Was stopped in my tracks at the sight of this beastie, out riding in the neighborhood tonight. The sound of the exhaust was the call of the wild...
I love the way the sparse engineering makes an aesthetic all its own: It's a motor with a seat and a couple of wheels bolted pretty much directly to it, and that's about it.
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There's a reason they call it a monster. And that valvetrain- oooh so many pieces- but when it's right, the sound they make...
ReplyDeleteThis is the sort of thing that makes me very, very glad I never became proficient at riding. The sensation of that much acceleration is far, far too addicting, and I'm damnably dangerous to myself on four wheels. I love the sound of getting that valvetrain juuuust right, though. When you can do that, you can wrench anything.
Yep, Dukes have an extremely unique sound to them.
ReplyDeleteAnd more pieces in the valvetrain than most mechanics can keep track of!
Never seen one in the flesh, which is not surprising considering just how far I am from a dealer!
ReplyDeleteLove them.
ReplyDeleteWife and I keep threatening to buy a pair. If we move to California, we just may do it.
-R
Single sided arm on an air-cooled engine? Did the factory do that? Guess I'm really out of date on Ducatis if I have to ask that, sigh...
ReplyDeleteLeaving the heat guard off that rear cylinder pipe is not bright.
Ditto the cam belt covers. For racing, it may have helped with cyl and head cooling with better air flow, but foolish on the street. Get something caught between belt and sprocket, and it may be a very expensive perspective on the reality of shooting for style on the mean streets. Even worse could be getting your fingers caught. Trying to ride with the new nickname of "stubby" might be a problem.
Whoa, got to back off on the crabby today.
Bike looks neat. Might just be an unfinished project.
It's been over ten years since I've uncovered my Duc, and it's time for it to go...
That is what Ducati has always been about. Simple raw savage and oh so much fun.
ReplyDeleteMy Ducks were the most rewarding motorcycles I ever owned over a period of over 40 years. Light, flick-able, with great torque and a wide powerband. The desmodromic valve gear is not difficult to work with when approached with some thought. Once set up correctly, needing little maintenance. Two valve ducks use air & oil cooling, 4 valve ducks use water cooling.
ReplyDeleteAnother benefit is that they hold their value very well.
"It's a motor with a seat and a couple of wheels bolted pretty much directly to it, and that's about it."
ReplyDeleteIt's a piker*...I present you with a 600cc GXSR engine bolted into a 50cc scooter frame: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRsbRRV8lPo
*to clarify, I'm referring to the raw simplicity, not it's engineering performance.
For the full Ducati experience, throw a handful of nuts and bolts into a coffee can, and shake with vigor - sounds just like the dry clutch with a (non-stock) vented clutch cover.
ReplyDeleteSon used to have a Ducati. First time I heard it started, if he hadn't warned me about the clutch noise I'd have thought the damn thing was about to come apart.
ReplyDeleteLooks pretty cool. Would never be able to get off it though should I get on, so no candy here.
ReplyDeleteThat looks like it comes with a factory-installed cop on your tail.
ReplyDeleteI don't care for the unnecessarily loud exhaust sound out of the shorty muffler. The Monster really is a beautiful example of taking thrust and weight into account.
ReplyDeleteHelp! Can someone explain the Dan Rather reference?
ReplyDeleteIn this case the Dan Rather reference is an REM reference...
ReplyDelete...to the debut single from the album Monster, of course. :D (REM's last great album, IMO.)
Thanks, Tam. Popular culture fail #134 -- and that's just so far this month. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteThe first time I saw one of these beauties was the only time I went to the website to find out more about a bike.
ReplyDeleteI still want it.
I've always enjoyed the style of streetfighters (of which the Ducati Monster is a prime example). Not quite as efficient, but MUCH more aggressive looking. It's pretty much a sportbike with the fairings removed (the Monster being designed without them entirely, one of the few factory built streetfighters)
ReplyDeleteI've got my own designs for a motorcycle rattling around, but this is one style of bike I don't think I can replicate with mine.