Let's start with the news for 2005. The base 999 model now gets the previous 999S, state of engine tune and that means a claimed 140 horsies for the base 999 package. A classic hot rodding operation of bumping compression and hotter cams has been performed and Ducati didn't skimp on the deeper, S type oil sump. The crankshaft has been strengthened too and cam belt covers are now ventilated, something that should add a few thousand miles to their replacement intervals thanks to the reduced running temperature.

The 05' swingarm is no longer cast. It's now a mix of sheet aluminum welded to a central cast section, has 30% more torsional rigidity and weighs some 6 pounds less, while looking like a dead ringer for the swingarm installed on Toseland's racebike.

On the cycle side of things, the one notable change is to the swingarm. Not a fully cast member any more, the 05' swingarm is now a mix of sheet aluminum welded to a central cast section. Ducati claims that 30% more torsional rigidity has been achieved with the new swingarm. The thing also weights some 6 pounds less, while looking like a dead ringer for the swingarm installed on Toseland's racebike. Talking about looks, you'd be hard pressed to notice what exactly has changed just a quick glance at the exterior, but the 999 looks so much better now.

The color-matched frame, that beautiful swingarm and the retouched upper fairing all do wonders for the controversial styling of the original 999. Maybe it's just growing on us, maybe the removal of the devilish looking upper air intakes on the front fairing does the trick. Whatever the reason, the 999's shapes do seem to have come of age and finally morphed into a sexy object of lust. While redoing the upper fairing, almost an inch has been added to its width and it's a tad higher too for better wind protection. Some areas of the bike were never in discussion; the waspish form of the seat/tail piece is in my eyes as suggestive as that of the MV F4's sinful rear end.

Yossef's vest was last seen on the set of the hit 70's comedy "Mork & Mindy".

Refinement continues to be the mantra, as I start the 999 up and take off. After the big jump in civility levels achieved with the passage to the Testastretta motor in its last 998 incarnation, hot rodding or not, the 05' mill is smoother and quieter still. As I carve through some city traffic, the velvety pull of the twin from down low, the way it just hustles forward on a whiff of throttle is so, so cute. I and my lower vertebra discs are supposed to be growing old, but even the riding position feels a tad less extreme and comfier. While short shifting through the sweet box, the only distractions come from a stiff clutch lever and the warm air hitting my inner thighs in slow going.

"Where's the fabled Ducati experience?", you might rightfully ask. I hit the autostrada on my way back home, and traffic is doing around 60-70Mph. The Duc's tacho needle is buried down low and at the first clear stretch I crack it, just a tad, not really minding what gear am I and that patented surge forward from whatever revs, is there, intact, just stronger and fuller higher up the rev range. The thing goes from 60 to a 110 real quick with such a reassuring, casual like attitude. As traffic bottles up again, a light tug on the front brake lever slows the 999 in a jiffy, another whiff of throttle and I am flying along again at one-one-OH! What gear was I in? Doesn't really matter. The ride is taut, typical Ducati stuff yet not jarring, pure controlled absorption. Although I've been slicing through traffic quite swiftly, the 999 does it all in a relaxed manner, no four-cylinder franticness here, oh no. Long legged nirvana? Oh yes.

Now that it's the weekend, it's time to switch from my Aerostich, to full racing leathers. The weather is surprisingly balmy and sunny for early winter, so I only don an insulating vest on top and I am all set. I've been toying around until now, trying to prove to who knows who, that no SBK replica has the right to be so well mannered. However, as I press on into the upper half of the rev range, things sure get interesting. The 05' 999 has been dynoed by local publications in Italy and put down close to 130 RwHp, but what matters more in real life, is that bulging torque peak at a measly 8,000 revs. I roll it on and at that engine speed, the 999 flies and drives out of fast autostrada sweepers with authority, while accompanied by a deep Broaaa!!!! Broaaa!!! as I upshift clutchless, deep into the triple digits. True audiophiles should invest in a Termignioni rear can for best effect though, as the greens have censored the soundtrack somewhat.

The color-matched frame, that beautiful swingarm and the retouched upper fairing all do wonders for the controversial styling of the original 999.Geometry has not changed, but this 999 feels sharper than ever when tipping it into ultra fast bends. Maybe the Michelin Pilot Power tires are behind this razor like response. Suspension just keeps the things very well settled and even at full lean on a sweeping fly-over, the gaps between bridge segments get swallowed without any distress. When flying fast like this, going at 120-140Mph on clean autostrada stretches, the extra wind protection becomes evident. It's no sport tourer mind you, but on this 999 I can actually tuck-in properly. On the old model, all my hands-on Kamasutra experience couldn't help me while trying to hide behind the bubble. Widened screen and all, the mirrors are still useless as ever. After this long day of fast speed work, I land back home quite relaxed. The one piece rubber injection seat has not caused me too much trouble (or heat, thanks to the cool weather) and by fitting the pegs to their lower position, my knees are in a reasonable position.

Page 2Not that I am going to get much rest this weekend. A neighbor of mine, who road tests for a local magazine, calls to invite me for a Sunday ride. He also has an 05' 999 to evaluate and some other fast company will be joining in. We'll be heading to the (in) famous Val Trebbia area, home to scores of Milanese squids. Hemingway once said that the Trebbia's basin is the most beautiful valley he ever saw. Don't know if the guy rode motorcycles or was into canyon riding, but the Trebbia is in fact a 60 mile long roller coaster ride, that at times doesn't leave you a millisecond to catch your breath. It's that tight and furious. Squid heaven.

We arrive at the scene of the crime on Sunday morning, take an espresso break and then let the hostilities begin. My friend Sandro is leading, behind him there's a quite-briskly ridden ZX-9R and I am following, with the rest of the bunch behind me. What doesn't cease to amaze me is the amount of gear lever tap dancing that the guy on the ZX-9R has to perform, in order to keep up with Sandro's 999. All the while, I am riding mostly in third gear, rarely downshifting to second and using fourth only for the few 80-90Mph stretches. Yes, the 999 can be ridden with frantic four-cyl-style gear changing too, but the tach face seems to stare back and you and say: "Yo man, you have all the drive you need and more, chill out"! I don't know if I,m actually riding this Duc any faster than I would a 600, 750 or 1000cc four cylinder either. What is certain, is that this gem of an engine lets you really concentrate on where the road is going and react accordingly, rather than wasting your brain power on gear guessing. Is one downshift enough for this corner? Will I fall flat on my face when rolling on? Better downshift another one, just to make sure. I can almost see the cog wheels in the Kawi rider's brain turning as I follow him and see his foot covering the gear lever, "just in case".

Maybe things are different in Italy. Here in America, if you hang that far over the oncoming lane, you're sure to eat a face full of Squid Pie.On really tight, slow corners, the 999 steering is perfect, really linear. It requires some muscle, but the bike turns in quickly, despite its utter stability mid-turn. It's more on the quick right to left and vice versa passages that the 999 doesn't feel so up to date, especially compared to this year's featherweight big bores.

For the photo shoot, I pick a nice-and-long hooking bend and contrary to what I remember from my last 999 ride, this 05' lets me tighten my line better than before. Two years ago, I blamed the 190 section rear on this tendency to run wide and the 05' wears a 190 too. So maybe those new Michelins are masking up for that, though it still feels like a 180 would be a better choice. This perfect bend could have been transplanted to a race track and indeed the 999 feels so at home here, while leaned over hard, bum slightly off the seat, knee lightly skimming over the tarmac. The magic narrowness of the 999 lets you feel so natural while performing these antics. If you've had any trouble dragging your knee, get a 999 quick.

While discussing the 999 at another coffee stop, I remember being told that at the model's launch in Mugello, the bikes were set up lower in the front and higher in the rear for quicker steering. Makes you wonder what else can be done to this bike by just playing with available set-up parameters. As before, rake angle and trail can be changed, ride height adjusted at both ends and that's besides all the normal suspension adjustments.

Talking about suspension, Sandro is not that happy with the boinkers at both ends, blaming them on being too hard overall (Not that it stopped him from going fast as stink). I am happier, but then I weight in at 170 while Sandro has that typical racer build and must weight less than 140. But I must admit that I also notice some harshness over really bumpy stuff. Not that it bothers the 999 much. It keeps the line regardless, without even a hint of headshake, but I can imagine that a much lighter rider would suffer more. The upside of this typical Ducati set up is the perfect poise the 999 keeps while braking hard into or powering hard out of turns. The non-radial mount binders supply perfect feel and power and make you wonder what all the fuss is about those radial mounts in the first place.

So time passes, the competition gets stronger, Ducatis too and the more things change the more they remain the same. This 999, like all sporting Ducatis before confronts you with questions like: Who you are as a rider, maybe even who you are as a person. Where do you want to make your pass? While carving a decreasing radius corner or while out dragging someone with sheer horsepower? How do you settle arguments? With brainy brilliance or punches and a baseball bat? Do you find the fact that this bike is after all, an ultra refined 851 poetically amazing or poetically embarrassing? If you tend toward the firsts answers, the new 999 will supply more of that fabled Ducati experience; it's simply the best Bolognese Twin ever.