Let’s Get Naked: A Ducati S2R 1000 Finds A Home
A Ducati S2R1000 Monster at Pro Italia
“Oh boy… Here we go again,” is in fact the first thought that comes to mind the minute I walk into Pro Italia and realize that, yes, I am in fact once again kicking tires…
Not idly mulling about mind you, but striding purposefully through the dealership with intent-to-kill and purchase kind of eyes… The kind of tire kicking that gets you trouble on the 1st, 15th or 30th of each month…
Should I be? Would I be? Can I be? Could I be? These days it’s just damn hard for me to answer those sorts of questions…
It seems that somewhere along the line my personal passion, career and lifestyle all organically merged into me and the result is this odd combination of confusion, excitement and down right blatant moto-lust…
Rolling through the showroom, I’m struck by the fact that it’s probably time to simply accept and acknowledge the fact that when it comes to things with combustion powered engines and two-wheels my normally logically sound life comes crashing down and grinds to a halt. In effect blows up, only to be rebuilt again with either two-valves or four.
What I think I know and what I know I should do, quickly become superseded by an irrational desire to do the foolish. And while I could probably create an elaborate fictional reality as a cover story and attempt to explain why the irrational is actually rational and therefore life always makes sense, well that’d just be a blatant lie that perpetuates some other version of me. What is probably best described as a holdover of my former self. Not that those stories didn’t roll through my head mind you, but rather because when all is said and done, it’s just easier to tell the truth, and more important be honest with yourself…
Simply put, I’ve come to the not so shocking conclusion that I am in fact a full fledged addict… Some folks pick pills or drugs or drinking as their poisons of choice… For me it’s motorcycles… Plain and simple… They are not just vehicles or modes of transportation, but rather magical creatures with destinies that are anything but predetermined… In my mind they are the ultimate unknowns. They take you places you simply can’t imagine until you’re actually there. They live, they breath, they act up, I believe that they are in fact alive. And they do it with passion. With pride. With purpose.
Rationally — oh, great there’s that word again — I suppose one could make the argument that motorcycles are a healthier lifestyle choice than any of the above mentioned addictions. But frankly I’m so sure about that anymore… I spend an exorbitant of time each day thinking about nothing but riding… Even when I can’t actually get out and do the ‘riding’… From the bits to the bolts to bikes to ride itself, it’s absolutely frightening the amount of time one can spend when they’re in love with an inanimate object. From the sport, to the skill-set, to the lifestyle and growing dream to see and ride everything that’s out there, I’m tired of fighting reality… My reality…
I used to fear it, to run from it, to nonchalantly put it down amongst friends to diffuse the accepted mainstream doctrine that bikes are bad, or evil, or deadly, or who knows what else, particularly with those who didn’t share the passion — with those who didn’t see it or understand it — But no more I say… It times to face up to what it is that makes me alive…
Maybe it’s a function of getting close to turning thirty-two this summer, I don’t know, but I feel a certain sense of urgency at work here… As if time is running through me like an hour-glass. I feel as if I’ve waited my entire life to get to this point, to enjoy the life I always wanted. I’ve spent countless hours counting down the days until I could make the ‘choices’ and bear the burdens of life and enjoy the benefits. And now it’s here. I can feel it. I can see it. I believe it. It’s almost as if I can touch it.
Yet I also feel this sense that there’s only so much of me left and it feels like I’ve got to stop fooling around here. It’s time to get serious, not about my career or my loved ones, or my Cable TV package, but rather it’s time to get serious about me. It’s time to stop wasting mental and emotional energy on the things in life that I don’t really care about.
Is that selfish? Is that conceded?
Probably.
But as they say, ‘you only live once’ and of all the things in life I fear the most, the idea of letting one of the best periods of life pass by as a passenger and not an active participant scares the living hell out of me. I’d rather end up broke and destitute but with a saddlebag full of experiences then rich, wealthy and devoid of meaning. Is that youthful ignorance coming to light? Could be. Maybe at forty with a kid in toe I’ll feel differently about it… But right now it not only seems age-appropriate but time-appropriate… It feels like what I should be doing not what I’m supposed to be doing.
So why a Monster? And an outdated one at that?
Well, several reasons really… For starters I’ve had this weird growing fascination with late 60’s and early 70’s vintage bikes lately. BSA’s, Triumph’s, Norton’s, CB750’s, Mach III’s… Probably a direct result of hanging around them during the Twist shoot… There’s something about how when they’re built-out they showcase a certain kind of purpose, and dare I say urgency…
So why not pick one of those up instead? Good question. Simple answer, while I think they look cool, I’ve got no desire to engage in drum brakes, early disc brakes, headshake or a myriad of other ‘early’ technological advances that seem utterly dated by today’s standards.
The Monster — and by Monster, I mean the original Monster penned by Miguel Galluzzi, not the current Streetfighter/Thing that’s badged Monster/Homologated “Am I Brutale clone or Street Triple knockoff or contemporary slice of moto-evolutionary pie” machine — is in its own way as classic of a machine as say a CB750, but relatively speaking modern, safe, sporty and well, sound… It evokes all the bits of the past that I find cool but in something I actually want and will ride.
Secondly, I love the fact that it’s a completely open canvas. The 999 streetbike turned trackbike experience has certainly opened my eyes to customization, in a way that it wasn’t before. The Monster is the perfect platform for that sort of transformation. People have been doing it for years and I’m greatly looking forward to trying a slice of that moto-pie. The possibilities are practically endless and parts are widely available from a variety of resources. Just hunting all the sources down is almost half the fun…
Third, the idea of picking up a true 2-valved air-cooled Ducati fascinates me because it’s a relatively simple engine that’s been around practically forever. In a perfect world it’s an ideal platform to wrench on myself - a skill I have yet to conquer completely but one I certainly want to experience. Ultimately will I? Have no idea. Time right now is a fluid, combustible medium that seems to move faster then I’d like it to, but just the idea that on an engine like this it’d be possible to give it a go intrigues me greatly. There’s something marvelous about its simplicity in my mind.
Finally, it’s a sporty ride just the way it comes from the factory - It’s not Superbike competent, but it’s street-bike competent, and post-crash I have a new found respect and, dare I say, point of view on what I’m looking for when I’m not out on the track. Something that moves well but doesn’t bring out the speed freak demons inside. Right now the idea of a mellower, more comfortable, sport machine sounds damn good… And so it begins… My own kind of Monster Madness…
Tires
At the end of my last ride on the 9 I was more or less convinced that it was time for new tires. Not being the type to tempt fate I thought it would probably be prudent to get a new set put on the bike rather than try and get a few more weekend rides out of the old set. So I got up early this morning and made a quick run to ProItalia, where they fitted a new set of Michelin Pilot Powers on the bike. Increasingly I find the thought of tire selection a more difficult choice. One of these day I’d like to try something more aggresive on the bike and see how that affects my riding - but today was not that day since I’m still a bit uncertain when I’ll get back to the track. So even though I toyed with the idea of trying another brand or type of tire, I ultimately decided that the Pilot Powers were the way to go because at least they’re a known quantity to me at this point and I should get a good couple of thousand miles out of them with my normal canyon riding.
Hopefully tomorrow I’ll give the new rubber a decent break-in… 
A Canyon Quorum
It all started out with an email early last week. Sitting in a hotel room on the East Coast I found myself in dire need of a ride. Then I opened up email client only to find a note sitting in my inbox from Lowell, the web guru for ProItalia, suggesting that we hook up for a ride. After trading a few messages back and forth, we settled on riding some of Malibu’s finest Sunday morning.
Fast forward to this morning and I found myself feeling just a tad different than I normally do on a weekend when I know I’m going to ride. Today there was a sense of excitement, a bit of pressure because I didn’t want to be late and a touch of trepidation since riding in a group is simply something that I’m not all that well versed in. An hour and a half later MotorMilt and I rolled into the Chevron Station at the corner of Sunset Boulevard and the Pacific Coast Highway and met up with Bill and Lowell.
Usually I tend to ride one of two ways; either by myself or with MotorMilt in tow behind me. Both styles of riding have their own benefits to be sure, but neither requires a great deal of thought on my part because in both cases there’s a learned response attached to the event. I’m either in control of my own journey or leading someone who I’ve spent enough miles riding with to know when they have had enough or want to go on. Today was a very different dynamic. It was unknown territory. Suddenly I was leading us up the coast wondering which roads to take and if the group would enjoy them.
As we headed shot up Las Floras Canyon I found myself trying to enjoy my own ride but also being very conscious of setting a decent, but safe pace. To be honest group riding has always scared me because when you ride the canyons as often as I do you tend to see a lot of stupid decisions being made by packs of riders. On the other hand I rarely see solo riders engaging in moronic behavior. Obviously I don’t mean to put down everyone who rides with their friends. There are obviously safe groups who ride. Rather it’s simply a bit of a canyon observation. My limited sense is that there are certain groups of riders who tend to push it more when they’re together. Maybe they feel a competitive rush to race each other or maybe they’d make the same poor decisions if they were riding solo. I don’t really know. But the more I ride the canyon roads the more legitimate this feeling tends to be.
Today however was not riddled with the chaos that I had worried about, but instead was purely fun. I found myself surrounded by riders who left each other space, didn’t seem hell bent on chasing each other, and were simply out enjoying a Sunday in the canyons together. It was a marvelous experience and a real eye opener. I find myself questioning how and why one perceives the things they do when they’re on the outside looking in.
A few miles later we were headed down Saddlepeak and making our way up through Mulholland towards the Rockstore when it occurred to me just how much fun I was really having. This was turning out to be one heck of a ride and a whole lot of red in a row.
By the time we actually got to the Rockstore the roads were a bit of a mad house, bikes and cars seemingly popping out of every driveway, which was a shame because four red Italian bikes deserve a motorcycle haunt not a causal location for a break. So we headed all the way out on Mulholland to Neptune’s Net. It’s the other major SoCal Ocean Motorcycle hangout and one that I rarely hit. Today it turned out to be the perfect spot to shoot the shit and talk about bikes. The parking lot was a mecca for all sorts of motorheads. Harley’s, Norton’s, Triumphs, Ducati’s, you name it. Everything was represented. A virtual junkyard in real life and sitting just a few feet away from the ocean.
Heading back down coast after grabbing some eats, we carved our way around the canyons, hitting Mulholland, Decker, Encinel, Old Topanga and eventually Topanga Canyon. On a glorious January morning it’s hard to beat snaking your way around such an astonishing collection of canyon roads one by one. They just bend back and forth in every direction for miles on end and by the time you stop to take a break you find yourself having to actually catch your breath because it’s been such a moving experience on so many different levels. Riding with other gearheads whose company you enjoy only heightens the adventure.
Back on The Bike
Having spent all week filming motorcycles it was awesome to finally come home and finally be able to ride one. Of course like the professional road racers I watched all week, you don’t get very far without a good crew and in my case that’s the gang at PI. While I was out of town the boys at ProItalia sorted out the mechanical issues with the Ducs. Turns out that the master clutch cylinders on both my bike and MotorMilt’s needed to get replaced. Thankfully both were warrantied. I think it goes without saying but I’ll be throwing down for the extended warranty option before my warranty runs out…
Getting back on the bike after a couple of weeks off was a bit odd as usual - the normal ebb and flow of riding felt far less familiar than I would have liked and a bit more forced when I left this morning but eventually I got into the flow of things and found my rhythm. By far the greatest shock of the day was how much of a difference the new master clutch cylinder made to the bike and experience of riding. In many ways it felt like a new machine. The disengage point is now literally only a few millimeters away from a fully extended clutch lever - this location is no where near where it had previously been located. Only a few weeks ago I was having to drastically pull the lever back to the handlebar and then some. Now short shifting is the name of the game and the order of the day. I suspect that what this really means is that my clutch cylinder had been going bad for quite sometime and it was only the last few rides that made it completely apparent. The downside to this fiasco is that I feel like it’s going to take me a few rides to physically get smooth with where the disengage point is again. It’s that different. Night and day almost.
Eventually I made my way to The Rockstore for breakfast - actually because I was up so early I was just the 8th bike to pull into the parking lot this morning - before I hit Latigo Canyon on the way back home. Having a working clutch made all the difference in the world. Most importantly it brought my Duc back to life. It allowed it to breath again, in that visceral, exciting, emotional, extremely enjoyable way that simply has the ability to take your breath away at any moment. The kind of sensation that I’ve been craving all week and missing for too long. So even though I was seriously slower and less extreme than the road racers I watched all week, I felt incredibly lucky to once again be able to feel the rumble of a Ducati twin and the sheer throw-you-back into your seat sensation that a liter bike can provide on an amazing beautiful canyon morning in LA.
Lagging On The Weekend Ride
So for the first time in over a year I’m seriously lagging when it comes to writing something about this past weekend’s ride. I guess I’ve hit that crazy part of my year when time starts getting chopped up… Thankfully this past weekend’s ride was one of those trips that just slaps a smile on your face and reminds you why you’re out riding in the first place. After yet another long week at work it was awesome to finally get out into the canyons and away from all the business of the real world. I’m always a bit amazed at how you can get up on a Saturday morning feeling worked up about the past week and by the end of a good day of riding feel so relaxed - almost as if you never had to deal with any chaos…
So the big news of the weekend is that I cross 2,000 miles on the new Duc. Seems like just yesterday it was at zero… The downside is that for some odd reason I’ve got some sort of clutch issue going on. While at speed everything is cool, but any slow movement - say under 10 mph - and she simply does not want to shift out of first gear. It’s rock solid and fully engaged no matter how far back up bring the clutch in. Potentially more dangerous is that a few times over the weekend she’s crept forward even when I had the clutch engaged. Neither of these thing get me really excited… Soooooo… Even though the 6,000 mile service is a ways away, it’s time to bring the Diva back to Pro Italia for a check-up.
I’ll try to write a bit more later, but here’s some picts…
Dawn Of A New Ducati
5:00 AM - This Morning
It’s way to early to be awake and I’m a bit out of sorts right now. During the past several hours I simply have been unable to sleep very much. So many random thoughts have been running through my mind it’s hard to imagine that it’s already morning. Just about a week and a half ago the Italian Diva sprang it’s second major oil leak in less than a month. In the ten days or so since then it seems that at least in terms of motorcycles I’ve been on a whirlwind ride encompassing just about every emotional facet.
While watching the bike continue to drip oil as it got towed away I couldn’t help but ask myself what else could possible happen?
It was less than a year ago that I started down the Ducatista road. Just 348 days to be exact. (Yeah, I’m odd enough to go back and look that sort of stuff up… don’t ask). During that time a whole heck of a lot has happened, or so it seems to me… While I’ve been busy falling in love with the bikes, the marque and the experience, I’ve had my heart and soul ripped out when the ‘03 749 was stolen, had two major oil leaks on the ‘04 999, have had the chance to experience a thrilling trackday on the 999 with the CLASS folks, have seen my level and skill skyrocket, and have had the chance to ride both roads I thought I knew and roads I had never seen before. I’ve been filled with equal parts passion, lust, emotional excess, loss, devastation, tragedy, and amazing blood pumping excitement. What other brand could offer such extremes? Longtime Duc owners would probably tell you that this is nothing new. After reading message boards across the ‘net and talking to current and former Ducati owners, there certainly seems to be a distinct love-hate relationship that most folks have with their Ducs.
Yet throughout my journey with the marque - perhaps even love affair - every incident seems to have made the bond between me and the bike stronger. How odd is that?
Whether it’s been a good or bad experience, every moment with the bike has made me feel something. Some sense of emotion or passion. Years of riding BMWs never illicited any sensation on any comparable level. They were absolutely perfect mechanical beasts, but at least for me not nearly as heartfelt. Of course after you spend a few weekends sitting around because your bike is having mechanical issues you logically start to wonder why you should bother with all of this turmoil when you can own a GSXR for less money and in all likely hood have less pitfalls… I suppose it’s only common sense to ask the question. Yet everytime I start to mentally head down that road, I keep coming back to the joy of the Ducati experience. The pure excitement in the way it rides, the way it behaves. It may not be a one-of-a-kind, but it’s certainly not one of several thousand that all look alike. Every time it kicks over something special happens inside me. I don’t know why. It just does. It’s something that feels unique. Perhaps it’s not. Perhaps it is. Yet when I think about it, it works for me. I enjoy it and it means something on a personal level.
I suppose that leads me back to today and this morning in particular. After only ten days, Mike Norman and the folks at Ducati North America along with Jake & the ProItalia boys have pulled off a major miracle as far as I’m concerned. They have managed to get me back on a Ducati… And quickly. Much to my surprise I feel like I’m a six year old waking up on Christmas Day. (Talk about feelings from your youth that you never thought you’d have again…but perhaps that’s for another blog post 
) In just a few short hours I’ll be heading off to ProItalia to pick up a brand new ‘05 Ducati 999 to replace the ‘04.
After all the craziness of the past year I honestly can’t believe that this has happened so fast and so friendly. Everyone involved in the process seemed to want to ‘make it right’. The fact that a major brand has the guts to stand behind their product and replace a bike that had a problem with a brand new bike just blows me away. Maybe I’m a bit jaded, but that sort of respect for the customer seems to have been forgotten in big business these days. Case in point during the past two years I’ve had to deal with a couple of computer purchases where the machines wouldn’t boot out of the box. They were fried before I ever plugged them in. Each one of those experiences was far more annoying even though major computer manufacturers build and sell millions more units then Ducati does. I would think that logic would dictate that it should be much easier to replace a cpu than a motorcycle simply based on the differences in scale. Yet from the first phone call to the last, everyone involved in this process has seemed to get where I was coming from, what had happened and how I felt. If only customer service everywhere was as exceptional as my experience with Ducati of North America & ProItalia, the world would be a much better place IMHO. So while it’s a bit insane that I’ll be breaking in my third Duc in less than a year, I’ve never felt so good about my decision to purchase a Ducati or felt like I was in better hands. From this point forward I will always have a Duc in the stable.
10:15 AM
MotorMilt & I arrive at ProItalia just after rush hour dies down. I feel a bit ampped up. On one hand I’m a bit tired of picking up new bikes. On the other hand, does this feeling ever grow old? When we walk into the shop Jake is ready and waiting with all the paperwork. In a way I’ve dreaded this process. After the Insurance fiasco I can’t imagine it’s easy. Turns out I’m wrong. The paperwork gets wrapped up in less than five minutes. No hidden costs or jerking around. I honestly can’t believe that it’s done.
New key in hand, I head over to the parts counter. Spend the next hour and half trying on new helmets. After realizing that I’ve been riding a Ducati for a year now it occurs to me that my current blue & white Arai is around five years old. That seems a touch on the lengthy side from everything I’ve read. So while I don’t really feel like dropping the coin on a new lid, it seems like the prudent thing to do. After a number of attempts with different brands, I decided that even though Arai seems to have altered the RX7 model line it’s probably best to go back into a helmet that I know fits my head shape. Turns out PI only seems to have my size in bright silver. Usually I’m not exactly the most color conscious guy, but the bright silver doesn’t really do much for me. The parts guy (who’s name is either John or Perry but I’m currently blanking on it right now) offers to order whatever color I want.
Testing out the fit of the new lid
Turns out my first two choices are no longer being made. After way too much debate on my part I settle on solid black. Seems safe and easy. I’m also ready to just be done with picking out a helmet. I need a large. PI only has a medium in stock. The part guys (again I aplogize for the lack of the correct name) tells me that the shell size is the same, it’s just the pads inside that are different. I’m a bit uncertain about this, but he offers to swap out the guts of the helmet and custom one up. Ten minutes later I’ve got a new helmet that fits better than my old, feels safer and isn’t giving me a headache. Awesome.
12:00-ish
Helmet in hand, I head outside of the shop and check out the new bike. My heart is beating three times as fast as normal. I can’t believe I’m back on a Duc. It’s awesome and I feel incredibly lucky. In an odd twist of fate the new bike is parked next to the old one. Part of me feels a bit bummed… I feel like I’m cheating on my girlfriend. Perhaps I am because I’m done with yellow.
While I’m not normally the most superstitious person in the world, it just seemed like my luck with yellow wasn’t so hot lately. Two yellow bikes going away for two different reasons just seemed like enough of a hint. I really don’t want that third strike if I can help it. Perhaps that’s insane. Obviously this isn’t the most logical reaction and I’ll be the first to admit that this could be entirely a rationalization inside my head, but Ducati & PI were kind enough to indulge me and let me switch over to red anyway. I suspect it’s not the type of request their customer service folks normally get, but it was very cool of them to understand.
Me and the Duc outside of PI
Sitting on the new bike it’s obvious that things have changed from the ‘04 model to the ‘05. Even though everything is in the same place, the fairing feels substantially larger. I had read that the windscreen was taller, but sitting on the bike for the first time it’s more noticeable than I would have thought. The mirrors feel about an inch or two further out. Visibility seems to be seriously improved over the ‘04 model. Turning the bike over for the first time, the engine roars to life and my heart just kicks into another gear. I knew I missed being on the bike, but I had no idea how much. With the exception of our trackday and two weekends ago, MotorMilt and I haven’t been regularly riding for about two months due to weather and repairs. It’s awesome to finally feel like that’s all in the past.
Leaving ProItalia
12:30-ish
Heading out, it’s clear that more has changed on the ‘05 model than just the fairing. The engine feels very different. I can only open it up to 6,000 rpms (here we go with the break-in stuff again ) but the thing just snaps. Seems much more powerful in perhaps a more meaningful real-world way. The first two thousand rpms are pretty bumpy, but from two to six it’s twice as linear as the ‘04. The bike just pops from two to six almost instantly. Riding home it occurs to me that this must by why people bought the ‘S’ model. I’m not entirely sure how they have managed to make what already felt like a rocketship even faster, but they have. Damn I love Italian engineering.
Around 1:30 PM
We get back to the westside and I’m jonesing for a ‘real’ ride. It’s just way to beautiful of a day in LA to ignore. Way to many stars seem to have aligned today. The weather is perfect. Picking up the bike went super smoothly. Life seems very, very good… And besides who wouldn’t want to rush out to ride their Italian Diva? Doesn’t take much to convince MotorMilt to go along with my half-assed plan. Ten minutes later we’re heading up the coast towards the Santa Monica Mountains. Amazingly I feel instantly comfortable with the bike. It just sings and I feel like I’m one with it. Even though the tires are new and need to be scuffed in, the bike already feels very planted. After reading the Ducati website last night, I know it’s gotten lighter but I’m genuinely shocked at how much nimbler it feels. And that’s just on Highway-1.
When we hit Las Floras Canyon the bike feels twice as quick. Flickability has a new meaning. I jump around between 1st, 2nd and 3rd for most of the way up, constantly trying to keep it around five and half in the rpms. Everything feels very smooth. Out of all three Ducati’s I’ve now broken in during the past year, this one feels the most solid right off the showroom floor. The transmission feels much more certain. Hundreds of times better IMHO. Even though I’m not revving as high as I normally do, I still seem to be going at a pretty good clip. To his credit MotorMilt does a pretty good job of riding his ride, but still keeping up. Course I think the two new stop signs from the winter rain damage help out .
At the top of the hill, MotorMilt says I look very comfortable. I certainly feel that way. He says it looks like the ‘05 has more low end grunt given the way I’m riding. I’m pretty sure I agree with him, but I’m not 100% certain. We hang a right and eventually work our way over to Schueren. While the tires are getting nicely scuffed in, the brakes still don’t feel all the way there. On the last two Ducs they seemed to hit their max power once I had around 150 miles on the bikes. I’m at roughly fifty miles, so as much as I’d like to head down Piuma Canyon that seems a touch tighter than I think I want to deal with until the brakes have a bit more grab in them.
Schueren turns out to be a fantastic idea. It’s a short little jaunt between Las Floras and the intersection of Stunt Road and Saddle Peak. Six or seven corners that aren’t twisties and not quite sweepers. Somewhere in between. The Duc feels incredibly planted as I make my way from one end to the other. At the top of the hill, we take a ten minute breather at the usual pull-off spot. At this point I’m completely floored. Life just does not get better nor does the bike. This is awesome.
While we’re off the bikes, I snap a couple of picts and take a look at the new fairing. Side by side it’s extremely obvious how much has changed. I had assumed that the new fairing simply didn’t have the upper air vents. The new one is much larger and a bit lower in it’s stance. The ‘04 seems more architectural with the extra vents and more angle appearance.
‘The fairings
After the break we head down Stunt. It seems like I haven’t ridden this route in a very long time. The road is ridable, but not exactly clear. There’s a lot of damage from the rainy season and CalTrans has done a pretty poor job of fixing it. In several places I hit bumps that didn’t exists before. The asphalt patch jobs have raised the road surface over the cracks about an inch and a half higher than the rest of the road. I’m doing about fifty or sixty at this point. Pretty sure if it was any faster I’d be airborne after hitting one of these bumps. Get the feeling that while heading up to the top of the mountains is as fast as ever, the way down this summer is going to be a bit slower.
Once we’re down the hill, we make our way through the first half of Mullhulland and hit the Deli for a late lunch. At this point it’s clear that this is just one of those days that has come together in a big way. The weather is fantastic. Warm, but not hot. Little to no wind. Almost empty canyons. Views after every corner. I just feel so fuck’n lucky to be out riding again.
After lunch I ask MotorMilt to switch bikes with me. At first he seems a bit hesitant. Like somehow this will spoil my fun. But I need a reality check. I can’t fathom that the ‘05 feels so different. It must be in my head. After awhile he gives in and agrees. Of course I’m pretty sure that he’s wanted to give it a whirl all day, so this isn’t a tremendous shock. He’s just being a great parent, being happy for his kid.
On the ‘04 I instantly recognize the difference in the engine. It’s nowhere near as linear as the ‘05. I hate to admit this to myself because I already feel guilty enough after having picked up the ‘05 - but from 1 to 6 thousand rpms the ‘04 lugs in comparison. The new power plant is simply a massive improvement on an already awesome motorcycle. Since MotorMilt’s bike is broken in, when we hit Mullhulland I’m able to let it out. Man it’s nice to be able to do that. Hearing the engine kick it up a notch around seven and half on the tach simply makes my soul sing. MotorMilt disappears behind me and the canyons feel as friendly as ever. His new tread has about two hundred and some odd miles on it. I never thought I’d be able to tell the difference between relatively fresh tires, but his have far more grip. Mine are nowhere near scuffed up enough yet. After we cross over Las Virgines, we take another breather at the overlook.
First thing that MotorMilit says to me is that he loves the new engine. Apparently I’m not insane. The bike really does feel different. He seems extremely impressed with how solid it feels. I have to smile. It’s just glorious to be out here today. I tell him that his bike feels really good and he chuckles. “I knew the reason you wanted to ride it was to get above six”.
By the time we get home I’m flat out amazed at how much different and dare I say, better the ‘05 feels. It’s got more power. It feels lighter. It seems faster turning into corners. The red frame and blacked out wheels and exhaust look awesome. The new fairing seems to cut down on the wind resistance while riding… And the mirrors actually seem to work. I feel so fortunate to have had things workout in such a magnificent way. It certainly wasn’t a heck of a lot of fun having to go through the whole oil leak ordeal, but thankfully it has all worked out above and beyond any of my expectations. The Ducati folks simply rock.
Duc Movie & PI News…
Doug K. over at 40 Years on Two Wheels passed this link to a Ducati related Mpeg Movie my way and I thought I’d share it. Certainly not the way that you’d want to introduce your Duc to the road…
In other non-related news, I heard from the ProItalia boys today that my bike is finally done and ready for pick up. MotorMilt’s on the other hand is still waiting for a new set of tires. Apparently PI was out of stock and now has to order them from Texas of all places. Go figure. I’m certainly curious to see what my bike is like after the bike engine rebuild. It’s not everyday that you need to get your pistons replaced…
All The News That’s Fit To Print
So I guess there’s never a dull moment when you own a Ducati. MotorMilt got a chance today to talk to the service manager over at ProItalia about my bike. Unfortunately my worst fears have been realized. The news was not so good. Apparently while riding during our trackday with the CLASS folks I managed to uncover a manufacturing deficiency in my bike that according to PI is not all that uncommon for ‘04 999’s. As it turns out, the pistons in my bike’s engine somehow made it through quality control process without anyone every realizing that instead of being perfectly circular they were in fact oval. This allowed a small portion of oil to pass up around the pistons and into the air filter. Chances are that this has been going on for awhile, but apparently trackday and the higher rpm’s I was tossing at the engine elevated the circumstances. So basically I guess this is what you get with an Italian exotic. Lots of excitement and lots of downtime… Oddly enough people told me that this would happen with a Duc - not this specific problem mind you, but ’some problem’ - and I didn’t listen. Several folks have already mention the fact that this probably wouldn’t have happened with a Japanese bike. Like, no shit. As if I didn’t know that… I’d highly doubt that anything this odd would happen with a CBR or a RC51, but then somehow neither of those bikes would speak to my soul nearly as much as the 999 does, so I guess that’s the rub… I find it a bit odd that on one hand I’m extremely pissed that an almost new bike with slightly less than 2,000 miles can suddenly have a piston problem and yet on the other hand it somehow seems to fit perfectly with what I expect from a Duc. So go figure. Thankfully it’s all covered under warranty and there will be no new engine break-in once PI gets the new parts from Italy or NJ or where ever Ducati North America is storing their parts these days. The downside is that it appears that all riding is a no go for at least the next two weeks if not longer. It seems I’m at the whim of the postal service now….
Sweet.
