Audi to buy Ducati

Was looking for the Audi buys Ducati thread,
yet seemingly I've wandered into yet another GS forum.

996DL

you must be referring the the ural

Not my fault, I actually posted this in the GS section and they moved it!

Pretty lame if you ask me.

Well, not a real bad place here to begin that discussion, since it arises directly from the Audi purchase.

OTOH, perhaps it deserves a new thread on its own. Problem is where? Beasts?

It is an interesting idea.

Although there are indeed lots of possible reasons why Ducati has not gone that way in the past, there are also plenty of possible reasons why, with Audi backing, they could tread that path successfully in the future.

They would also need to take away 30% of the horsepower, and add 20-50 pounds more weight.

The MTS and the GS are very, very different types of bikes. The MTS has a very strong pavement performance heritage. I don't quite know what the GS's heritage is (people riding giant bikes places they shouldn't?), but it's not pavement performance.

Don't forget Ducati would also have to learn what the words "comfortable" and "ergonomics" mean. They'd also have to stop designing their bikes based on a rider that's the size of an average 20yo Italian male, which seems somewhere around 5'9" and 155lbs.

Ducati is a street/sportbike company with a strong racing heritage so it's no surprise they get it done on the hard stuff. I'd expect nothing less.

Being a BMW and Ducati owner for most of my adult life though the last thing I'd complain about on a GS is its pavement performance. It's not supposed to be a top-end HP screamer and besides it's about as aerodynamic as a cinder-block wall so drag is going to put a damper on things in triple-digit land anyway.

If the power/weight is an issue dump the catastrophically heavy stock cat/exhaust, grab a lithium battery for it, and head to the nearest dyno center.

Bikes are so specialized now they are all a compromise in some way or another. If I want to melt faces (and be sore the rest of the day) I'll take the Ducati out... If I want to buy groceries (or parts for the Ducati), invade Bolivia, or high-five a Caribou I'll take the BMW. If I just wanted to look cool I'd buy that Guzzi I'm lusting after...

This.

As I get older, knee angle is more important to me if I'm spending hours in the saddle. The difference between German and Italian bikes is that German bikes accommodate you. Italian bikes are something YOU have to accommodate.

Repost from the Panigale thread, but appropriate here.

Isn't that really an overly broad statement?

The Stelvio and Multistrada are quite accommodating, while the S1000 seems like a torture rack to me.....

Pick the right tool for the job and you'll rarely go wrong, and every bike is full of compromises of one kind or another.

From my experience, it goes beyond ergos, though. On Italian bikes, you have to add 'necessary' equipment just to get things right. Gearing, ECU / PC mods, trying to get it ridable can add up.

German bikes (again, from my experience) are essentially ready to enjoy off the dealership floor.

Each bike, each owner will have their own opinions obviously. These two countries and their approaches to motorcycles are notably different to me.

Drilled and tapped a diff drain plug on your GS yet ?

996DL

Nope. Damn thing is stone stock and reliable as any bike I've owned.

But I do have a Ducati which 'required' $3k in mods to get it to run as it should have in the first place.

I sure hope Audi fixes the value to enjoyment ratio in the Ducati product plan from here on out.

not likely to happen. thats part of the ducati mystique.


value and italian dont mix readily

Just be glad you haven't invested twice that dollar amount, in a bike that still doesn't meet your expectations, for fuck sake's you still own the damn thing.

I hope the last thing Ducati / Audi concentrate on, is matching or surpassing BMW's offerings,
apples and oranges anyways and always has been.

996DL

did in 70's, early 80's
exchange rate with the lire was great
ducati;s were good value.

:huh Is that the Freightliner model?

Audi will be releasing a rebadged Ducati as a new Lambo with some bodywork changes and charge double for it. More info to come...

Panigale Aventador! $200,000 FTW!

What that has to do with a GS isn't much, but it sure is interesting.