Ducati Monster 696 or Kawasaki Ninja 650?

Good choice, I was gunna say. IF you like relaxed position, the ducati doesn't really offer that.

 

Solus, how do you like your new bike??

 

kawasaki

 

Guess I came to the party a little too late with the decision. Good choice and congratulations.

 

buy a used buell lightning (because they stopped production last year and new oones are hard to find)

a few cool things, the gas is in the frame, the oil is in the swingarm, the exhaust is directly underneath. it is extreemly weight centered and so great to flick around in the twisties. the lightning is considered the city bike for buell, the firebolt is considered the more sport oriented.



has a harley 984 or 1200 engine, whichever you choose so you get a rumble of a harley with the ride of a sportbike

i personally have the firebolt, but the lightning is more neutral riding position, but the firebolt isnt bad

 

They are tiny bikes. I'd post a picture of me on mine, but it's too embarrassing.

 

Gotta love this advertising pic by Buell. I give Eric Buell props for his innovative, outside-the-box thinking in design, and I have to admire what his bikes accomplished in 2009 in AMA Sportbike racing. This picture, though, advertises street racing. They are obviously way over the speed limit judging by the lean angle and degree of curve and the second rider is following the first waaayyy too closely. This is all fine and good at a closed track, but not on a public road. I know Buell was trying to advertise their bikes as serious sport bikes, but the same could have been accomplished with a track day setting.

It really is a shame what Harley Davidson did to Eric Buell. Just when he was really on the verge and achieving greatness, they pull the carpet out from under him.

 

these look nice...but I already got the 650R

 

I love it.

Plenty of power, good ride, and excellent riding position

 

Ducati

 

Kawasaki!
Thats a easy choice! Ducati's ARE JUNK! They break down constantly and no Ducati Dealer knows how or has any trainned technicans that know how to fix them, first of all no motorcycle mechanic understands the Ducati dry clutch system so they adjust it wrong then you're paying for a new clutch from their mistake, second of all parts are almost impossible to get for a Ducati, dealers stock NOTHING and when they order a part it may take MONTHS instead of days!

 

Those sound like words of someone who has never owned a Ducati. Ducatis are NOT junk. I've had a pair of Ducatis over the past 10 years and have yet to have any real mechanical issues (and my 999 does track duty). I had a clutch seal that had to be replaced on my 900SS because it was leaking a bit of oil (cheap, easy fix), and I had a hole wear into the wiring insulation of my brake light on my 999 that resulted in fuses blowing. I took off the rear brake light wiring harness, had the wire repaired, and was back in business for cheap. "No Ducati dealer knows how...to fix them." Huh??? Complete BS. The dry clutch is very easy, so more BS on that claim. No offense, but you have NO IDEA what you are talking about!

If you want to complain about Ducati at least know what the valid complaints are. Maintenance is more expensive and frequent than a Japanese bike, although the newer the model the less frequent/expensive that is. Also, two valve motors are easier/cheaper than four valve motors. Parts can sometimes take a while to come in depending on where you are ordering from. Some dealers won't place their order until they have a certain volume of parts they need.

 

I know people that own Ducati's and they are living a NIGHTMARE by owning one.
We live in a cold climate only have 6 months of riding out of the year and when your Ducati is stuck inside a dealers shop for 3 months in the prime warm weather riding season cause they can't fix it, or they can't get parts after the motorcycle mechanic screwed up and broke a part you would be pissed off too!

(plus they paid much more for a Ducati than what a Japanese bike cost)

 

Sucks to be them, then, because I have loved both of mine. My next bike will likely be another Ducati, too!

 

I know 2 guys that own Ducati's, they don't have any problem with them untill they take it to the Ducati dealer for its service or a state inspection or for tires, then the dealer ALWAYS finds a major problem with it, has to order parts and the parts take MONTHS (not days) to come in!
Then when the bike is done they ride it home from the dealer and parts fall off of it, or the next day the clutch is smoked because their mechanic forgot to tighten something up after adjusting it! Or right after they installed a new tire the bike wobbles down the road cause they screwed that up too, or they didn't filled the oil to the proper level right after they changed the oil!
In the motorcycle business any dishonest person can own a dealership and Ducati doesn't care just so they sell new bikes and parts.
Ducati Dealers are so well-bent on selling parts they don't care what you think or say about them.

 

You are basing the worldwide reputation (or at least the North American reputation) of a manufacturer on what sounds to me to be the fault of one bad dealership. If the dealer can't put a friggin' tire on right, how is that Ducati's fault??? How does that justify labeling all Ducatis as "junk"? Get on any motorcycle forum and you will find countless "bad dealer" threads. You might be shocked to find most of them aren't Ducati dealers, either.

What do you think about Yamaha? For a while R6's were (still are?) notorious for fragging 2nd gear. Then there is also the issue of the gas tanks having holes ground in them upon crashing, causing the bike to start on fire and burn to the ground. Are all Yamahas "junk"? Of course not. Try not to paint everything with such a broad brush.

 

agreed. Just sounds like a bad dealer experience.

I was just looking at 696s yesterday too... so its odd to see this thread pop up

 

I already chose the Kawasaki about 3 weeks ago... but thanks for the advice

 

We know...we're still just jabbering.

 

^cool