I finally got this beautiful beast HOME! (includes cat pics)

Ducati Forum

Help Support Ducati Forum:

Vbreeze

Vbreeze

Joined
Dec 18, 2020
Messages
1,217
Location
Italy
Today, she is finally mine. I took you'alls advise and went for the V4S.
I'm rather excited and happy. It felt like an exceptionally long wait full of complications.
photo_2021-02-28_18-33-09.jpg
I got in a +5 hour first ride. I was jonesing hard. (most cop cars here are Alfa Romeos btw. Skoda? No idea - 'tf?)

First thought, after 150 meters, "gEEEeeeezezuFEK... it's fffaaaaaaaast"
Took a careful 1st day kind of spin across Lombardia into Veneto around Lago(lake) Iseo, under Lago Garde, past Verona and home near Venice.

It's got the Desmosedici ~head-spin~
photo_2021-02-28_18-33-01.jpg

It's go the Ölhins. This is my first ride with the Swedes, I think we're going to be happy.

photo_2021-02-28_18-33-06.jpg


I saw her, and immediately knew she was mine. However the buying process from the dealer was quite complicated as I'm an American in Italy.

Screenshot 2021-02-28 at 18.42.18.png
Financing here is a very good deal. I thought ok let's do that. After 1.5 months of spectacular bureaucracy entailing hours days and weeks of making documents and translating records and waiting for approvals and traveling from office to office to courthouse to official stamper... I gave up and just bought it. Then I had to finish all that anyway to complete the registration. So I made a chart below to help others through the process if it comes up.

Screenshot 2021-02-28 at 18.41.54.png
Thank you all for the banter, advise, entertainment and encouragement along the way.
 
Tell me about it!!! I’m going through some land issues in Croatia and OMFG it’s next level, anyway you have a beautiful bike. What a place to own a Ducati!
 
I put in 8 hours in the saddle this weekend, albeit delicately testing, getting-to-know. I have to say she is delicious. By leaps the smoothest Ducati I've ever ridden, confidence inspiring, sticky on the road, responsive and precise. When I say confidence, I mean with careful application. A blip and she's a rocket. The quick shifter is new to me. That is really fun. So far its application has been only for passing cars to get to an empty Alpine curve - haaaaha. Someday hopefully it will be applied on the straights of Mugello.
The 848 was the most knife edge I've had. Tipping in hard always felt like falling. These huge tires feel like rolling over a pillow . Especially in the tight curves up / down steep inclines, like this sort of thing (photo) I found on the way home. Champaign smooth.

Screenshot 2021-03-01 at 09.51.41.png
 
Vbreeze said:
Today, she is finally mine. I took you'alls advise and went for the V4S.
I'm rather excited and happy. It felt like an exceptionally long wait full of complications.
View attachment 36196
I got in a +5 hour first ride. I was jonesing hard. (most cop cars here are Alfa Romeos btw. Skoda? No idea - 'tf?)

First thought, after 150 meters, "gEEEeeeezezuFEK... it's fffaaaaaaaast"
Took a careful 1st day kind of spin across Lombardia into Veneto around Lago(lake) Iseo, under Lago Garde, past Verona and home near Venice.

It's got the Desmosedici ~head-spin~
View attachment 36197

It's go the Ölhins. This is my first ride with the Swedes, I think we're going to be happy.

View attachment 36198


I saw her, and immediately knew she was mine. However the buying process from the dealer was quite complicated as I'm an American in Italy.

View attachment 36199
Financing here is a very good deal. I thought ok let's do that. After 1.5 months of spectacular bureaucracy entailing hours days and weeks of making documents and translating records and waiting for approvals and traveling from office to office to courthouse to official stamper... I gave up and just bought it. Then I had to finish all that anyway to complete the registration. So I made a chart below to help others through the process if it comes up.

View attachment 36200
Thank you all for the banter, advise, entertainment and encouragement along the way.
Click to expand...
Your post gave me inspiration to throw a leg over my V4S and take it for a short squirt through the back roads.
It's really hard to find the words to describe how the V4S makes one feel. This bike is really a sum of it's engineering and parts.
 
Holy cowbells, that looks like fun! Nice video.
I've been dreaming of Stelvio Pass. "15 miles of asphalt spaghetti draped on an Alp." (<-- video "Top Gear finds Driving Heaven" )

Screenshot 2021-03-03 at 09.38.16.png

I was anticipating the season opening a little last week when the Siberian storm dropped temps to -21C. But it was pretty.
Screenshot 2021-03-03 at 09.52.19.png
Screenshot 2021-03-03 at 09.53.14.png

POLICE PARKING: That was the first time I ever parked her anywhere. I thought, "that looks like a safe spot." ;P

RdashP said:
Looks more like you either sharing your bella with your cat or giving it away to the Polizia? nJoy She’s all like you describe and soon to be more fun!...
Click to expand...
 
Ya - there may have been some strategic planning in the choice of my habitat.
The Alps are just north of me, starting there north of Monza, Brescia, Venice. Then there's all these race tracks. All about :45min to an hour from each other.
The red dot in the middle is DUCATI HQ & factory a.k.a. Borgo Panigale, region of Bologna.
Ducati, Ferrari, Pagani, Maserati, Lamborghini etc. are all right there in the same region of Emilia-Romagna. MV Agusta is north of Milan in the Alps on a lake, Aprilia is right near Venice. I think it's a good spot for a bit. Let's see.

Screenshot 2021-03-03 at 10.06.35.png


Paul G said:
... anyway you have a beautiful bike. What a place to own a Ducati!
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
Vbreeze said:
I've been dreaming of Stelvio Pass
Click to expand...

Most talk about route 1 and snoring TopGear is no exception.
Sure, route 1 are the most famous and fun 'endless' jaggies.
The view on top towards the valley of route 1 is magnifique.

For riding, I like route 2 better, since it's more diverse both in landscape changes and type of curvy's.
I can advise you to do all 3 up ánd down end of summer and early in the morning (<06:00) if still high season.
Then you have the whole mountain for yourselve for mucho of Motofun!

RDqnPuyl.jpg
 
Vbreeze said:
The red dot in the middle is DUCATI HQ & factory a.k.a. Borgo Panigale, region of Bologna.
Click to expand...

You are one lucky b*stard! LOL :p

Indeed from DMH Factory to Misano through the Casentinesi forest via the SP208, SR258 and San Marino for drinks to end the day's ride on the MSW Circuit is one of the best tours we ever did.
If interested, I can send you the WDW2016 factory organised gps track.
 
I will absolutely take you up on that offer! Thanks! I'm collecting rides and making maps. Most of this land it is very new to me. I've haunted Tuscany and the French Italian border mountains more than anywhere else. Much appreciated!

RdashP said:
You are one lucky b*stard! LOL :p

Indeed from DMH Factory to Misano through the Casentinesi forest via the SP208, SR258 and San Marino for drinks to end the day's ride on the MSW Circuit is one of the best tours we ever did.
If interested, I can send you the WDW2016 factory organised gps track.
Click to expand...
 
1st and 2nd 'mod' complete. Using 'mod' loosely. 2nd 'mod' switched to "GP shift" or "race shift." Really I have no idea why anyone would want the shifting the way it arrives from the factory. If someone can explain that one? IMHO seems like a QWERTY keyboard kind of antiquated non-sense. I don't find any agreement on it anywhere significant.
1st 'mod' - I mounted my phone on it with a Topeak Mount & a plaster wall hanger through the center of the tripple clamp thanks to someone's genius on this board - can't find that thread, but THANKS for that whomever that was. Works great!
Image from UK Ducati forum: best quick reference I've seen. I didn't have to take off the fairings or the rearset. Touched 3 bolts total: (1)Yellow, (2)switched from red circle position to blue. There is a trick in accessing the shifter linkage with a hex tool that faces the engine by turning it 180° as it's on a ball joint and can untighten the bolt on the linkage arm(3rd bolt) a little. Then flip it back and tighten everything. Done.
Gearing counter was wack until I rolled the wheel 2', then the counter found true neutral, DONE. Rode an hour on it, perfect. Linkage rubs a bit on the plastic chain guard though. c'est la vie. Back to the question, wtf don't they just make it like this day1?
Screenshot 2021-03-04 at 19.58.42.png
 
Vbreeze said:
Today, she is finally mine. I took you'alls advise and went for the V4S.
I'm rather excited and happy. It felt like an exceptionally long wait full of complications.
View attachment 36196
I got in a +5 hour first ride. I was jonesing hard. (most cop cars here are Alfa Romeos btw. Skoda? No idea - 'tf?)

First thought, after 150 meters, "gEEEeeeezezuFEK... it's fffaaaaaaaast"
Took a careful 1st day kind of spin across Lombardia into Veneto around Lago(lake) Iseo, under Lago Garde, past Verona and home near Venice.

It's got the Desmosedici ~head-spin~
View attachment 36197

It's go the Ölhins. This is my first ride with the Swedes, I think we're going to be happy.

View attachment 36198


I saw her, and immediately knew she was mine. However the buying process from the dealer was quite complicated as I'm an American in Italy.

View attachment 36199
Financing here is a very good deal. I thought ok let's do that. After 1.5 months of spectacular bureaucracy entailing hours days and weeks of making documents and translating records and waiting for approvals and traveling from office to office to courthouse to official stamper... I gave up and just bought it. Then I had to finish all that anyway to complete the registration. So I made a chart below to help others through the process if it comes up.

View attachment 36200
Thank you all for the banter, advise, entertainment and encouragement along the way.
Click to expand...
Oh man... This map looks like a COVID-19 spread...
Congrats and enjoy V4S in Italy !!!
 
? I don't have carbon heel guards just yet. Maybe - not sure. I have such a list of stuff to do and I think heel guards are going to be much later.
I've got to get track gear together. I've got some dates at MUGELLO coming up! I'm looking for tire warmers and tools right now. Most of my tools are in Calif.
Who's got tire warmer advise? I always had hand-me-downs from pro friends.


DucatiKev said:
So we’re told

how abt those carbon heel guards, any good?
Click to expand...
 

Register CTA

Register on Ducati Forum! This sidebar will go away, and you will see fewer ads.

Recent Discussions

Back
Top