Soon to be first time Ducati owner, Racing Heart : )

Hello There. I hope everyone is well. I am from New England, Connecticut to be exact, and I'm expecting a new Ducati in my life. Still waiting for the bike to be announced - V4SP2. I'm so excited about it even though I never laid eyes on it. I've got a 2005 ZX10R which was a fathers day gift in 2005. See Pic. I love everything about this bike especially it's light weight, carefully chosen mods and it's lines. So going to a Ducati Panigale now is incredible. My ZX10R has no bells and whistles yet it races my heart looking at it and riding it. Can the Ducati give me the same joy as my current ride which when I get off after a ride, I can't stop smiling. With MotoGP about to start in a few days, having a crop of new incredible talent, I'm almost oblivious to the craziness happening in the world lately. Now insert a new Ducati. Life is so strange but so incredible and dynamic. Anyhow, it's nice to be a part of this family of people around the world, all passionate about Ducati Motorcycles. Bye the ways, I hope the mention of a non Ducati motorcycle is not offensive. Take Care. Kenny

Welcome Kenny. We will expect pics of the new bike as well when it comes in.

..."which was a fathers day gift..."
Nice family you got there cowboy! hahaha Bellissimo.
Welcome. You can learn a lot here. There are strong opinions & a very eclectic collection of senses of humor so don't get offended. All in good fun.
Answers to your questions: When I was waiting for my bike I watched a lot of videos like this. This one is pretty good because it's tests rides on the Isle of Man with some pretty good riders.
Any way:

Vbreeze said:

..."which was a fathers day gift..."
Nice family you got there cowboy! hahaha Bellissimo.
Welcome. You can learn a lot here. There are strong opinions & a very eclectic collection of senses of humor so don't get offended. All in good fun.
Answers to your questions: When I was waiting for my bike I watched a lot of videos like this. This one is pretty good because it's tests rides on the Isle of Man with some pretty good riders.
Any way:

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Hello Vbreeze. Thanks for the greetings and the youtube clip. There's a newer one where they ride the V4SP along with every other bike. They love it. My wife actually let me get that bike. Truth be told, she wanted to get me a horse to go riding with her but i had my heart set on that bike and she said, get the bike but you're also getting this horse. So Awesome. Best horse ever. Oliver. you a motogp fan?

Oh yes, I'm a motogp fan and I also like horses. Cute horse!
I just drove into town and realized it was "bring your horse day." Doh!

Vbreeze said:

Oh yes, I'm a motogp fan and I also like horses. Cute horse!
I just drove into town and realized it was "bring your horse day." Doh!

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Now that's funny. Those guys and gals run on gas. I'm a MotoGP Freak fan. I've watched it religiously even before Rossi started racing. And it's starting in a few days. Have you ever actually attended a race? That's on my bucket list. BTW's, I think the SP2 is going to be announced on March 10th. Just curious, What do you ride, besides horses?

I'm riding a Panigale V4S these days. I just got it last year. LOVE. It's a BBQ in the summer in traffic but moving along it's as sweet as nectar.
MOTOGPEEEeeeeee! Oh yes, I love it as well. I've been to Laguna Seca a few times, Misano and Mugello. Laguna is really fun too bad it;s not there any more. Misano last year was like a prison visit. I wouldn't go again. I posted on that somewhere.
Mugello. It needs 10 mins of prose to describe. It's like nothing else. It's built and owned by Ferrari, surrounded by a massive national park. An odd combo of public and private land. These people in Ducati Land, Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany are nuts for racing. They live for it. They build it up over the year between races. They descend down from the hills to take over the area. They take scooter engines or chainsaw engines, create trumpet like exhaust systems for them, strap on handle bars just to make noise. They rev them in orchestras of cacophony. Thier flags state on every other camp site, "A MUGELLO, NESSUN DORMA" ("Mugello, No one sleeps"). A play on words from Tuscan Opera composer Puccini's opera Turandot. (sorry better version, but way older) They storm the track after the race, they heckle ruthlessly Rossi's enemies if they might find the podium, they are every age, every class, every corner of the region. It's like Carnival or Marti Gras - a 3 day 24 hour a day party at the track. It's back this year...
There are many great tracks I'd love to attend, but that one is a must at least once.

btw, There's a bunch of guy on the board here, who are regulars at COTA, doing tracks days and what-not. Maybe you can hook up and have a Texan MotoGP?
What's your favorite track?

cmh210 said:

Welcome Kenny. We will expect pics of the new bike as well when it comes in.

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It was announced today.

Vbreeze said:

btw, There's a bunch of guy on the board here, who are regulars at COTA, doing tracks days and what-not. Maybe you can hook up and have a Texan MotoGP?
What's your favorite track?

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Sorry for the very late reply. My favorite track is the one hosting the race When I’m watching. But Jerez, Mugello, Assen are all Great. And you.

I got to ride Mugello finally last year - I felt very much the way a lot of the MotoGP have described it. So gawdamned much fun, and yes the straight is not straight at all though some go way past 200MPH on it, going over a big kinked jump switch from paint on the right to the paint on the left into the breaking zone finishing in a heart pounding uphill hairpin. I just heard the story of Rossi's face helmet 12 years late or whatever. Rossi said this is the face you make at the end of the straight at Mugello hahahahaaa.
I hear Portimão is on the extreme fun side as well, and I've always wanted to get to Philip Island. Would love to ride and see races there.

btw, sweet ride! Nice rear wheel float. Looks like you're getting along nicely. Getting it dialed in? Did you already get suspension set up etc etc?
There are a lot of opinions I've heard about the SP, but from very very few who actually ridden one. So... How is it?
Would be really great to get a write up on it with your reasons why you went for the SP not the S or the R? Some argue getting the base and a few choice top shelf parts will get you a "better" bike for less money than an S or an SP. I don't think it's been proven let's say, it's a theory and of course a theory based on preferences. "Better" for everyone is pretty hard to do I think unless you want to say "more competitive race bike." I haven't met any pro racers on here though.

OMG, That's not me. That's the bike they just announce yesterday. Motorcycle.com offered a ton of pictures of the new bike. I really liked that picture. I'm sorry if I mislead. A while back when I rode an FZR600, I rode Mid Atlantic Road Race Course in West Virginia I believe and New Hampshire International Speedway. As an amateur. It was thrilling, a few crashes later... So you actually ship your bike to these tracks and do track days? Is that crazy expensive? Or do you live in Europe and transport your ride? Just wondering how that happens. I've included one of my very favorite Rossi bike livery's. Your picture reminded me of it. Hope I'm not bothering you with the constant replies. This is just very cool conversation and know one in my area get's it. Or I haven't run into them.

HA! Ok, I get it. Ya I was thinking, "damn, how'd this guy get one to a track already? Wow, good connections!" haha.
Ya no it's great. I go days not on here, so it's not always chat speed haha. But sometimes it's cool to actually have a conversation.
I used to live in San Francisco, so I rode Laguna Seca, Thunder Hill and Sears Point on other Ducati I've had. Laguna was by far my fav.
Then I up and moved to Italy and bought a V4S. I live about 8 min from Mugello now. Other tracks are a long road trip in a van. Philip Island is still a dream - no idea when that will happen. I'm focusing on Europe for a while. Btw, it is entirely possible to swing on over here, rent a track bike and ride Mugello. With a bunch of cash you can ride in the "DRE track day experience on a prepped V4S," but there are options that are a fraction of that cost. I can hook you up if you're interested. I'm putting this sort of thing together where I would potentially host a group to come over and rip it up in Tuscany. Still in the works. The roads are stunning btw.
Rossi's collection of bikes was bliss in color. I really love that guy for his character. I didn't always. More recently I realized he's just a guy who spreads joy. A true champion. Man that's so rare. In contrast 93 is kind of a typical and rather mediocre character IMO, though ya, fast, smart in many ways, a guy who used to win a lot, but I'm not a fan.
I've got one of Rossi's most colorful helmets now having crossed the threshold of not giving a sh*t what people think of my gear choices anymore.

Vbreeze, You're a cool dude. If I could ever swing it, I'll be sure to reach out to you. Sounds like a blast.