three kinds, slow Harleys, leaky british, and jap bikes. I rode a Yamaha & had owned several Hondas. I was happy, ignorant but happy. fast forward 10 months, standing on 32nd Street naval base in San Diego a 650 Paso went by me. He turned about a block ahead of me, i sprinted down and haven't been the same since.

Plus my wife thinks they are sexxy so that helps.

[LA]

I just couldn't seem to help myself.

LA

[Desmostro]

I just couldn't seem to help myself.

LA

best answer yet 

[swampduc]

So I could hang out at the coffee shop with a bunch of overeducated misenthropes.

I'll see ya there, buddy!

[DucatiTorrey]

for me it was either a 696 or street triple. Really it came down to sound (termis ) heritage (i know they both have it, but italy... you know) and looks. I do love the looks of the Striple, but i love my 696 even more. i was a little bummed when the street triple R came out, but oh well. I am also jealous of the metal body of the striple. I think every bike has something i want. THe 696 had a larger combination of these things, thats why i got it.

[wantingaduc]

I've been a Ducatisti since my first ride on a buddy's 900 supersport back in the early 90's, and it's been a passionate affair ever since. They are the definition of the total being more then the sum of the parts. No they're not perfect, but that's part of the allure. They're Italian, and sexy as hell, they sound great and handle like a surgeon's scalpel.

You learn to love the rattle of the dry clutch and endure the riding position. The price to performance ratio doesn't mean a thing when you open the garage door and can't walk by that retina searing red animal without throwing a leg over her. You know that service is expensive and parts can be hard to come by, but it pales in comparison to the feeling of piloting one through a few miles of twisting roads where you can reach riding nirvana for an few hours.

Ducati has dominated world super bike racing since day one and pregnant dog slapped the Japanese in MotoGP. The riders who have worn red leathers reads like a who's who of some of the greatest racers, Hailwood, Smart, Lawson, Polen, Fogerty, Bayliss, Stoner. They have proven time and again that racing technology does trickle down to make better street bikes and that winning on Sunday sells on Monday.

That's why I ride a Ducati...

jimi

[lazylightnin717]

I lived in Florence Italy about three years ago. On a trip to Sienna, my roommate and I ate at some small cafe with the best tortellini I ever ate. There was some kind of Sienna racing 999 inside the cafe. All I can remember is not being able to take my eyes off the bike as it was the most beautiful machine I'd ever seen. Now three years later, looking back on the best time of my life thus far, I bought a monster and feel like I own a part of Italy. Now I only wish I could take my bike back to Italy and romp around. Those roads in tuscany and around Florence would be fuuuuuuuuuuun! 

[NoisyDante]

The soul....

No. 1 reason I went with Ducati.  I'm also Italian, with a name like Dante that should be obvious.  Whenever I get into something I do a lot of research on the topic, whether it's wine, cigars, mountain bikes, etc.  The philosophy at Ducati was a lot more interesting than at the four other Japanese companies.  You see this also in the Twist the Throttle series, but I hate the massive assembly line where 50 people have a hand in making the bike, and it's done in record time.  At Ducati there was clearly pride taken in their work, and the bikes weren't immediately boxed up and sent out the door to be crashed by a squid doing a 12oclock.  Ducati looked like they were making pieces of art, the others looked like slaughterhouses to me.

And of course the sound and performance of the L-Twin is hard to beat, IMO.  Very happy I made Ducati my first bike.

[DucaChic]

Motorcycles themselves are very sexy and exciting. The sound and feel of riding is both arousing and exhilarating. I ride a motorcycle to indulge my desires; riding a Ducati satisfies me; every time.  

[DarkMonster620]

Why.....? Why....? Why....?
                      Sounds, freedom, looks, excitment, ...and all of the above...

[Adamm0621]

When I was 15 or 16, my brother was watching a movie called The Skulls 2.  I had just started liking motorcycles and had been looking at the Japanese sport bikes for a while.  I had never heard of a Ducati before and there was one in the movie.  My brother told me that Ducati is like the Lamborghini of motorcycles.  I really liked the Suzuki GS500E at the time and for S & G's I decided to look at Ducati's website.  The sport bikes looked very cool and very expensive.  Then I looked at the Monster and fell in love. 

I did a web search to see how much they cost and was blown away that it wasn't a million dollars like I thought.  My first Monster was a 1999 M750 in silver.  I've never felt joy more profoundly than when I'm riding or even just looking at my bike.  I got ran off of the road and that ended my monster.  I just brought my new 696 home last weekend and am happy like I haven't been in years.

Its everything about the bike; the looks, the sound, the handling, the torque, the heritage, the community of Monster riders, etc...  I'll probably own more motorcycles throughout my life, but if I have anything to do with it they'll all be Ducati motorcycles.  [moto]

[Ratfink749]

I know it was only about 10 years ago, but I just remember Ducati being the name of legends and of "Cool."  A friend of mine had a 2001 M750 Metallic that he picked up at an insurance auction.  He fixed it back up and made it look good and after he was done having fun with it, He sold it to me.  In the weeks that followed I became obsessed (it hasnt subsided yet) I researched, checked dealers, became an internet and forum junkie.  After learning the legends, the history, and the "Soul" of Ducati, I was hooked.  The clutch rattle, The exhaust note, the Desmo valves, and the Twin (and now 4) cylinders.  It all called out to me and made me a loyal follower.  I'm on #3 now, I've had the Monster, a 05 749D and now an 06 749S (and I miss my monster nearly everyday, Bastards killed it in a parking lot).  I'm praying there will be more in the future.   My wife just chimed in when I noted that I was typing a post about "Why I chose a Ducati."  She said "Thats easy.. You're a glutton for punishment"  I Guess thats part of the reason too.   

[hadesducati848]

i dont remember when i first heard of ducati but in the biginning it was just a brand name same as triumph or aprilla. then one day i traded my 300zx for a 99 R1 and fell in love with supersports. as that love grew so did my knowlage of what bikes were out there. as i did more research one name kept popping up "DUCATI" the quality and balance of these bikes were second to none but i was never really into the look of the early bikes.  then about six months ago i walked into the dealership with the intention of buying another R1 and when i saw the bugged eyed look of the new headlights i wanted to jap slap the salesmen like he was responcable for the horrid look of what i thought was a magnificent machine. then as i scanned the room with looking for the new CBRs i saw it, the most beautiful bike i had ever seen. it was like a ray of light was shinning on it from heaven and i swear i could hear angles singing. it was the pearl white 1198! i went home and did some research on the ducati SBKs and started planning my stratogy for convincing my GF to let me have a 20k dollar bike. and as i was looking at the ducati website my gf says the 2nd hottest thing a woman has ever said to me... "that is sexy, i want one!" so i tell her she should get the 848 and ill get the 1198, and she said "ok" so we go down to the dealer ship and my heart droppes to the floor. they sold the last 09 1198 and all that is left is one 848. so i tell the gf to sit on the bike and get a feel for it. she does, and realized the 848 is just way too tall for her, she cant even come close to tippy toeing. then she takes a gander at the the monster 696 and for her it was love. since i didnt want to wait 4 months for the next 1198 to come in i decided that i would be "ok" with the 848 and i knew that i would never be able to push the 848 to its limits, let alone an 1198. so for what i wanted both bikes would work. and with the 848 being a few gs cheaper that was cool too. so here we are with a monster and a 848 sitting in the  garage and we couldnt be happier. and its pretty nice pulling up next to a ferrari and having the driver look at me and say "nice bike"... that never happend on my old R1.


sorry i didnt really think i was going to type that much.

[The Bearded Duc]

Ahhhh, I've told this story many times.....
It was 1992 or 93 and I was just a pre-pubescent teen who was obsessed with all types of cars. One day, I was looking though my normal car magazines and I happened across a full page add for the Ducati Monster Dark. I don't really remember what model it was, I just remember thinking to myself "I WILL have one of these!!". Years passed and the closest I got to having a Monster was riding a CBR F2. Again, years passed and the wanting got harder to subdue. Just before my 30th birthday I became the proud owner of my first, and absolutely not last, Ducati Monster 750. As cheesy as it sounds, I'm sure most on this board will agree, days don't seem as bright if you're not on the Duck!

That's why I chose MY Ducati

[hadesducati848]

oh and the sevice @ 7500 miles VS the standard 4000 miles was a very nice inncentive, and they also threw in the first 2 services for free. so i dont have to pay any maintances cost till 15k miles