Back on a Ducati after all these years

And did the MV Brutale hit The Spot? Gorgeous bikes to look at but far too revvy for my tastes and probably not suited to UK roads. I'll make do with the MV chassis on my two Cagiva Raptors...

Nick

PS Welcome back to Ducati-land!

[Darren69]

Originally Posted by The Clockie

And did the MV Brutale hit The Spot? Gorgeous bikes to look at but far too revvy for my tastes and probably not suited to UK roads. I'll make do with the MV chassis on my two Cagiva Raptors...

Nick

PS Welcome back to Ducati-land!

The Raptor is a very underated bike I think. TL1000 engine and without the stability issues that blighted the TL. The styling is a bit odd in places though perhaps I'm too conventional in my bike tastes?

I always fancied a Bimota myself and very nearly bought a very cheap non running Mantra before the S4!

Anyway welcome along Peter enjoy the ride!

[Mr Gazza]

Welcome aboard Druid.
Really like the bevelhead, you could retire on the sale of that, if you still had it!
My only ride on a bevel was a short test ride in Milton Keynes.. I loved it and all those roundabouts.. Sadly the seller played sillybuggers and I didn't buy it.

Your 1100 looks tidy, but someone has stuck your knee pads on the wrong sides, upsidedown (comment from serial AJS and Matchless owner)

Enjoy your new bike mate and beware the deadly Giant Blue Anaconda!

Originally Posted by Darren69

The Raptor is a very underated bike I think. TL1000 engine and without the stability issues that blighted the TL. The styling is a bit odd in places though perhaps I'm too conventional in my bike tastes?

You must be thinking of the V-Raptor with its droop-snoot, horns on the tank and exaggerated seat hump. The basic Raptor is a dead ringer for an early Monster but rather neater around the motor area. No coincidence, as they were both designed by the same chap! I shall dig out a photo...



Nick

[Mr Gazza]

I don't think I've seen that one on it's own, only in your Sea of bikes..

It looks quite acceptable to me. My old Bosch lamp looks comfortable in there, as if it grew there, a very neat conversion.

I can see several components common to Monsters, there's probably some I can't see too.

[Darren69]

Originally Posted by Mr Gazza

I don't think I've seen that one on it's own, only in your Sea of bikes..

It looks quite acceptable to me. My old Bosch lamp looks comfortable in there, as if it grew there, a very neat conversion.

I can see several components common to Monsters, there's probably some I can't see too.

Yea, V Raptor was in my mind and I see what you mean. It is very Mk1/Mk2 Monsterish but still a little bit Japanesey looking in places imo but I think that was Cagiva overall mission and to a degree Aprillia too (Italian but with Japan influence) that TL motor performance though is a winner for me. I still think the original Monster trumps it on looks and the S4R on both looks and performance.

Still, thanks for posting Nick and it's obviously a very interesting and rare bike and one for the cognoscenti but ultimately that may be its downfall since it didn't have the popularity of either the Monster or TL so it's probably a bit limited what upgrade bits you could get if you wanted to customise it a bit? Not to mention spares.

I still regret not getting the Bimota for the exclusivity but at the end of the day that would probably put me in the same niche bike ownership situation and would not have lead me to this forum. So I think in the end I did the sensible thing for a change and I'm so glad to be part of the UKMOC lot, even if I am in the S4/S4R water boilers minority group!

[utopia]

Originally Posted by Darren69

..... I'm so glad to be part of the UKMOC lot, even if I am in the S4/S4R water boilers minority group!

Us airheads aren't going to hold that against you Darren, even if we do have our personal preferences.
A naked 90 deg v-twin Ducati is a thing of deep beauty, no matter what form it takes.

And yes, the bikes seem to attract the nice people, don't they ?
I've made many friends as a result.

I too pondered a raptor for a while but to be honest, if you're going to get that close you might as well get a real Ducati.
Similarly I also pondered an Aprilia Shiver but even though the name is a homonym for the closest I get to a religious icon, it wasn't enough to sway me even a teensy bit.
Being realistic though, I was smitten since falling for the 750 bevels in the early 70s and from that point (february 1974, dragon rally to be precise) there was never going to be another bike that would scratch my itch.