Ducati 1199r & Base Compared.....Huge Disappointment....Must Read

You're all correct. It can't be a huge "seat of the pants" improvement, because Ducati has already extracted all it can extract from the base model before running into that Law known as "diminishing returns".

Unlike when purchasing a car, where choosing the "Sport" model gains you at least a couple of extra cylinders or pounds of boost, this bike in Base spec is already almost as good as it can be. If is wasn't, far fewer of us would be on the internet raving about it.

just saw the R in the flesh and it is a stunning bike...
however, this said : it is not

851-888SP, 851 SPS, 916SP,996SPS, 996R,998R, 749R,999R, 1098R,1198R quality..

it is a full R but 'on the cheap'... there are some carbon bits but not where it matters :

seat, fairing, head .. as to suspension, they could have done some mere...
furthermore there is no : plaque, cover, rearstand,...

i can understand the bike is a bit of a disappointment for many who want more 'as is'..
for those wanting to change and adapt to own desiserata, the lower spec and price is a bonus... technically it is said to be something else.. adding some little changes up giving quit a different result in experience..

can't wait for it to arrive...

...life is too short to be miserable.....enjoy your new R

The R has carbon fiber fairings like all other R's did in the past. Add+ $4000.

There is a huge volume of literature on the topic related to marketing and persuasion. Ducati knows this and we are all pawns in the big game of business and marketing. Daniel Kahnemann got the nobel price in economics on a related topic.

There is a quick tour of the science of persuasion on You Tube - see how many of the 6 factors you can check off influencing your decision with regards to choice of 1199 model...


Science Of Persuasion - YouTube

I just like tht pen that has all the colors built in, where do I get one? And what of the 6 makes me want it? 7 should be "Cool".

signature would indicate that you already have one agree with #7 though, maybe I'm just afraid of missing out....

Hum, why must read...? Was a bit long winded lol

I agree with the fact that the base is SO good they have shot themselves in the foot for improving.

Maybe we should campaign for a base with less power, no electronic, clockwork gauges and wooden brakes so people would see the R as a fantastic proposition?

I agree - I consider the Base perfection, how can you improve on that? Sure, there will alwyas be better / new suspension components available, you can spend 5k for different calipars, but the base bike is perfect. I mean Ti rods is all they can come up with.

Trauma said:

I agree - I consider the Base perfection, how can you improve on that? Sure, there will alwyas be better / new suspension components available, you can spend 5k for different calipars, but the base bike is perfect. I mean Ti rods is all they can come up with.

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...oh boy....here we go again:

-Titanium connecting rods
-Full race exhaust
-Increased rpm's
-Adjustable swingarm pivot
-Carbon tid-bits
-Heat shield

...you cannot add these items to a base model without paying more - i guess you could ask your dealer to add them to your non-R bike

-- there will always be riders wanting more, even without the power of persuasion.....thats what helps make the world go round.....

I think the last couple of posts are getting to the point. Ducati has had to produce an extremely high spec engine and chassis just to be in the super bike game. They had to play many of their old "SPS and R" cards to keep up with the other manufactures' offerings. No matter which version of the 1199 you own (mine is an S) it is a wonderful machine, and a pretty pricey one too. As a mechanical engineer I'm amazed that the manufacturers are able to bring such exquisite design and fabrication to the masses in low volumes and maintain any kind of reasonable price tag. The 1199 is SO far beyond my old 996Sps which I loved. We are already riding what pretty much all that is reasonably possible. Sure parts with a higher bling factor abound, but most make an immeasurable performance improvement.

As far as the R goes, they must sell bikes to stay in business. Luckily for us, we folks with enough cash buy their wonderful machines and keep them in business. Could they make a ultra expensive ultra exclusive R with unobtaniuim connecting rods and carbon this and that, sure but to what end? Maybe they could sell a few... But why? If they want to go this route make a street bike out of last years' MotoGP bike, reuse that engineering and manufacturing. Give the well financed nut something to park in is living room and make some cash in the process. Maybes some day us less well financed nuts can get our hands on one and it is truly somethy different. Or do as Ducati has done and tweak specs a little add a few goodies and make an "R" for the buyer that wants exclusivity and will pay the extra cash for basically the right to say "see its an R".

Capt CF said:

We just covered some of this in another thread..

Base - is the bike..
S - LED headlights, electronic Ohlins suspension, CF front mudguard, lighter/different wheels
Tri - same as S, but with fancy paint job, Termi slips and DDA+
R - same as S, but with fancy paint job, full Termi exhaust, adjustable swing arm, a dozen carbon fiber bits to reduce weight, ti con rods, a lighter flywheel, DDA+ and 500 more RPMs to redline/more HP

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+1

nyandy said:

+1

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+2

RD16RR said:

...oh boy....here we go again:

-Titanium connecting rods
-Full race exhaust
-Increased rpm's
-Adjustable swingarm pivot
-Carbon tid-bits
-Heat shield

...you cannot add these items to a base model without paying more - i guess you could ask your dealer to add them to your non-R bike

-- there will always be riders wanting more, even without the power of persuasion.....thats what helps make the world go round.....

Click to expand...

I would get one just because it comes with the heatshield, the other stuff? Not so much.

It may not be the evolutionary leap between past base models and their R counterparts, but it's also not in another financial stratosphere like other R models either. I'm not an engineer, but it seems to me like they've maximized the potential of this L-twin, I mean where can they go with what they have and still keep the P:W like it is? I just see it as another designator, he "R". I bought and S model and had the full-termi and DP fender eliminator put on and it cost me almost as much as the R is going for now. After all the CF, mirrors, etc... I've far exceeded that and I still don't don't have Ti rods!

....by the way.....the Heat Shield is "new and improved".....it is now a must have item !

RD16RR said:

....by the way.....the Heat Shield is "new and improved".....it is now a must have item !

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What, it's made out of burlap?

....ohhh.....let me tell you......"it's special"......as soon as everyone see's them they will be selling like hot cakes !

I'll be honest, if it was out last year I'd have gotten one. I've definitively surpassed the price point with goodies.

when it comes down to it...it's simple math

RD16RR said:

...oh boy....here we go again:

-Titanium connecting rods
-Full race exhaust
-Increased rpm's
-Adjustable swingarm pivot
-Carbon tid-bits
-Heat shield

...you cannot add these items to a base model without paying more - i guess you could ask your dealer to add them to your non-R bike

-- there will always be riders wanting more, even without the power of persuasion.....thats what helps make the world go round.....

Click to expand...

CF reducing weight? For cryin' out loud, its plastic replacing plastic. All the R did that you can't easily replicate are the Ti rods. And they are available for most bikes 1K each. So unless you really need those RPMs, waist of money, unless you just want it. If you want different suspension then the S/Tri, the Base really is the bargain. Resale wise, the base have always exceeded the non-bases in depreciation percentage as well.