Pierre Terblanche Joins Norton Motorcycles

[fastwin]

I always liked the 999, and the headlights in particular, though I'm in the minority.

I'll join that minority. I love my '05 999. And I have one of his '06 Sport 1000s in AMS original Back in Black #2, full Ohlins style! [moto] I can dig it.

http://s182.photobucket.com/albums/x2/notacop01/?action=view&current=PICT0040.jpg

Click on the zoom in feature.

[Bishamon]

I'll join that minority. I love my '05 999. And I have one of his '06 Sport 1000s in AMS original Back in Black #2, full Ohlins style! [moto] I can dig it.

http://s182.photobucket.com/albums/x2/notacop01/?action=view&current=PICT0040.jpg

Click on the zoom in feature.

Nice!!  So, you have one of the ones on which the 2007 SE model was based?  I didn't realize there was more than one in 2006.

I have one of the 2007 models:

http://toddbundy.com/Sport1000SE_EVR_1280x1024.jpg

[fastwin]

Jeff Nash, owner of Advanced Motorsports, made two Back in Black Sport 1000s. The first one made was featured in the January 2007 copy of Motorcyclist magazine. It was full Ohlins (black forks), had a custom two into one open megaphone exhaust, considerable hot rod engine work and of course the old school Darmah gold on black graphics. It was built for Ducati North America. Mine was the second one they made. It was stock (it already had the custom paint and graphics) when I bought it from them and they added all the rest. The motor is stock unlike the DNA Back in Black.

DNA liked the bike so much they got the factory to take one hundred leftover 2006 Sport 1000s and re-do them into 2007 Back in Black replicas and had them badged as limited editions. Ninety to the US and ten to Canada.

Mine has the taller "comfort" bars, "comfort" gel seat, the slip on Termis/ECU package, carbon belt covers, carbon rear hugger (not in pic) and other CF bits, Evoluzione license plate kit (no longer made), Storz Performance steering damper (not in pic), Rhino Moto axle sliders (not in pic), Speedy Moto clutch plate and cover and CRG LS mirrors.

[Triple J]

I'm disappointed he left Guzzi (although not surprised). I really like his concepts, and miss my Goose. I likely would have bought one of his concepts if they ever made them. 

[ducatiz]

I'm not convinced Terblanche did the SC/GT bikes either.  Someone have a link other than the Wikipedia link derby posted? 

[Triple J]

I'm not convinced Terblanche did the SC/GT bikes either.  Someone have a link other than the Wikipedia link derby posted? 

Why does that surprise you? It was the correct time frame when he was chief designer, and he did the MH900 which was similar. Of course the SC series were just updates of old models...not full blown new designs.

I've searched for other references to his designs...they seem hard to find. I did find one that said Tamburini did the 888...but again, who knows if it's accurate?

Terblanche gets a raw deal anyway. Tamburini is beloved, but he only really designed one bike...the 916...then just updated it for Ducati, and later MV. Granted it was a great bike, but I haven't seen anything else that was really different from him.

[Raux]

Why does that surprise you? It was the correct time frame when he was chief designer, and he did the MH900 which was similar. Of course the SC series were just updates of old models...not full blown new designs.

I've searched for other references to his designs...they seem hard to find. I did find one that said Tamburini did the 888...but again, who knows if it's accurate?

Terblanche gets a raw deal anyway. Tamburini is beloved, but he only really designed one bike...the 916...then just updated it for Ducati, and later MV. Granted it was a great bike, but I haven't seen anything else that was really different from him.

I think Tamburini did the Cagiva Mito as well. but again a 916 look alike

[ducatiz]

Why does that surprise you? It was the correct time frame when he was chief designer, and he did the MH900 which was similar. Of course the SC series were just updates of old models...not full blown new designs.

I've searched for other references to his designs...they seem hard to find. I did find one that said Tamburini did the 888...but again, who knows if it's accurate?

OK, figured it out.

Tamburini did the 888.  DucatiSuite has a good writeup on it.

Terblanche did the SC/GT bikes.

[Speeddog]

I'd be shocked if Terblanche *didn't* do the Gran Canyon.

Perhaps Cagiva didn't publicly credit him with the design due to the spin-off of Ducati, but to my eye it's got his fingerprints all over it.

[ducatiz]

I'd be shocked if Terblanche *didn't* do the Gran Canyon.

Perhaps Cagiva didn't publicly credit him with the design due to the spin-off of Ducati, but to my eye it's got his fingerprints all over it.

It's entirely possible, but he left with Ducati in '96 and the first GCs were sold in 1999.  Perhaps it was something on the drawing board that he left?

That being said, I don't know if I agree. I've loved the look of the GC since I first saw one.  All of the other Terblanche bikes needed to "gestate" in my subconscious for a few years.  I still have a hard time with the diesel train front end of the 999.  Bike is otherwise perfect though.

[Triple J]

OK, figured it out.

Tamburini did the 888.  DucatiSuite has a good writeup on it.

I think that is where I saw it as well.

I still have a hard time with the diesel train front end of the 999.  Bike is otherwise perfect though.

IMO the front end of motorcycles is the hardest part to get right...especially for a street moto where lights and gauges are required. A lot of designers screw it up, and Terblanche struggles as well. Terblanche is the master of bike tails though IMO...the 999 has one of the coolest ever (mono version), and the original MTS also had a very cool tail. Conversely, the only part of the 916 that I don't really like is the tail.

[ducatiz]

IMO the front end of motorcycles is the hardest part to get right...especially for a street moto where lights and gauges are required. A lot of designers screw it up, and Terblanche struggles as well. Terblanche is the master of bike tails though IMO...the 999 has one of the coolest ever (mono version), and the original MTS also had a very cool tail. Conversely, the only part of the 916 that I don't really like is the tail.

I agree about the 999 -- I think he wanted to do something different from the 916's horizontal lights, but honestly, I can think of no good reason.  When I look at the track 999 with no lights, I can easily see horizontal lights on it and it would look great.

[fastwin]

I too need time for his bikes to wear on me. Funny, I didn't like the 999 when it first came out. The 916/996/998 bikes were a hard act to follow for sure. But it got good write ups and half the people liked it, the other half hated it. I waited for the updates on the 2005 bikes before I got mine. The jack-o-lantern face of the first models just didn't do it for me. The cleaned up 2005+ front end was an improvement and the swingarm was too. I'm glad they went back to the dual underseat mufflers on the new sbks. The box muffler on the 999s is the one thing I don't care for.

To this day I do not like the MH900. No amount of time passing will ever make me like it. To each their own.

[ducatiz]

To this day I do not like the MH900. No amount of time passing will ever make me like it. To each their own.

it's funny, i am ambivalent about it.   sometimes it looks great other times it looks like a wet cat.

[Speeddog]

More mud for the water:
http://www.vivaducati.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7&Itemid=45