Somebody Stop Me Before Its Too Late

[GPM]

So, I'm out running some errands this morning when my truck decides to turn into the parking lot at AZ Superbikes, home to all sorts of Italian and British exotica.

Now, I've owned my K1200RS for two years and put about 18K on her. Its the smoothest, most comfortable bike I've ever owned. My last 3 BMWs were twins, and the K bike is a different animal altogether. Heated grips, cruise control, adjustable everything, what's not to love. So what was I doing, at AZ Superbike?

When I was 13 years old, and riding a new Honda 50, I lusted after my best friend's Ducati. So, after a short 45 year wait, I'm seriously considering taking the plunge.

I asked them to call me next week, when they finish assembling the Red, Ducati ST3S ABS. Since I'm a one bike at a time guy, that would mean saying good bye to the KRS. Being a bit impulsive, I consider myself lucky that the bike was still in the crate. The only thing I brought home was a brochure.

Since I've found this brand new group of friends, with the collective Motorcycling wisdom of Solomon, I though I'd solicit your advice.

Should I answer the phone next week, or sit quietly and wait for this insanity to pass?

[BobFV1]

Harry -

Red ST3S! Rather than trying to stop you, my friend, I will do everything in my power to encourage you, so that we can be seen riding together!!!

When I did my track day on the RT over a year ago I was in the slow group with a guy on a bike exactly as you described - that thing was a screamer and it was absolutely beautiful. My only caution would be that you make sure the bike fits you well - it may be a little more "aggressive" than your K-bike. It is a beauty, though.

One other thing - give Phoenix International Motorsports a look - they are a good crew as well and even though it is a bit of a haul you may be able to do something with pricing through them. I have been using the AZSuperbikes mechanic, Tom Christianson, on my 900ss and he is excellent, but I like the "business end" of PIM better - they seem a little more fair and a little more inclined to deal.

BUY BUY BUY!!!

[popgazer]

Should I answer the phone next week, or sit quietly and wait for this insanity to pass?

My advice! Follow your heart and get the duc, it's the right thing to do:
- for yourself, because you will get something you have been lusting for
- for the economy because you will be spending $
- for others, because you will be donating the K1200, right!

BTW, I accept donations of used K bikes :)

[Bones]

Harry,
It is not insanity. It may, indeed, be a disease, but not insanity. You are among a group that understands. It may be the only group that understands, but believe me, at least some of us do.

What to do? Well, these types of things are only a little bit better for me, because I am a "two bike at a time" kind of guy. If you don't count the dirt bike. Since you are a one at a time guy, you then have to decide about both form and function.

The BMW is like nice sex.:058: The Ducati is like nasty sex.:eusa_drool: Both are good, right? But they are different. For guys who have longed to have a Ducati, it is just something you have to do, sooner or later.

My suggestion (and I make no apologies for encouraging you to be corrupt, mind you) is that you swing back by that shop once the bike is out of the crate. Sit on it. Smell it. Caress it. Start it up and listen to it and feel it. Then get up, walk away from the bike and look down at the crotch of your jeans. If there is a stain, just get out your check book.


I think that if you sit on the bike once it is out of the crate, you will know.

Keep us posted and we want pictures if it all comes down.

Good luck.

Jeff

[BobFV1]

The BMW is like nice sex.:058: The Ducati is like nasty sex.:eusa_drool:

NASTY SEX IS BETTER!!! :050:



Sit on it. Smell it. Caress it. Start it up and listen to it and feel it. Then get up, walk away from the bike and look down at the crotch of your jeans. If there is a stain, just get out your check book.



Dr. Sawbones,

You are a gentleman of unusual perspicacity! But don't you think he should lick it too, at least lightly?:104:

[GPM]

Ok, I take back the wisdom comment.

Bob, thanks for the head's up on the Phx dealership. I've been in there a few times and actually forgot they were a Duc dealer. I'll take a run up there next week.

The next issue may be how to convince my lovely Asian wife of 20 years, who has been quite understanding of the pudgy Germans, why she should accept a sexy Italian.

[BobFV1]

Ok, I take back the wisdom comment.

Bob, thanks for the head's up on the Phx dealership. I've been in there a few times and actually forgot they were a Duc dealer. I'll take a run up there next week.

The next issue may be how to convince my lovely Asian wife of 20 years, who has been quite understanding of the pudgy Germans, why she should accept a sexy Italian.

Well, I'm a pudgy Italian, so I don't think I can help....

Let's run up to PIM on Weds or Thursday!

[GPM]

Well, I'm a pudgy Italian, so I don't think I can help....

Let's run up to PIM on Weds or Thursday!

Sounds good, lets plan on Thursday. That gives AZSBK time to get theirs built and maybe I can compare prices. I'll drop you a PM.

[jamming]

Harry,Harry,Harry,
You seek our advice, however, I'm definitly not the person. I looked at the Duc ST3S. My dirty little secret. I had ridden the BMW ST. I have a friend with a ST3 not ABS, and he let me ride it after I rode the ST.
I loved it:058: , oooooo it was sexy, fast, fit me and yes nasty sex is good.
But, I chose the BMW ST. Why? I looked at adjusting the Desmo valves, chain drive, insurance rates, and like you I'm a one bike guy. My bike is my transportation. So, While I loved the Duc, I stuck with nice sex, nice sex being shaft drive, lower insurance rates, and good old screw type valve adjustments.
Harry, follow your heart, the Duc is a fantasic bike. Chick magnet ya know.
Nothing like that twin screaming towards redline.
Roger

[Acacia]

Follow the advice of the heart and wet pants guides?

I am a head kind of guy. I know what and why I ride what I do. It does what I want and expect it to do - now and into the forseeable future. That does not mean I dont take a look or two over my shoulder.

Get the lust of your passing fancy now, and in a few months you might be sitting looking at it and remembering the old Shaker saying - "too soon old, too late smart..."!

There will be many more sets of wheels to temp you..... Now for that 45 year monkey on your back telling you what you 'need' - see the Shaker saying above... or the one I heard in AL, ".. he said giddyup to his mouth (lust in this case) before he hitched his brain up..."

I say - make a sensible choice.

[Fly]

I've found that when I think I really want something new or different, if I wait a month or so the urge usually goes away...if not, then it must be serious and is to be dealt with.

I'm an admirer of Ducatis...but I've never riden one...maybe some day I'll get around to test riding one to see how they work for me. The ST3 would be my in top two Duc list...the other being the Multistrada. The ST3 looks good in the Senna grey/metallic grey/fluorescent red rim trim. The local BMW dealer is going to be the new Ducati dealer...that'll be interesting...it must be official since they're listed on the Ducati website.

Then again, I wouldn't recommend anyone take my advice.

[fganger]

Harry,
The only proviso I'd add is for traveling. If I were planning on doing much traveling via bike, I'd opt out of the Ducati.

While Ducati's are ever so much reliable than they used to be, they still have their problems. If I were mostly going to use it close to home, and had a back-up bike/auto, no sweat. As you, I'm a “one bike at a time” rider. My bike needs to be reliable, and have a good dealer network.

If I were going to really lay down the miles, far from home, I'd look else ware. Now if you could find a great deal on a used Duc, and talk your wife into both a German and an Italian . . .

Perhaps you could present the issue as a cost saving measure:

"Look dear, you know that couples that have been married for about 20 years, are the ones most likely to stray from their vows. An Italian Racing Red Ducati would be cheaper than a girl friend on the side. Also there is little chance of me wanting to divorce you for the bike.":058:

It's worth a shot.

Frank

[DarthRider]

I'm probably the last one to offer advice on resisting or buying motorcycles...so I won't. But I will tell you what I do.

For the last 30 years or so I've always had more than 1 bike at once...sometimes only 2, as many as a dozen or so. It has probably averaged 3-4 during that time.

I know that sounds pretty fast & loose on making buying decisions but it's really not. For a couple of reasons:

With few exceptions, I never buy a bike on impulse or that I don't know for sure I want too keep for a long time...I've had my Norton since 1975!

Having multiple motorcycles sounds like having no buying discipline at all...yes and no. *No* in that motorcycles are specialized creatures and no one can do more than a couple of things very well and I don't care much for compromise motorcycles...so in my twisted mind I *have* to have at least a few to do what I want to do. *Yes* in that I only have so much room for the bikes and time to ride/maintain them, and especially money to buy them, so I usually have to sell one to buy the next one.

Sometimes life throws you a curve. I bought my MZ Super Motard to ride with my buddy Randy on his KTM Duke but when Randy died I decided to sell the MZ and get a KLR 650 and do some dual-sporting.

Another thing is I always take 6 mos. to a year to research, test ride, think about, "ride in my mind", etc. a new bike before I take the plunge. And that gives me time to generate $$ while making room in the shop. This has kept me from making mistakes but I find the longer I do this the better I get at picking only "keepers"...bikes I really love. I never rode a R1150R before I bought Darth and I never rode a Speed Triple before I bought Hoochie Mama, but both were exactly what I knew they would be. And both are "keepers" although I have to admit, at 62 I can see a time when I will have *no business* riding something like Hoochie. When that day comes I will sell her and get something like a hopped-up Triumph Thruxton.

I've found that my "magic" number is 3 bikes, at least in this time of life. A hot-rod (Hoochie), a sports tourer (Darth) and soon to be a KLR 650 D-S.

If this is what old age is like...Bring that Muther on!

Dave

[Bones]

Interesting perspective from Fly. I guess I am the opposite. If I really want something badly, if I wait a month or two, I want it even worse.

Re Darth's overview....seems like similar things have evoved for me: after a ton or research, discussion, reading and thinking, I have been able to buy the last few bikes and have them be exactly what I anticipated, and they were purchased without riding them.

I seem to like to have one that really does what I want and need it to do in terms of actual real world riding and the other for a more limited purpose but for fun. And a third as a dirt bike.

Sounds like you lean towards practicality, so perhaps the Duc is not the best choice of those two. The Ducs I have ridden have left me uninspired, but what I was expecting of them had a lot to do with performance and not appearance, at the time.

Oh, so much to consider.

Still, checking your undergarments after playing with one will be a good guage of what you should do.

Good luck.

Jeff

[Moose]

GPM, IMHO after you ride the ST3, you'll want one. May not need it, but will want it. I rode one and I want one. The issue for me is the chain. I've talked with several guys who ride serious miles and they say shaft drive is the way to go. You are no doubt familiar with this issue. Too much maintenance at the end of a long day in the saddle is required to keep the chain in functional shape. I questioned that observation and was told that even new tech chains not cleaned at a 500 mile interval have failed after 2000 miles. For that reason a couple riders I know, Busa and Duc, have just recently switched to the shaft. BMW in particular. Now these are riders who plan on long trips, ie. 400 or more miles per day. Yeah, I want the ST3. Do I need it for the ridding I plan in the near future, no.

[GPM]

Well, the comments and suggestions have come full circle. Thanks guys, I really appreciate the opinions.

The 'take your time' suggestions are certainly welcome. And, although this has been a long time desire, as Darth points out, age (mine) needs to be taken into consideration. My riding style has grown more conservative over the last couple of years. I think thats due to both the need to conserve money and points on the license, and being a bit too close to the unfortunate results of riding too close to the edge.

As advised, I have been doing a bit of research on Ducatis. Maybe not six months worth, but information is easier to come by these days. I'm fairly comfortable with the reliability issues. My riding consists mainly of 250 - 400 mile day trips, a few overnighters, and maybe one long (5-6 day) trip a year. While in my best days, I probably never approached the pace of some of our more enthusiastic members, I do appreciate the entertaining mountain roads we have in AZ. At least enough so as to recognize that while the KRS is great on big sweepers, and at eating up the miles, when the curves tighten up, she's a bit out of her element.

In the end, it will come down to a combination of passion and common sense. Since I haven't even sat on the ST yet, fit and feel is still to be determined. While bar risers, new seat and different screens can alter the fit, I wouldn't to try to turn it into something its not. So, its got to fit, and it has to have that certain something that draws me back out to the garage after a long ride, just to sit and listen to her cool.

On a side note, the Multistrada is certainly an interesting bike. Quite roomy and comfortable. But, like my wife once said when I asked her if she'd consider a new Saab, 'only if I can drive it with a car cover on'. The Mulit is an odd looking Duck.

So, thanks again for all the comments. I will re-read them all before I go back for a closer look.

[Deans BMW]

Harry, Bob, I am toying with riding down to your neck of the woods to join you in your look see at new bikes. You guys will be more than welcome to ride my ST to get a little taste............

Yes my riding style has grown more conservative with age..........In your dreams................

Let me know when and where and if the Wx holds, I'll be there.

[Bones]

Harry,
Here is one more piece of info you might NOT be looking for. As you now mention the Multistrada, along with further descriptions of the kind of varied riding you do and plan to do, there is a bike you "should" look at, as well. It looks nothing like a Ducati of any type and has a different mojo altogether. BUT, it basically fits the description of the bike you outline, exactly. The BMW R1200GS. It has ergos that are perfect, in my opinion. It has a shaft, so all those chain maintaince issues are non issues. It has plenty of get up and go (and will wheelie if you aren't careful). Has plenty of torque. Will smoke the Multistrada in the tight twisties and can be ridden all day long, and is perfectly comfortable eating up mega miles on the highway, too. The rough road capabilities are obviously there, even if you never use them. Etc. etc. Wanna sport ride with it? Take off the cases and go. Wanna tour and load it up with stuff? No problem.

You mentioned bar risers, etc. for the Duc. This ergo concern will be a non issue with the GS and its upright riding position. It is one of the few BMW's that you can get aftermarket doo dads for without much hassle. The first generation 1200's have been through all the bugs, and the next series of them have been fine as far as I can tell.

I know this isn't where you were going with the Ducati exploration. But given the list of real things that matter to you in a bike, you may want to check out the GS.

Warning: I had NO intention of buying one, really. But I did test ride and that was it. I couldn't get the bike out of my head after that. I love mine. I searched for one WITHOUT servos (and thus without ABS) and have been very, very happy. If you want pics, PM me and I will email them to you.

Sorry if a wrench was thrown into your short list.

Jeff

[Deans BMW]

The Bonester knows whereof he speaks.

[GPM]

Jeff,

Thanks for the info. I'm sure there's a GS in my future. Every trip to the dealer ends up in the GS section. When I visited NTGM at the track last month, we watched Chris Life, one of the instructors, fly around the track at Firebird on a knobby tired GS with a topbox mounted.

Perhaps when I take a closer look at the Ducati, I'll come to my senses. Or, perhaps not. Its kind of like when I sold my Corvette and bought a Viper. Sometimes common sense just can't compete with the "I just have to find out for myself" feeling. Don't have the Viper any more, but she sure was fun while she was here.

Reminds me of that topless dancer, oh never mind, that's a story for another time....

[arkline]

Let me just say one thing about the Multistrada seat. HARD! In the Duc reviews they always bitch about the seats - no concession to the comfort of a fundamental part of the human anatomy. For a long time I discounted the carping as a means to even out the rest of the review, which usually glowed with praise for the looks and mechanical wonder that are Ducati. BUT I WAS WRONG! A few weeks ago I took a stroll through the local emporium of all things Ducati. And I was attracted to a black Multi. And I heaved a leg over and almost immediately recognized that the seat might not even be good for a half-hour, much less 3 to 5 hundred miles. I now cannot figure out how they can do the Cento Passi on those things, except that the riders are prolly wearing extra padded under-roos. From a looks perspective, there are few generally available bikes that have the class of a Duc. But few have a seat designed by a committee from the Spanish Inquisition.:043:

And nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition.

[Fly]

In the most recent edition of CYCLE WORLD, Peter Egan had some interesting (to me) comments on his departed ST4S in regards the comfort /ergo issues.

The ST3 "looks" like it would be comfortable...I may have sat on one but can't really remember.

I purchased my BMW without test driving one (I did sit on one at the dealer)...but I won't never buy one w/out riding one in the future.

Like my pappy used to say, "act in haste, repent in leisure."