h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've been irritatable for a couple of weeks now, and I couldn't for the life of me figure out what was wrong...but today I washed my bike and took it for a ride and felt much better. It's been a while, and I'd forgotten how much I need to ride. And having a grotty suzi was the low-level irritant I'd been repressing.

I dropped into the bike dealer to get a plastic registration sticker holder thing (cheapest bike-related purchase I've made - $2.95...mind you I reckon it should be bl***y well free considering how much we have to pay in rego).

And there I saw it...an immaculate 2000 Ducati 900SS, gorgeous red with aftermarket pipes. 20000 on the clock and about $13000. I had a sit on it, and I reckon if they'd started the engine I would have been trying to buy it then and there.

When I got home I was trying to convince she-who-must-at-least-have-a-say-cos-she-rides-pillion that I really really needed a new secondhand Ducati.

In a loving tone, she advised that I "shut up, I'm reading, go and do some research into it on the net".

So I did...and I've gotta say that my SV650S don't look so bad...I even found a review that said the little sv650 would give the duc a run for its money in terms of power. Of course the 900 has more torque (68hp v 74(900ss), 58nm v 71 on the dyno), but still...

This seems to happen a lot. I compare the ducati bikes to something out of japan, and for the types of bikes I can afford the ducati's fall short for the price. True, the new range of ducatis are pretty cheap, and there is a real emotional appeal to them. And they sound fantastic.

Somebody help me! Should I pursue a dream of hot-blooded italian romance? Or stick with my practical-but-willing Japanese machine?

Personally I've always considered the Ducks to be over-rated and over-priced, you're paying for the image not the engineering...

A guy I w*rk with, a devoted duck-man for many years, recently got rid of the italian beast and got a Honda VTR1000 - now he's a truly happy man

I know what you're saying PR. But there's just something special about the ducatis...I dunno. Let's talk about this over a beer at the Carlisle! I think 2pm is the start time?

We're flying back to Bris about 9am the next morning so can't make it a late one!!

Gotta be Jap!

Ok so the duck looks good, sounds good etc but that don't matter when it's lying on it side due to the technical masterpiece of a stand, or when the leccy goes out and you aint got a shilling to hand.

Gotta be Jap and it's almost certainly gotta be a big H.

Outrider, yeah ya gotta love the superior engineering those Honda boys do.

Won't be there until after 5 BZ, gotta play bowls in the afternoon

BZ says you've got a Viffa. Which one?

Hey - get a Virago .......


Outrider....missing what? Should I be worried?

Oh No! Overtaken by VV again. Damn that trubo GML!!

Didn't you mean turbo?

Outrider, I got the 2002 Vtec Model VFR800 (in a beatiful shade of blue)

and Vicki, I traded my virago in on the VFR...

PR!!!!! I'm shocked that you could do something so terrible!!!!!!!

Obviously a pondrat with taste. I've had a FiW(98) from new. I don't cover the mileage I used too(from>12K down to 1.5k). Gotta improve on that this year.

VV, of course I meant turbo, but the keybaord thought it knew better!

Sorry Vicki, but after 78,000km the poor little 250cc Viraginator wasn't able to keep me as happy on the long runs that my beautiful Viv can

Well get a 535 then! God the answer was sooooo easy!



*shakes head at men who think about bikes, just bikes and only bikes - where as I only think of Virago's *

But bikers eat, sleep, talk, dream, buy, sell, polish, clean, maintain, love and ride ................BIKES!

Me and my Viraaaaago......


....she comes out of hibernation soon!!!! Can't wait!!!


Oops....gotta I'm at mums and using her computer....gotta log off now

Hopefuly - the computer at w*rk will let me on tomorrow, (although, I'm late in coz I've got the in the morning.....

No offence VV, but any size Virago (even the mighty 1100) can't do the over 200km/h kinda things a VFR can


*I hope officer plod isn't reading this forum...*

Forget Jap. Forget Ducati.

Guzzi is the only way to go.

Cheers,

GG

yay greenguzzi! i completely agree, with the exception of the honda Bigone i currently own, but it was major decision for me whether to go for a v11 injection or the honda. Availability was the final decider (found the honda before a decent guzzi). But I've heard they will be releasing the Guzzi racer at some point in the future so am gonna have to think hard when that comes out

http://www.webbikeworld.com/Moto-Guzzi-motorcycles/mgs-01-corsa/index.htm