DTC: yes or no?

[Ducposer]

So both of my Duc's have DTC. I think it works and is great. When I did a track day in the rain it was intense watching the DTC lights flash going around corners. I'm having a midlife crisis. I'm young enough to be able to ride torture racks but I always choose to go the more comfortable route and I ride a 2010 Streetfighter S after sacrificing both of my 999s (one for track one for street). I want to trade the Streetfighter for a Superbike. I was thinking of a 848 evo or a 1198 - both do not have DTC. I'm concerned to now purchase a Ducati without DTC. I fear that I have gotten lazy and have lost my edge. I cant decide if DTC is really worth the price. Thats the bottom line. Is going back to a Duc without DTC a bad idea?

[Jonny DeWog]

Keep the SF (a great streetbike, and still huge fun on the track) and just add the new 1199: DTC included, and they're at least affordable in your country...

jdw

[DaC]

Originally Posted by Ducposer

So both of my Duc's have DTC. I think it works and is great. When I did a track day in the rain it was intense watching the DTC lights flash going around corners. I'm having a midlife crisis. I'm young enough to be able to ride torture racks but I always choose to go the more comfortable route and I ride a 2010 Streetfighter S after sacrificing both of my 999s (one for track one for street). I want to trade the Streetfighter for a Superbike. I was thinking of a 848 evo or a 1198 - both do not have DTC. I'm concerned to now purchase a Ducati without DTC. I fear that I have gotten lazy and have lost my edge. I cant decide if DTC is really worth the price. Thats the bottom line. Is going back to a Duc without DTC a bad idea?

You should be the best judge of that. How often have you really made use of your DTC and has it saved your bacon?

I don't trust my DTC, so for me it's a bit of a hinderance. If I put more trust into it, maybe I would find it more useful.

For instance, I don't like the fact that the ignition cuts off so abruptly and what it does to the balance of the bike when the suspension load changes drastically as a result.

I do think it's a tool that one has to learn to use to their advantage, and I'm just not there yet. One part of me wants to ride closer to the edge and let the DTC do its thing, and the other part of me thinks it's only hurting my abilities as a rider.

If I was going to pickup an 848 or 1198 for track duty, I wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger. The nice thing about a track is that it's a controlled environment and it's easier to learn the road conditions and know where there is grip and where the edge is.

[Artistimo]

I'm sure it works great but to me it's just another step on the path further separating us from actually riding our bikes. It's like riding with R2D2 on the bike. What happens when Skynet takes over?

[Dr. John]

Yes or no? No. No way. Traction control and ABS on sport bikes are just plain wrong. Period. Always.

On a touring bike I understand the value of electronic intervention systems if they work well, most do not.

I feel that the point of a sportbike is to ride to your limit, using those skills we have slowly acquired over years of trial and error. This means being in tune with all the little feedback signals the bike is sending you. ("Slow down or I'm going to kill you.)

Riding a motorcycle is an act of faith in your skills and trust in your equipment. What do you trust more, your experience and skill or a computer?

Just sayin. If you trust your computer with your life, every time, go for it. Just remember you can't call tech support from 20 feet in the air after you go over the bars.

[Ignatius_Riley]

Originally Posted by Dr. John

Yes or no? No. No way. Traction control and ABS on sport bikes are just plain wrong. Period. Always.

On a touring bike I understand the value of electronic intervention systems if they work well, most do not.

I feel that the point of a sportbike is to ride to your limit, using those skills we have slowly acquired over years of trial and error. This means being in tune with all the little feedback signals the bike is sending you. ("Slow down or I'm going to kill you.)

Riding a motorcycle is an act of faith in your skills and trust in your equipment. What do you trust more, your experience and skill or a computer?

Just sayin. If you trust your computer with your life, every time, go for it. Just remember you can't call tech support from 20 feet in the air after you go over the bars.

+1.. Ironically, the computer would probably do circles around my riding skills, however, It's why I ride bikes- To develop my skills not to farm them out to a computer. Probably why I prefer a standard shift in my car vs. an automatic. The more we throw electronics to substitute human skills, specially when it comes to motorcycles, the more it takes from the "special" group motorcyclists belong to.

I mean, when people see a motorcyclist, they assume correctly that he/she is to some extent or another: In a nutshell, a bit of a thrill junkie, not afraid of a little danger, has skills others don't, (can coordinate all four appendages at the same time while possibly doing 100 miles/hr while balancing and straddling an internal combustion engine, completely unprotected by the elements/asphalt all while possibly connected to an mp3 player of some kind keeping the beat to your favorite AC/DC riff).

You start farming the dangerous bits out and you may as well just get the DVD....or a moped, or a Prius. Heck at that point you may as well start voting Democrat...just saying

[flynbulldog]

So... what you're saying is that everybody who uses DTC is a communist?...

(assuming from your tone that all democrats are socialists and thus communists )

DTC = commy bastard

[Ignatius_Riley]

Originally Posted by flynbulldog

So... what you're saying is that everybody who uses DTC is a communist?...

(assuming from your tone that all democrats are socialists and thus communists )

DTC = commy bastard

That, my friend would not be politically correct. I think the currently acceptable term put out by the ACLU is "Sensitive".

[w0mb2t]

i have mixed feelings about it. on the one hand as i look back at the many accidents i have had , there are a few where i know without a doubt DTC would have saved my bacon. on the other hand , i know that an accident is waiting the rider who becomes too complacent.

My regular ride has DTC . I have a few other bikes with no electronics and i know that i ride less aggressively than the one with DTC .

[Backhome77]

It amazes me that someone can drag politics into a thread about traction control.

Personally, I'm a fan of DTC. Anything that helps me go faster is a bonus. But it's an ancillary feature IMO. It wouldn't be a deciding factor or a deal breaker for me. Buy the bike you like.