By the way what is the average age of that group.
I seem to see that alot of the slower group riding Ducati's are in their later years, where as the other younger guy's are on Jap bikes.....at least they are still out there and that is what riding is all about, enjoyment and having fun, not breaking lap records.
Perfectly said Wallaroo ... fully agree .. and I also understand where Shanes is coming from too.
I'll be one of the knobbers too, now, but be stuffed if that's going to stop me from having a good time on a superlative bike. Hey, even the S4Rs gets the adrenalin pumping nicely, but the Panigale will take it to a new level.
A lot of us will have done their time wringing that last bit of go out of something, whether it be road bike, car, enduro bike, motorcrosser, gokart etc etc when they were in their 20's (or thereabouts) ... and then looked at those really really old guys (aged 50) that couldn't muster quite the same reflexes, agility, strength, good looks, speed etc etc and back then I thought they looked ancient. But hey, we get to 50 and if you don't look in the mirror you feel exactly the same age. Except ... you're a bit slower, a bit more careful etc etc but often quite a bit smarter to go with it.
Ummm ... except there are some, such as Walter Rohrl, who are just plain faster than anyone whatever their age (digressing a second - has anyone seen Walter in "The Audi Quattro Experience" movie and watched his in car camera .. his foot control is sensational). Now there's a Wally who's no wally. See Wallaroo - nothing denigrating about being a Wally.
There was even Wally Hammond - again, he's not a Wally, just a bloody great batsman. Almost rivalled The Don.
I wish I could have had a Panigale when I was 20. But I didn't and historically speaking I just can't. So, be buggered if I'm going to miss out on it's enjoyment now just because I'm older and slower and shouldn't be allowed one as i might be in the old people's home soon.
I'll be doing a track day soonish, and I'll feel guilty holding someone up (I always did, even if I was running at the front of the pack when i was younger) but I'll try not to lose too much sleep, and I'll also try to be courteous and leave space for them to ride round me.
There'll always be someone faster than me. And just as surely, there'll always be someone slower than me - I'll be making sure of THAT
The competitive spirit is definitely not something that is lost with the onset of years.
Meantime Ducati have done a GREAT job - keeping the dream alive. Yes, for us old farts it may have started with a 750SS or 900SS (or my father in laws Ducati single - it's great to have that support
) but to be able to capture the same passion now is a wonderful commitment, by Ducati. If the Panigale didn't meet the appeal requirements to get the blood pumping in us old blokes it probably wouldn't work for you young blokes either. How many CB250's are in the knobbers group at track days? Or - how many CB250's even make it to track days? Also, life with a motor vehicle is not just only about track days - there are some nice roads out there too