- Joined
- Oct 11, 2013
- Messages
- 83
- Location
- Chicago
Hi All,
After having lurked on this website for longer than I care to remember I am finally in a position where I can buy a 1199 Panigale S; indeed i'm off to see one this week and by next weekend I could be enjoying the last few good riding days of the year (in Illinois at least).
This isn't going to be a "what should I look out for/what should I expect" email as my time spent lurking has brought me up to speed with heat (ride faster), hot starting issues (remove evap charcoal canister) and all of the other "features" which give a bike character. That Loctite threadlock is a staple in the garage is not exclusive to the 1199, it was ever thus with Ducati bikes.
Back in the UK I had a 996S and a 748R and loved them both, neither ever let me down and always put a huge grin on my face.
One doesn't want to get too mushy about inanimate objects but Ducati bikes are special and owning and riding is as much an emotional voyage as it is a physical series of perfectly balanced cornering and accelerating . . . oh, and add the sound of a v-twin with race exhausts and it's not a bike to own if you don't want to stand out from the crowd.
Since my move to the US the UK bikes had to make way for a Land Rover to carry the new offspring around in comfort and safety during the Midwest winter snow - the decision to sell is a regret that I will have for the rest of my life as I have been looking for a good condition 996S or 998 over here but they are either going for classic bike money or they have been "modified" beyond comprehension. And the 996/998 range now being 10-14 years old doesn't help either.
So, it's time to get up to date . . . i'm outweighing the cost versus the DTC and ABS benefits and the benefits have won the argument.
Here's to owning an 1199S whether it happens this week, next week or next Spring.
After having lurked on this website for longer than I care to remember I am finally in a position where I can buy a 1199 Panigale S; indeed i'm off to see one this week and by next weekend I could be enjoying the last few good riding days of the year (in Illinois at least).
This isn't going to be a "what should I look out for/what should I expect" email as my time spent lurking has brought me up to speed with heat (ride faster), hot starting issues (remove evap charcoal canister) and all of the other "features" which give a bike character. That Loctite threadlock is a staple in the garage is not exclusive to the 1199, it was ever thus with Ducati bikes.
Back in the UK I had a 996S and a 748R and loved them both, neither ever let me down and always put a huge grin on my face.
One doesn't want to get too mushy about inanimate objects but Ducati bikes are special and owning and riding is as much an emotional voyage as it is a physical series of perfectly balanced cornering and accelerating . . . oh, and add the sound of a v-twin with race exhausts and it's not a bike to own if you don't want to stand out from the crowd.
Since my move to the US the UK bikes had to make way for a Land Rover to carry the new offspring around in comfort and safety during the Midwest winter snow - the decision to sell is a regret that I will have for the rest of my life as I have been looking for a good condition 996S or 998 over here but they are either going for classic bike money or they have been "modified" beyond comprehension. And the 996/998 range now being 10-14 years old doesn't help either.
So, it's time to get up to date . . . i'm outweighing the cost versus the DTC and ABS benefits and the benefits have won the argument.
Here's to owning an 1199S whether it happens this week, next week or next Spring.
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