Seattle 999 Unveiling

[rsheidler]

el Flaco



Good to see you back here -- hope you will be able to continue with the occassional contribution.



I'm with you so far on the 999 -- I have not seen it in person, so I'll reserve judgement, and if I had never seen a 916-series Ducati, I would probably think it pretty damn beatiful, but that it a tough act to follow. I also agree that when you consider paying somethink in excess of the average per capita income in the county in which I live, it should be something really special.

[wwalkersd]

...Is it just that I have seen a lot of crap lately...?



As the Science Fiction writer Theodore Sturgeon once said, "90% of everything is crap."

[Captain_1]

I examined the 999 last Saturday and was very pleasantly surprised. No, its not a 916/998, IT is an all-new FRESH design and should be considered as such. I recommend examining the 999 in person before making any hasty decision as to its styling. There are many nice touches that do not show up in the photos. The pilots view is awesome. While I am a great admirer of Tamburini's master work(s), Terblanche deserves credit for his designs given the management constraints of cutting manufacturing costs, assembly time, fewer parts, improving build quality and serviceability. Did I mention profitability and the ability to dominate WSBK?

[BMW4VWW]

I for one find the 999 to be a much better looking design than the 916 through 998 Ducatis, but then I have always found function to be a thing of beauty. What else would you expect from someone who rides a BMW R100 G/S? VWW

[KPaulCook]

To me Ducati is about Passion. I have to say even though I think Ducatis are over hyped and overpriced, the pre 999 stuff made my heart pound whenever I saw one in the flesh. The 999 just doesn't to the same thing. At its price it should scream passion like a Ferrari. I haven't seen one in the flesh but....



El_Flaco I think there is a lot negative things going on in Seattle right now. The economy and traffic suck. Don't let the mood get you down. Go shoot your gun or see the Sonics (maybe young and good this year). Maybe the city is catching its breath from the 90s. Hopefully folks with energy are soon to take over i.e. baby boomers are tired and need to let the kids takeover. Seattle is still a beautiful place and has a lot going for it. No offense to Chicago but I went there a few weeks back. No thanks made me appreciate it here.

[KPaulCook]

"Terblanche deserves credit for his designs given the management constraints of cutting manufacturing costs, assembly time, fewer parts, improving build quality and serviceability. "

Do you really think they are going to compete with Honda on these things? Passion man Ducati is about Passion.

"Did I mention profitability and the ability to dominate WSBK? " Unless the other Japanese makers come to play (Kawasaki has already said no) does it matter if Ducati dominates a field full of Ducatis, a lone RC51 and a lone Aprilia? No one wants to play in a field where the rules are fair they have taken their toys to MotoGP.



No this bike will have to sell on Passion. I don't think it has it.

[barcello]

----Totally OT---



I go to UW too! I thought that I had seen that SV650 around campus before, when it was in the article this summer...that was yours, right? It's cool that you write for the daily, though they certainly are cynical folk, I can see where that and the seattle greys could get ya down

[kman45]

I saw a 99 last week too and was very surprised at how much better it looked in person. The thing just doesn't photograph well and I hated it in pictures. Different story in person. The muffler is about the only thing that really stands out as gawking, the tail section is actually very cool, just overwhelmed by the ugly muffler. The front of the fairing and headlights don't look near as harsh in person either.



BTW, the dealer sent out an optimistic email stating "hurry down and see it as it won't be here very long." Well, I was there around noon the first day it was available and somebody called and said they were buying it and would pick it that afternoon. So it had a one day local viewing.

[longride]

I'm sure you didn't like it in Chicago. You being in Seattle makes me appreciate Chicago even more for some odd reason. You needed to look me up. We could have hit all the biker spots and I would have let you ride my old Superglide. Damn, we could have had a good old time.

[seruzawa]

Personally, I think that if I wanted to live in the rarefied (or is it just thin low-on-oxygen) air of the white wine poser Italian bike crowd I would get one of those wicked looking new Benelli Toronados. Now there is one sweet looking rig. Oh heck. Screw the white wine crowd. I want a Toronado.



Its poser value over Ducatis is inestimable. You would have the snoots in their red leathers turning green. Or maybe get an MV Agusta. Heck, if you're going to spend that many $K to just go posing around city streets, may as well go all the way.



"Ducatis have become just so blase' don't you know, dear? And I do love that gold lame' scarf that sets off your Arai helmet so well. "



There should be a clause in any Ducati purchase contract that allows the manufacturer to confiscate any of Ducati's race-style bikes that spend too much time cruising on the boulevards.