[Badkitty]

lol.

how will i know its the right bike? Thats why i ask opinions about what i see. There was 13 other bikes there that i did not like...so i asked about the few that i liked. how is that a concession?

Im not lookin to do stunts or wheelies, i just wants something bigger,,more power, but have a style that i like.

[The CyberPoet]

ok the dealer also has this. $5900 24K miles. Very nice lookin and in great condition.

http://www.tappedin.com/hop/html/cbrxx.htm

Superb bike, smooth through-out the torque range, low maintenance, generally highly reliable, only issue is whether the previous owners ever wrecked it (check the frame and headstock very closely for signs of a rebuild). If it fits you well, it's a comfy good choice. Yes, it will do almost a zillion miles an hour, but that doesn't mean you have to make it go that fast. The only thing is that it is a bit soul-less (almost a perfect UJM), without many or any quirks that owners of other bikes use to form love/hate relationships with their bikes. Prices fall between $3500 (average) and $4700 (mint) according the NADA for a '97 right now, so the dealer's price is way off. Print out the NADA value from their website and use it to drive the price to where it needs to be, or skip buying from this dealer.

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[Range]

badkitty....

all i am saying...when the bike comes YOU will know....not anything we tell you

The CBR110XX Blackbird is a HYPERtourer...like the Ninja ZX12R and the Hayabusa.

plenty of other bikes to buy that have more appeal in MY opinion.

Superhawk? Z1000R? FZR1000? Bandit 1200?
just keep looking at bikes...your heart will tell you....just sit on them first

[Badkitty]

thanks for the info poet...i'll take that info in to them.

[k6a0t0]

I've never seen a Ducati dealership that didn't let you take fairly long test drives, so by all means, take that puppy out for an hour and go cross-town or out-of-town by several miles, try it and bring it back. Then make your call.

Yes, most Ducati's can be haggled down quite a bit (10% isn't uncommon), especially at this time of year. $9k already sounds fairly low for the 1000DS... My guess is that Ducati's new financial oversee-ers told them to drop prices to move [backed-up/overstocked] product out of the dealer channel in a rush, and this SRP already reflects that price drop.

What to know about Ducati's:
Yes, if the clutch basket rattles at idle, it's normal. They just brought out their first enclosed/wet-clutch bike for the '06 model year and this taint it.
The parts are top-notch, especially the suspension.
The maintenance costs kills a lot of owners. This is a bike that you can't skimp on the maintenance at all (EVER) -- when a desmo valve adjustment is due, it has to be done, and it has to be done right. Failure to do it can mean turning your bike into a very pretty but expensive pile of junk. Unfortunately, on most Ducs you normally have to drop the engine to do a valve adjustment and timing chain replacement, making it particularly labor intensive. Get a maint schedule and fee schedule in advance and make it part of your purchase decision (and if they offer a maintanence-contract as an add-on for the initial purchase, evaluate it closely and seriously consider it).
The biggest gee-wow factor of this bike other than the sexy looks is the rich torque band (just keeps building from low down onwards), and the fact that it sticks to corners -- any corner at any angle at pretty much almost any speed -- like a rocketship on rails; you think it, it does it. If straight-lines are your thing, many jap race-rep bikes will trump you readily with higher straight-line speeds (but you'll look sexier by far).
Ownership has it's rewards. At any event Ducati attends, such as Bike Week Daytona, bring your key along -- it'll get you into the hospitality tent complete with free high-class catered food & beverages all week, as well an invite to their special Ducati-only party (which is a blast).
If you thought Kat owners were proud and mod-happy, you haven't seen a Duc owner with a factory catalog; they put us to shame.
Most people won't feel comfy doing more than 2 to 4 hours in the saddle on this thing per day. Your (*guessing here, based on past comments*) light weight may stretch that time out a bit, but I still expect you won't feel happy doing 6 to 12 hour days, so long-range touring may be off your list on this particular bike.
If your license is full of points, you may come to regret it. On the other hand, it's worth owning just for the beauty of keeping it in your living room as an art-piece ( ).
The fairly new everything-electrical-on-a-bike-network cabling scheme has helped the electronics reliability, but owners still complain of regular quirkiness with the instrument panel and electrical problems when riding in the rain. Like any bike (and moreso in the case of a Duc), first thing to do when you take ownership is to strip it down and pack every electrical connector you can find just chock-full of dielectric grease to help keep those gremlins at bay.

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

This is why I ride an "easy to fix, tune, long ride, unattrative to theft, all round peice of mind" kind-a bike. And it looks great in either red or yellow.

Hey, Ducati is a great lookin' machine. Enjoy 8)

[Seabeefester]

What ever you do research it first and look at all the options. Dont jump into cause its what they have on hand. Be patient and get what you want. Thats what i did. And i love my Kat.

[blackkat98]

I like Ducs, but the cost of ownership is high. For example, alot of people can go out and buy a $65,000 Dodge Viper, but they fail to realize the cost of maintenance when they get slapped with a $2000 brake job or $300 per tire.

[Range]

What ever you do research it first and look at all the options. Dont jump into cause its what they have on hand. Be patient and get what you want. Thats what i did. And i love my Kat.

thats what I was trying to say....but judging by her last reply....her mind is made up.

BadKitty...you are the customer dealers love! GOOD LUCK

[Badkitty]

again i say....i go and look to see what they have..if i see something i am interested in..i do some research , but written reviews are always informative enough...so i ask you guys what you think. If i made up my mind when i first saw it, i would have bought it right then and there. I dont think you read my earlier posts. As far as me saying i'll take that info on the retail value, that was meant forwhat ever i decide to get, i'll take THAT info in.

[Jarhead767]

Ducs are kewl man .... kinda like owning a Ferrari ... if you got the cash and it makes you feel good, hook it up!!!

As for me .... I will take the Aprilia RSV 1000 Factory .... if I had the $$$$

http://www.apriliausa.com/models03/road/eng/modello.phtml?id=54#

[lucifers_ride]

The guy that told me about my Kat has a Duc 750SS...... Sexy bike....... Kat was his buddies bike and he ahd just bought a GSXR 1000........
Guess you could say that the Duc lead me to the Kat.......

[JoeCool]

This is why I ride an "easy to fix, tune, long ride, unattrative to theft, all round peice of mind" kind-a bike. And it looks great in either red or yellow.

Hey, Ducati is a great lookin' machine. Enjoy 8)

Hi k6a0t0 and everyone...
I like what you said about the Kat, I agree with you completely...except that I've had my bike for just 5 weeks now, and people have tried to steal it twice already! The last time we walked out of the restaurant right as three guys were getting ready to nab it...they saw us coming and one was talking on the phone to the other two and said "Oh never mind I think they're coming out" as he was standing right next to my bike and saw my wife and I walking towards it...he got in a white van a peeled out, the other two were in a white truck and followed him.
Needless to say I park where I can see my bike at all times...
At home I installed a Kryptonite ground anchor and use a disc lock and chain/lock combination to secure it...
Maybe I'm overdoing it, but I have read quite a few articles stating that 80% of all thefts occur at the owners home.
I would be heart broken to lose my Kat to thieves after having it just 5 weeks and 1000 miles...
Oh and Blue is the best color...and fastest too
Wishing everyone on KR the best 8)

[Badkitty]

i take it you dont havea garage at home

[Jbird2200]

I personally love the ducati, i like almost everything i see that comes from the company. However, maintenance could understandably become expensive. It is much more rare of a bike here, therefore making everything much more expensive. Also, where else can you go to get good reliable service for a ducati other than a ducati dealer? I know when I asked by local shop about them, (was also considering duc monster before my kat) they said they more than likely wouldn't do maintenance on the bike. If you have the funds to back it up, it would be a hands down go, if not, then i'd reconsider.