Hi Manson,
As you requested, my personal observations regarding your comments;
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Originally Posted by manson The answer lies in how much time and money are you willing to spend around your bike post after two months of bringing it home. From what I have read till date, you will definitely end up spending more of each with the Duke than a Japanese I4 machine. |
No arguments here. Bikes like ducati are way more expensive to maintain since their maintenance schedule must be strictly adhered to. Japanese superbikes rarely require anything more than regular oil change and tire/brake pad replacement.
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Originally Posted by manson - The Japanese I4 bikes have been here long enough now, to a point that even local mechanics feel at ease to work around the regular stuff and open up the simpler parts.
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You simply do not take exotics to anyone other than master mechanics.
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Originally Posted by manson - Buying a naked bike for me is making a sensible decision, and have a no nonsense bike which doesn't ever break down, parts do not creak, electricals are always spot on, etc, this points out straight to FZ1.manson.
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The new generation Ducatis since the 999 models are very reliable mechanically and electrically since, they use the latest technologies available.
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Originally Posted by manson - I have never ridden, let alone owned a Duke. But like they say, everything should be tried atleast once in your life, so I will have one someday, but that would be the 1098, or probably a more race bred machine that has an element I can be passionate about in order to hang on through the grim period in the ownership period. I would kick myself (very hard) for not buying an FZ1 everytime I had the Monster malfunction.
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As long as the recommended service schedule is maintained, a malfunctioning Monster is not going to be a problem.
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Originally Posted by manson - Another simple theory, if I the Duke were to be rebadged to Yamaha, would you still buy it over the FZ1? Most probably not. On the flipside, if the FZ1 was to be rebadged to Ducati, you would surely buy one. So you are mostly buying into the brand than looking at any serious value proposition.
40+ BHP on tap, Japanese reliability, much higher refinement levels are worth whole lot more than One Lac INR, had the FZ 1 been a Duke, you could surprise yourself silly at seeing it priced well over 13L INR on road.
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Please note that the Ducatis are expensive because they come with the top of the line parts such as Brembo brakes, forged aluminum wheels, top of the line front and rear shocks, steering damper, just to name a few. These are simply not available in Japs as standard fitments. And if you go still higher into the 'R' models, you're now talking Titanium parts. I don't know if any Japanese bikes even offer these. Some of my co-riders here actually retire their Ducs and Agusta and simply will not sell. They also own Jap SBKs which they turn over every two years.
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Originally Posted by manson - Marketing point of view, many may argue but the Monster does not have any serious snob value, atleast over the FZ1 as it costs a Lac cheaper. It may have had some snob value if it were priced a couple of Lacs over its Japanese competition. I look at it as the cheapest entrant to get into the SBK scene, cheapest being the keyword. So this is where all the snob value over the FZ1 goes out of the window.
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In my personal opinion, Monster is the only ducati model that is sensible for Indian road conditions. I just don't see where an SBK can be seriously ridden unless, you're talking about getting on a highway and going fast in a straight line. And that as I've said before, is not Sport Riding. You're much better of getting a Sport Tourer or Cruiser and will enjoy the experience much more.
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Originally Posted by manson To add, my next bike again is going to be a Japanese machine, V4, I4, I don't know, but after the now tricked out aftermarket 954, I am longing to own a bone stock Japanese motorcycle straight from the showroom to really experience the epitome of refinement one could possible have around.
manson. |
By refinement if you mean a smooth ride, it's mostly by the nature of I4 vs L-Twin. But if you're talking about a riding experience that is simply unforgettable every time, then you want to ride a Ducati, or an Agusta. Japs are simply not as memorable and soon every ride becomes like any other.
The whole debate about a Ducati and Japanese bike is a non-starter, in my opinion. It's almost like trying to compare a Lexus with Mercedes S Class. Both provide you with conveyance in style but the S Class will cost you way more. However, every component of the S Class is simply the highest grade available and provides a very involved driving experience. The Lexus provides unparalleled reliability but is the most incredibly dull car I've ever driven. Personally, I never understood why if you've $50K or more, you would want own a glorified Toyota.
I am so happy to see the maturing of the Indian riding community in willing to explore a riding experience outside the tried and tested jap bikes. I hope to see an ever growing Duc and Agusta riders who actually ride their bikes, instead of posing in front of cafes, like a lot of riders I see here, both Japs and other makes.