Sell me on it !!!

[Duki09]

Why should you buy a Monster rather than a Speed Triple?  Because a Monster is a DUCATI.   duh!  lol

Even if they're decent bikes, no one comments much if you say you have a Triumph, but as soon as you say you ride a Ducati, they are now more interested.

But more seriously, it also has to do with your personal preference in design, performance, comfort, sound all the way down to the cost. You can't go by someone elses' personal preferences for a motorcycle.  That's up to you and your personal preferences are never wrong.

Just like one rider may prefer a Harley cruiser and another rider may prefer a Honda and another likes Yamaha.

Though one thing you also may need to consider is the availablity of service techs for the brand of motorcycle you are planning to buy if you expect to have someone else perform the maintenance on your bike. Though most Ducati dealers I've seen also sell Triumphs.

[junior varsity]

I think a Streetfighter is less to look at than a Monster or the double-boobie'd Triumph. Both have the excitement of being from a marquee manufacturer.

ONE THING TO CONSIDER (PRO'S/CON'S)
- Ducati has a race heritage, as such, you can follow your brand on tv and online to see how they are fairing in WSBK and MotoGP. Its fun to watch the privateers make something more out of it, and communicate with the community. Larry Pegram is excited to watch. And there are many Ducati shops that purposefully orient themselves towards the track and racing. DucShop in Atlanta is wonderful, and is very race oriented.

- But Ducati costs more. All around. Little more jingle up front, little more jingle at service time, little more jingle for the nonsense billet or carbon fiber accessory you might want to adorn it with.

- Both have limited number of authorized service centers, which could pose a problem on a long trip. That being said, my bike is pushing 20,000mi (its still a baby) and hasn't ever had a real problem, only times an issue cropped up was when I tried to "improve" something and hadn't done enough homework.

And for me, the streetfighter was an awesome ride to demo. I'd love to have one, because I think Naked Sports are 'tons-o-fun' and that one comes with extra fun. I have not crashed one, but don't think that would give me a negative opinion of the bike, but probably some feelings about my riding skills. 


If I were you, I'd make sure to sit on each for 20 minutes minimum at the dealership with hands on the bars (put some bike related literature on the top triple or gauges). This will give you a feel for actual comfort, more so than quickly throwing a leg over and then hopping off and making a possibly incorrect call.

That should not replace a demo ride if available (and if only one shop offers demo rides, that should play into your opinion as well)

[tango59]

Memphis no longer has a Triumph or Ducati dealer. Closest dealer that I know of is in Little Rock.  Having to trailer a bike 2 or 3 hours for warranty work wouldn't be a deal breaker (relatives in L.R.). Really don't care about impressing anybody with brand A or B.   I commute more than anything else. "Track Days" ? "My faster days are far behind me". The Bandit is a great sport/touring bike but leans more to the touring side. The Bandit 1250 has some serious EFI issues that Suzuki won't recognize that have almost gotten my ass run over.

How are ergos and comfort ?

What are the "Must have/do" mods  (performance, comfort, yaddaa, yaddaa, yaddaa) ?

Howsit do on long trips ?

Thanks guys/girls

[junior varsity]

My bike did great from Dallas to Las Vegas.

I have changed the seat to a Sargent seat. There is a great mechanic shop in Nashville (4th Ave. So.) called Corse Motorsports. They aren't a dealer, but can do all work, etc. Nashville also has a dealer if you need to buy a new bike (Bloodworth's BMW), but I do prefer Corse for all related work.

Alain and Andy at Corse can also point you to good mechanics for valve adj. etc in Memphis.

[LA]

That Speed triple is the tits.  Weight, power and power characteristics combined with price is looking very good.

The air cooled Ducati 1100 might get blown into the weeds by the Triumph.

If I were comparing a Ducati with the 1050 Triumph it would be the S4RT or a used S4RS - pretty much same specs.

I got Ducati in my blood - 36 years worth, but if I were to buy another stock MC, it would probably be the Speed Triple - and it wouldn't stay stock long.

Look for a low miles S4RS garage queen.  They're out there and with Ducati performance goodies.  Dead stock the Ducati's aren't so good.

LA

[Duki09]

Memphis no longer has a Triumph or Ducati dealer. Closest dealer that I know of is in Little Rock. 

Are you searching for Ducati dealers through the Ducati site or have you searched for all motorcycle dealers in your area that could sell Ducati?
Shops that sell or service Ducati may not be an actual "Ducati dealer", but may be a dealer that sells all brands of bikes or a dealer that sells European bikes or something like that and these dealers are not always listed.

Have you checked around Nashville or is Little Rock closer to you?

There are some dealers which may not have Ducatis on their sale floor, but they will order them and service them.  It just may take some extra searching to find these dealers and may require some phone calls or just visit as many motorcycle dealers you can find and just look around and ask.

Another pro about Ducati is that they are more well known to offer demo rides and have Demo Days which many other manufacturers and dealers don't offer.

It may be more beneficial to take a long trip to a Ducati dealer and be able to demo ride a bike and decide if it is the right bike for you than buy some other brand from a local dealer that you aren't even able to demo ride and end up with something you don't like.

[kopfjäger]

In the words of Sgt Drucker.

 But this here I don't need to sell and you know it, 'cause this here is the kind of shit that sells itself.

[DucHead]

In the words of Sgt Drucker.

 But this here I don't need to sell and you know it, 'cause this here is the kind of shit that sells itself.

+1   

OP - most of your new questions have been answered many times over.  Look around the board a bit.   

[jwoconnor]

If it will be your only bike, get the Speed Triple. Less to worry about.
If you have half a dozen bikes, you need a Ducati in there.

[Shifty]

I can kinda comment on this topic I guess.

Two of my top choices when I bought my last bike were the Speed Triple and (of course) Monster. In the end I found a sweet looking green Speed Four and my current bike - a red Monster 620. Both were good deals, but the Speed Four had three times more miles. Anyway, I convinced the Monster owner and manager at the dealership with the Speed Four to let me test ride both.

I rode the Speed Four first, and while it was fun, it was not nearly as comfy for me and it was quite heavy (mainly given that it looks like a light bike). When I threw a leg over the Duc I immediately noticed three things: 1. I fit perfectly, 2. I could toss it around, and 3. the bike had a "soul" like nothing I had ever ridden.   

There's something about Italian machines - be it cars, bikes, or whatever else - even when they're not the most reliable or the fastest, and despite higher cost of ownership, there always seems to be something there that moves you. Sometimes (in the case of older Italian cars for instance) you can't see it but in the case of the Monster you do get some viseral clues: the trellis frame, the evil stance, and the unique sounds. And you won't ever forget you're riding something special because there will always be someone oogling your bike through a tinted car window or feverishly asking questions at the gas pump. People are drawn to the name, looks, and sounds of a Duc.

The above is not to say that you won't have a great time on the S3 or that no one will get excited at the sight of it. After all, it's still my second-favorite bike behind the Monster and they are very similar in many ways. For me there were pros and cons to each, and the Ducati soul is what sold the bike for me. 

[junior varsity]

If it will be your only bike, get the Speed Triple. Less to worry about.
If you have half a dozen bikes, you need a Ducati in there.

i disagree, my 2V Ducati has been trouble free. Its not "more to worry about" than any other bike has been. And its been more fun to tinker with than any other.

[Shifty]

i disagree, my 2V Ducati has been trouble free. Its not "more to worry about" than any other bike has been. And its been more fun to tinker with than any other.

x2 

My past bikes were a real PITA to work with. I enjoy going out into the garage and doing something to the Duc without having to remove a hundred little screws and clumsy fairings, etc. It all just hangs there. Like it's own engine hoist.

[mdriver]

i disagree, my 2V Ducati has been trouble free. Its not "more to worry about" than any other bike has been.

+1

Other then a electrical issue with the "safety relay" I've had 20,000 trouble free miles on the 01.

[junior varsity]

Yep. I've got 20,000mi on my '99 and the only thing I have been unhappy with was the OEM battery, which was a vented instead of sealed. Then again, that was a common battery style on lots of bikes at the time.