What about a Ducati?

[aLiEn]

I ride a Ducati Hypermotard 1100S and absolutely love it! I actually like the way it handles over the R1's I used to ride. They are more expensive to maintain and definitely moody on pipe etc. upgrades. Dealerships want $125.00 for an oil change! It’s still going to cost you around $70.00 doing it yourself with Motul 300V oil. Furthermore, Ducati has minimized their valve adjustment intervals to 7,500 miles. The front brakes on the “S” are far superior, but can get you in trouble real quick on a heavy hand.

…but the sound, lol, priceless!!!!

[Vehicle 1]

Ducatis are fun and something different, but they're fussier than Japanese bikes.

That is exactly right.

Mine is actually having a small issue with the hose that connects the clutch master and its reservoir, it is too short and it mildly leaks; no big deal, warranty...

I love the thing but I do imagine that it will give me more issues than a Japanese bike would in the long run; I mean only a little quirk here and there.

If something tells you to get one, get it!

D.

[Incredible]

I am mechanically inclined, so I'm not scared of glitches. I just have to weigh out the cost-benefit ratio. Or, more to the point, the value-beauty ratio!

Why can't the Japanese do beautiful? I'd even settle for a copy of beautiful. They do that well (See: Toyota 2000GT).

[Mental]

Becuase unlike American and European builders, the Japanese philosphy is to build to suit a market. In this regard they are far superior to anyone. The see markets coming before anyone, SUVs for example. The only big one they missed was minivans, but once they got there, they were on it.

Before any car or motorcycle is built, they know exactly the demographic they want, how much horsepower the thing should have, how many doors and how radical the styling.

Europeans, and to a lesser degree, Americans build a vehicle and let the market come to it. When Ducatti introduced the Monster, there was no real market for nakeds. In fact the japenese has tried with the Kawasaki Zed and I forget the Honda model and were met with little sucess. Now they are doing it with the retro styled stuff like the Paul Smart editions.

A 1100 off road bike?!? No way, but BMW said yes, and those GS folks are a loyal bunch. Don't even get started on those big KTMs.

I'd venture the closest Japan has come would be the M109. That was built with no real market, just a chance for Suzuki to claim most powerful cruiser.