Pic because pics or GTFO
I've been tooling around Boston on a Harley Sportster 883 for long enough to love the looks, hate the lack of power, lack of brakes and lack of handling. This Duc seems to click all those boxes.
Goals for my new bike:
Must look awesome.
Must sounds more betterer
Must go like stink
Must be conducive to 2-up riding
Thoughts? I've never bought myself anything really nice, so this would be a break from the norm. I'm 6'2" and 200lbs, so a small bike just doesn't fit right. The Sportster feels entirely too small.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/RjPwnBVC2E4
I approve.
Mostly because I want one, and personally LOVE them, but I'm biased.
If you haven't seen one in person the back and passenger area are very very short. Even in the still pic from the video it looks like he is wearing her as a backpack. Just my 2 cents, and it is coming from a guy who can't decide what bike to buy.
CVO street/road glide with the 103 motor would do it as well. Plus it will two up a bit better then the Ducati. How tall is the passenger, maybe a BMW tourer.
I never understood the attraction to Harleys. Slow, heavy, poor handling, can't stop, crappy ride, poor riding position, extremely unreliable, and sound like E36 M3. Now as for the duc, I'd get a st2,3,4. One of the benefits of a ducati is handling. So a monster or st is about as non sporty as I'd go. They are also maintenance pigs. If you don't want to pay a lot for maintenance or can diy, look elsewhere. I love mine but I diy. They are reliable. My 916 is as reliable as my old bmw r65. Jusy my 2c.
Well I'm single, so the passenger size will fluctuate. Current regular passenger is 5'7". She's also in the process of buying her own bike. 99% of the time I'll be on it alone.
No more Harleys for me, just - meh.
BMWs don't do it for me. I can DIY most things, but the new Testastretta II engine has 15k mile major service intervals too.
Not a fan of the touring edition or the double megaphone pipes.
So I will take a regular one in black with a slip on please.
44Dwarf
UltraDork
6/21/16 7:22 a.m.
Well.. Not this model but other Duc's be a where there like HD in that no one rides one as it came out of the box..and it's a life style.
Being 6' 1" and 200lbs myself I had to make (could have bought but GRM!) foot peg lowering brackets for my ST4, The ST's had a bad designed fo-clip on handle bars that were no good for the wrist so those had to go...Thanks to LSL I now have normal 7/8 bars I can swap out...The seat left some to be desired...found a used Corbin but wish I could find a Sargent....
Bike came with an Ultimap EFI chip and carbon FBF exhaust for more POWER! 
I got my bike used at Razzee's good people there and worth the 1.5 ride.
Check out Razzee's in RI and Dunbar Euro or even Riverside Kaw/duc
Razee's
dunbar's
DaveEstey wrote:
Must be conducive to 2-up riding
For anything more than around the block, the seat isn't up to a passenger.
That's a normal one, not the touring. Seats a little different. I can't imagine a passenger staying on the back of a normal one if you breathe on the throttle haha
DaveEstey wrote:
I'm 6'2" and 200lbs, so a small bike just doesn't fit right.
Go sit on one and test ride it. I'm 5'6", with a ~28 inseam. I fit on a Diavel. In fact I fit on it better than I fit on my Road King.
The picture I gave is of the S, which is the latest iteration of the Strada, sorta kinda. Corbin and a few others do make alternative seats for the bike. None of them provide anything that I would consider good for a passenger. Especially for any length of time. That said, I'm sure you could have something custom made that would work well.
As a Ducati snob, this bike is like when Porsche started to make a SUV.
I also think that they are butt ugly.
I did get a demo ride on one and loved it. But that price is crazy. I would buy a used V-Rod for 1/4 that price and have everything that the Ducati has including a huge aftermarket and clothing line ( if that is something that interests you)
Even thought the v rod was massaged by Porsche, its still a pos.
Accidentally looked at Craigslist. Willing to come down to the DC area for a rather cheap one? $8900 Diavel
In reply to
Is this coming from a Harley fanboy? Like me not liking the diavel as a ducati but liked it as a motorcycle?
I rented the v rod 4 times and really liked them.
I did a demo ride and mostly liked it. It's definitely fast! Engine does not like being at low speeds. I don't like forward controls in general. The model you're looking at appears to have more standard controls. It certainly goes, stops, and turns really well for a hefty bike. The ride is a bit stiff and choppy over rough/uneven roads.
Just curious, why not a monster?
In reply to markwemple:
I have to completely disagree with the extremely unreliable comment. That's not been the case for anything made in the last 30 or so years. But, I mostly agree with your other critiques though 
In reply to Derve:
My idea of looks awesome is apparently completely different than yours. To me the Diavel looks like a homologation of a group of designers that have made nothing but terrible decisions for the better part of their lives.
The R1200RS would be the thing I would want if I was looking for the thing that you want.
Everyone I know who doesn't suffer from HD blindness, has hated the lack of reliability and poor engineering. Actually, I thought the issue was common knowledge. The evo was an improvement but when you start with total crap, crap is an improvement
In reply to markwemple:
I certainly don't have HD blindness. I can only speak form my experience. Never a hiccup, nothing whatsoever. No valves to adjust, no chains to maintain. It's been the easiest ownership experience of any vehicle I have owned. Just put gas in it, change the oil and tires when needed and go. That's one of the biggest reasons I'm hesitant to get something else for daily commuting.
Anyway, that's enough thread jacking. Back to your regularly scheduled ugly Duc thread 
If Ducati is the bike for you. I'd ho with an ST. If you're open to other bikes, I'd look to BMW. There IS a reason why the majority of bikes used for commuting are BMWs.
Yeah I just don't like BMW bikes. They do nothing for me.
It does help that I have an in on a 2014 Duc Diavel Strada with 800 miles and a steeeeep discount off new.
Don't care one bit about clothing and accessories. I already have my Alpine Stars gear and I'm happy with it.
DaveEstey wrote:
I've been tooling around Boston on a Harley Sportster 883 for long enough to love the looks, hate the lack of power, lack of brakes and lack of handling.
Wait I just re-read this. You stated this and didn't get flamed????
I have never been a fan of traditional cruisers, racebikes or Lincolns chopped in half (Goldwings ect.). Fat boys, wide glides, even the Sportster never really did it for me. I would much rather have something like the R nineT, UJM, Adventure Tourer, SV lineup.
That being said the power cruiser lineup is something I like. Diavel, VTX1800, Rocket III, V-Rod all to me look like a good time.
To each their own I guess.
Also I don't think BMW is the best selling commuter bike, at least not in the US. BMW only has 4% of the total US market share. Although one could argue BMW has bikes that are used the most as a percentage of bikes sold. BMW riders do tend to ride more than anyone else in my experience.
Harley has 35% of the market, Honda has 15%, and Yamaha at 13%, domestically. Everyone else is scrapping over the remaining 37%.
In reply to Flight Service:
Most people consider the sportster a standard not a cruiser. For most of its history anyway, until recently when the MoCo tried to cruiserise it.
