[slickwill]

2008 Ducati 848 Road Test

[Maholli]

Nice article and that sure is a great over-all package... Its a beautiful bike.. You still want one or gonna get one?

[slickwill]

Originally Posted by Maholli

Nice article and that sure is a great over-all package... Its a beautiful bike.. You still want one or gonna get one?

Definitely still want one. I'm fully in love. I have checked them out at Ducati Omaha and here in Des Moines. I love the idea of the extra torque, it basically has more torque at it's lowest point than a 600cc bike has at its highest point, yet I have no need for full open class power. I think it would be a good step up from what I'm riding. They are completely uncomfortable, terribly impractical, yet so beautiful. I'm saving up. I refuse to finance a bike since it is just a toy to me so it will be a little while. I kind of want to wait long enough to see if any announcement is made about an S or R model being released. The practical side of me wants to wait until a clean used one shows up for sale with one of those, "it seemed like a good idea at the time" stories. It would be even more savings if they have already done the 600 mile service. Someone will buy one, ride it 500-1000 miles, and then decide to sell it. The perfectionist part of me wants nothing but a brand new one that I can baby from day one and break it in the way I want. Either way it will be after the intial demand goes down.

[Maholli]

Yeah its classic Ducati beautiful.. Im sure you got to sit on one when you went and checked them out in person.. How much more of an aggressive riding position was it over the F4i? Seems like once you got used to it, it would be ok.. I think the price is right on.. If you put Marchesini wheels on a Honda CBR600RR and some Brembo's that alone would put it in the same price bracket.. Or atleast I think it would.. It sure sounds awsome.. And of course just the low-end torque from a twin is better also..

[slickwill]

I have the '02 F4i which has the more uncomfortable split seat and the 848 makes my bike feel like a couch. The bars are really low and the seat is really hard and square on the 848. The 600RR is much more comfortable. Think Daytona 675 but with lower bars and worse seat.

Yeah, I think I said in a post somewhere else that if you figure $9300 for a 600RR (my second choice), add $1500 for the Marchesini's, $750 for the Brembo's, and $150 for the SS brake lines, the price difference is just over $1000. If you want to get really technical you can figure in the fact that the 600RR has the ugliest turn signals anywhere in the motorcycle world and would have to be replaced immediately ($100), the 600RR is a full system and PCIII away from matching the power ($1300), the DDA system on the Ducati is AWESOME and definitely worth the extra $299. It would take $5,000 to end up with a similar system on the 600RR. The Ducati also has a lot higher re-sale value. The have very good depreciation rates.

Some arguments the other way though are the lower insurance rates for the Honda and lower cost of maintenance. Can you tell I've thought this over much more than is necessary? Mostly just trying to justify it to myself and my wife.

I really think that all things considered the Ducati is the better value. Yes, I said the Ducati is the better value. However, the high initial cost for not a lot more performance is what puts many people off. The difference in MSRP is $3596. By August the '08 RR will be at or below $9000 so the difference is more in the $4000 range. That is a big initial chunk of cash to shell out. It is easy to think that if you pay the $9000 up front for the 600RR that you can then purchase all of the mods that will make it a Ducati beater as you get money later. The RR just doesn't do it for me the same way that the 848 does. I think that if I bought a 600RR I would still want a Ducati.

[jschaf]

Better value: 08 Honda CBR1000RR $10,499 OTD (here in Ohio). Truly flicks like a 600. Very good (long power band) torque curve. It's your money. (Comparing the 848's torque 4 cylinder bikes you've got to consider the gearing. If a bike doesn't put out the revs, it must be geared proportionally to compensate & the gearing difference is directly porportional to actual torque, or seat of the pants acceleration, at the rear wheel. Except for souped up Harleys which accelerate relatively quickly (for the weight) for the first 30 feet or so in first gear because of the high torque & low gearing in first gear of a wide ratio transmission.) Sorry for yammering on so. Just my 2 cents.

[TwistyB*tch]

I test rode one about a month ago , I was dead set on owning that beauty until I rode my new 1000rr . Great bikes

[slickwill]

Better value: 08 Honda CBR1000RR $10,499 OTD

848 all the way. RR just doesn't do it for me. I'd have to spend WAY to much on mods to get it to the point that I could stand to look at it.

[TwistyB*tch]

I would still love to have the 848 my reasoning for the Honda ...cheaper maintenance

[Sideshow bob]

Originally Posted by slickwill

Definitely still want one. I'm fully in love.

They are completely uncomfortable, terribly impractical, yet so beautiful

Ducati' are sultry minxs, they parade around with there oh so fine lines, Moan like a oscar winning pornstar as you ride (well.. Roar).. then tease you with temprimental electrics that decide not to work (coz they too tired or just cant be bothered) then work (then go off again when you turn your back) point at a cloud on the horizon and it starts to rust!!

Uncomfortable= no arguement there, terribly impractical= oh yes (chocolate&fireguard spring to mind) don't even start on cost of parts!! etc!!

That said... I use mine all the time.. nip into town=take the duke.. even shopping (thats what backpacks were invented for!)

Once you've decided you want one.. you'll ignore the "faults" and love it..

But... TOY is the right way to think of them