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- Ontario, Canada
looks like a base model with a paint job and rims
looks like a base model with a paint job and rims
I have stayed out of most of the pro con arguments to this bike, but I must say it does fall short of spectacular. You can buy lighter wheels, the same Akra exhaust and custom tune, Ohlins cartridges and have over 90% + of the same capability for roughly $10k above the price of an R. To each their own, if money was no object I would buy one. Just my .02.
I'm looking forward to reading the reviews on this bike as it's the highest power to weight ratio of any production bike also you have to remember that this bike has a different electronics package along with mag frame upgraded engine and carbon fairings etc which when all added together should be something special, so that extra 10% costs a huge amount of money to get to but it should make an exciting bike.
I'm just glad that Ducati has the balls to actually make these type of bikes otherwise are only options are to buy an RS or try and replicate the SL build which would probably add up to the asking price, you just need to look at Kope's bike and see what he has put into it and some of the mistakes he has made along the way which all add up $$.
not sure why people think 10% increase in price will equate to marginal cost additions. . It's always the law of diminishing returns and those numbers start going logarithmic when you are in the upper echelons of performance (cars, bikes, audio/video, etc) . . Using another example - the parent company Lamborghini Aventador 700-4 is what - approximately 400K. The limited edition Aventador 720-4 which is LESS than a 10% improvement (actually only 20hp more) - is 1.2m. . .
does it change the demand ? nope, none at all. the 720-4's limited run is sold out just the same. . .
IMO it's more about exclusivity than performance. People are willing to pay more for things others can't get... makes them feel special.
Clearly the SL is a bit over priced but 499 people and myself bought them because the wanted an exclusive Ducati. Its not a logical decision but its not supposed to be. Maybe we have small dicks or we feel the need to show off but perhaps we just love Ducati's and we are at a point were we want the baddest-assed one we can get. I knew what I was doing when I ordered it and I intend to use all of the enhanced electronics and improved motor on the track when I race it. Hate me if you want, that just makes it sweeter!
My simple rules with frivolous toys are 1) If you have to borrow money to buy it then you shouldnt have it. 2) if you cant afford to crash it, dont take it to the track. 3) If you buy it then use it as it was intended. Its not a show piece, its a racebike!
If you had a choice between a mint 1199SL that had sat in a guys living room or a 1199SL that had been raced which would you choose? Wait let's think about this!!!! The living room bike was only ever started when the guy wanted to show his drunk buddies how cool it sounds, probably not properly warmed up.....or an ex factory race bike that was blue printed and dismantled every 600miles to ensure it's perfect inside. I choose the race bike!
I would buy neither.. If I had to get a used one I would take one that has only been street ridden and atleast has undergone the 7500 mile service
BTW have you ever seen a used D16RR for sale that has been ridden hard on the track? Think again..
Moreover I hope you plan to keep this bike for atleast 5 to 6 years minimum else it is just not worth the purchase no matter what your argument is. I had a 200cc Honda for 10 years before buying my 1199 R
I am sure whatever model the giant dicked owners like yourself have I have a couple of too LOL.
This is kind of a tired argument, but I can't help myself from wading in...
That's a pretty broad and sweeping generalization of "People". Are you trying to insult everyone who purchased one, or just venting some kind of twisted jealousy because you don't feel special?
As others have noted, there is a non-linear scale in chasing the upper limits of performance. We can argue til the cows come home about whether anyone here is talented enough to need (or even use) that extra performance, but that's besides the point. Casting aside the "Starbucks Riders" for a moment, some people just want the best performing machine that they can afford. I've never seen the likes of Wilkson or Kope in person on the track, but I'm sure they'd buzz right by me if we shared the tarmac - does that mean I should only buy bikes lesser than what they might own?
There is an irrational joy and passion that is typically associated with Italian bikes. They may not always be the most performant on the track or the street, but they are almost always more fun than the Japanese alternatives. You being a member of this forum/community probably know that already. You probably also know that Ducati has much lower production numbers than Suzuki/Yamaha/Honda/Kawi/etc and a significantly higher price. Did you buy yours simply because it is more exclusive (comparatively speaking) and you wanted to feel special? If so, are you somehow being robbed of that feeling knowing there exists a halo bike under the same marquee and you can't have it? You can see how corrosive this line of reasoning is.
I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you own a Ducati for the thrill and exhilaration of riding one. I'll go further and assume you've done some mods to your bike to squeeze out a little bit more from it. Where you decide to draw the line and/or set your budget is your choice - and a personal one at that - so why judge anyone who has a bigger budget and/or a more irrational passion for top performance?
I kinda agree and disagree with you at the same time... owning the SL is surely an exclusive club and makes u look and feel badass but on the 3 points in ur 2nd paragraph I have my views though
1. I had put down the deposit and couldn't get financing as I never had credit history as I had never taken a loan before.. this weighed heavily against me as I don't pay mortgage and needed to build credit.
2. A bike taken to the track will depreciate heavily and more rapidly than one that sticks to the street. Although this bike is intended for the track, the value retention to usage nature is an endless debate.
3. Collectors will always throw a wrench into this debate as they have done with the D16RR before and we see a bunch of low mile bikes being sold a few years after. While I feel buying it and just keeping it as a show piece doesnt make sense at all, this will happen with the SL too. I wouldnt track this but would surely get enough miles on it on the street which would still make it lose value but not as heavily as yours will.
Also this is a depreciating asset no matter what way you look at it and having owned limited edition ducati's they all loose money the first 5-8 years and then stabilize and some if you are lucky creep up a little again but buying it as an investment is a total waste of time as in my opinion riding it on the street.
This is not always true. . not saying the SL will or will not be, but not all the Ducati's lose value in that first 5-8 years, stabilize and then creep. . Some have actually gone up in value within a short span of time. .. Some examples of bikes that have gone up outside of the 5-8 years - just look at the sport classic line (particularly the Paul Smart). The Supermono in the mid 90's also went up pretty immediately as well. .
But by and large this is correct and who knows if the SL will retain anywhere near its value. .