Ducati GT1000 opinions...

Guys,
I am an older rider so a comfortable motorcycle is big to me...one of the things I like about the VFR. Enter the Ducati GT1000. I have never owned a Ducati. As much as I love the retro cafe racer Sport 1000 which to me is pure art, the ergos are way too bent over for my aging body. The GT1000 by contrast is a throwback of another kind...a standard which has always felt the best to me. I currently ride a cruiser which I mildly regret buying and frankly that bike has to go because I hate the forward controls on the thing...although the motorycycle is excellent but riding position I believe is crucial. I have never owned a Ducati. Perhaps some of you guys have. The book on Italian machines as you know is their designs evoke passion but not real long on reliability. This is '07 bike however so possibly things have changed. Are parts possible to get say compared to a Honda? Few bikes beat the VFR for quality of ride per dollar I suppose but was thinking before I'm done I thought maybe I should own just one Ducati. Insurance is another matter and perhaps a penalty for the GT1000.
I like naked bikes I guess because I grew up riding Triumphs and the Duc GT1000 speaks to me.
Here is a video clip of the bike:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9i0_t-JgSE

Since there are many long time riders that gravitate to the VFR because it is such a great bike and a real sweet spot for ergos vis-a-vis performance, I thought I would ask your opinion.
Please let me know your thoughts.
Thanks,
George
P.S. It has to be red of course.

 

George
I had an 05 Ducati Monster 620 before my 07 VFR. When I was looking to upgrade from the Duke-for a bigger more comportable bike, I looked at the Multistrada 1000 DS-but it's seat height was to high. My experience with Ducati reliability was a good one. My opinion is that reputation for poor reliability goes back to the 70s-early90s when they had different ownership. The 2000+ Dukes are engineered better and have equal reliability to Japanese bikes. I believe the GT1000 also has the DS (dual spark) engine, one of the best they ever made. It is also a 2 valve per cylinder engine, which has much less maintenance required than the 4 valve testrastretta engines found on the superbike models. That being said, when a Ducati does require service, I found the parts/labor to be higher than the Honda, and there are less dealers to provide that service.
Tony

 

If I were adding a second bike I would get a sport classic Ducati. I've ridden the 2006 Sport 1000 mono and the 2007 GT 1000 and they are about as much fun as you can get. These bikes don't need big HP to get by because they have some serious character and they are plenty fast!! I was more comfortable for long distance on the GT because of the bars and relaxed ergos, so for one bike thats the choice but I really liked the Sport even though the ergos would be torture in less than a full hour of riding. Raising the clip ons would be my first change. The salespeople at the dealership where I got my VFR all ride different types of bikes, BMWs and Ducatis seem to be the norm and they said the new stuff is not much different than getting into long term ownership with a Honda. A lot of the techs ride Interceptors, 5th and 6th gens.... Like olivino said, the newer Ducatis are fine and the dual spark motors don't need as much maintenance.

 

Thanks a lot guys for your informative comments....appreciate it. Alter ego...where I am slightly torn is a point that you stated very well. Ideally I would like to have a Ducati Sport 1000 with the GT1000 ergos. I may have to go there by building that bike. The only visual I don't like about the GT1000 that may not bother some is the rear fender gap. I know it is period specific but I much prefer the cafe capped rear end which seems to de-emphasize the rear fender gap by not having the fender wrap around the rear tire. With the Sport 1000 bike the little cafe cowling in back really makes the look of the bike IMHO and we totally agree on the appeal. Further we agree on the ergo disparity between the two bikes as well. To me ergos trump nth degree aesthetics because if you aren't comfortable that will quickly erode how cool you think you look on the thing.:wink: And there are further ergo gradations with the family of Ducati Sports Classic 1000 models as well. They have a two passenger version of the cafe bike that has slightly higher handlebars...believe they are still clippons versus a standard handlebar on the GT1000 which is even higher. Then of course there is the Paul Smart model which is the man that started the storied history of Ducati. That bike to me is simply beautiful...belongs in a museum. Also agree nth degree horsepower which you guys also touched upon isn't what these retro bikes are about. At 1 liter and with 2V/cyl they have enough horsepower and more important are tractable for street riding if you ask me.
But there is no denying the ergo advantage of the GT1000. I believe it may even be possible to further raise the clip-ons of the 2 passenger cafe model to get the bars up close to the GT. Not sure if visually the std GT handlebar would meld with the pure cafe bike if it can even be retrofitted without a different fork. I would like to have a Paul Smart model. But if you look, the handlebars and riding position of that bike in particular is the most slammed and no raising the bars there as they are in the window of the front fairing.
Decisions...:smile:
George

 

Below is a comparison in handlebar height between the various models:
George

 

Looks like a Triumph Bonneville with a v-twin lump, the unfaired one at least.

 

John...believe you mean the Triumph Truxton which has its own retro appeal...but have to tell you, there ain't no comparison in performance between those two cafe bikes...the Duck will run and hide from the Triumph for only a little more money. The Bonny and GT1000 are visual cousins so to speak.
George
Thruxton below:

 

Nice bike btw, but no i wasn't thinking of the Thruxton, i was actually thinking of the Bonneville

http://www.triumph.co.uk/uk/786.aspx

The duke is bound to have more grunt, no argument there lol

 

George - I just transitioned from a 95 Ducati 900 SS/SP (904cc, 2 valve oil/air-cooled) to an 07 VFR. Actually, I find the bikes very similar in power delivery, ergos and adequate power that is very easy to access - leaving a lot of opportunity for concentrating on improving rider skill (more important to performance than HP). I found the Ducati ownership experience to be excellent. Not a single maintenance issue the entire time I owned it. Valve adjustments were more frequent and routine maintenance was about 20% more. However, not significant enough to factor into the buying decision. The 1000 DS engine should provide the same/better reliability, with a few extra ponies! Also, Ducati is selling more bikes every year and the dealership/parts network is growing every day. My advice - go for it! I never regretted one day with my Ducati and I’m looking forward to a similar experience with the VFR. Good luck, and red is the ONLY color for a Duc…

 

Just met with some of the guys I ride with, we had a conversation about your dilemma..... Not really a bad dilemma consideringyou are torn between some great bikes. Their advice: Get the 2007 Sport 1000 biposto with the clip ons, they can be raised to make the bike closer to the GT. My big complaint on the GT is the same as yours.... the rear fender/seat area just doesn't work for me and I like the option to have the cowl cover back there. I'm hoping this helps and that you pick one up!!! I will live vicariously through you until I can afford to add one to my garage. As far as the VFR, I can't tell you how much I enjoy my bike. Every time I get out on it I just appreciate what it is more and more.... BUT, if you have a chance to get a Duc.... I'd do it and throw some Termi's on there so it looks AND sounds period correct.

 

We must be long lost distant cousins or something as we think so much alike.
:smile: Thanks for asking about that Alter Ego. The digging I did came up with the same. One can add the ST3 clip ons to the biposto and indeed get the bars up to near the GT1000. I haven't ruled out an '07 VFR RWB however
which is simply a beautiful motorcycle with wonderful engine.
May in fact trade my Victory Vegas for one. Below is a pic of me riding my bike to put into perspective why the ergos don't work. Feet forward, weight back...pelvis rotated under due to feet forward...hard to keep proper posture...classic cruiser blues....about had it as I have played extensively with trying to dial it in with moving the foot pegs...etc..just can't. The only way to get the pelvis to rotate into a neutral position is to rotate the feet more rearward, period...that means mid controls and higher seat. I am long legged and that means I need ample seat height and that doesn't wash with the aesthetic of a low slug raked out cruiser which has to have pegs forward and high for ground clearance because the legs have to go somewhere when that close to the ground.
So I am shopping around a bit for a change in '08. Can you tell I'm just not the cruiser kind of guy?
I will miss the 100 ft-lbs of torque but not the 600+ lbs weight of that bike. :wink:
Thanks again for all the great advice,
George

 

George
One last thing I'd like to mention, all Ducati owners should join Desmo http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/DESMO/ . There is a wealth of knowledge there about Dukes from the Ducatisti.

 

Thank you Olivino. I will check them out.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge of Duc's.
George

 

Hi Jason,
You mention a common theme about Ducatis...character...soul. Intangibles hard to quantify. A concept to wrestle with as you mention...these attributes come from faults as opposed to perfection.:tongue: BMW automobiles and certain touring motorcycles come to mind. Rapid transport capsules but not nearly as much fun as an old top down rattley and low powered British sports car. :wink:
The naked thing has traction with enthusiasts for the same reason I believe...exposure of mechanicals evoke what motorcycle guys are about and a throwback to a simplier time that I certainly recall when a motorcycle was more or less a standard.

All said, I just got off the phone with my insurance agent...Progressive...this morning to price out a few bikes Here are numbers and I am not happy about it but since insurance came up in another Duc GT1000 thread, thought I would look into it.

- Victory Vegas (current cruiser 1.5 liters) $281.15/yr
- Ducati 1000S $613.15/yr or over twice as much
- Honda VFR 800 $613.15/yr
- Triumph Thruxton (slower then the others) $487/yr.

I squacked to the Progressive agent about the VFR. They have it listed as a sport bike...what a surprise...not.
I believe the Duc insurance cost is what it is...but does anybody have a suggestion for another insurance carrier for the VFR which some may actually show as a sports touring bike? I am an old guy with a clean record.
Thanks,
George

 

Hey I am an older dude and do need something comfortable, but also want to do some trackdays. I know the Duc 916 is sometimes called the torture chamber bike, but it is soooo beautiful. There gotta be a way to use handlebar risers and maybe footpeg mod to make the bike more comfortable. I know it is very impratical for someone my age to consider but I think it is the collector part of me that wants a 916 or 996 (1098 is out of my price range). I have never owned a Duck so it would be more of a trackday/collector/poser bike for me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6K2CUdqURg

 

I need to do more checking. I have my car insurance through AIG. They don't insure motorcycles.
Thanks,
George