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First Ducati After A Long Break From Riding
I'm a Brit based mostly in Prague.
The roads here are so much better than the UK and looking at the lovely sweeping bends earlier this year I found myself wanting to get back on a bike after a break of around 25 years. My last bike was a new Yamaha FZR600R, which I used to have a lot of fun on.
I went to the local Ducati dealer to enquire about a Panigale and was told that I'd be waiting until at least winter and possibly next year. The dealership owner then told me that they had just taken a bike off the delivery trailer out the back and it was available if I was interested, so I went round the back and there in it's crate was a SP2. I thought it would be rude to not take the opportunity to get one of these and so I now have my first Ducati! Number 215, to remind me of the power output.
I had fallen in love with Ducati way back when the 916 came out and always wanted one. I've added Evotech radiator guards and tail tidy, SP Connect for the phone with a charger, the Ducati carbon rear mudguard and Rizoma Stealth mirrors and indicators (although I'm not 100% sold on them and considering trying DB Race Daemon mirrors), Ducati brake lever guard and a bit of carbon under the tank as I thought it would look better like that rather than the silver that is standard. I usually like to upgrade and modify my vehicles but that's pretty much all it needs and really it’s just great out of the box. I'll probably remove the reflectors at some point and I’ve got the spacers to do it... Oh, and I changed the gear change to 'race' style (first at the top) as it feels far more natural to me that way. I’ve got some throttle spacers but I’m still on the fence about fitting them. I also turned the levers down as I always needed to do on bikes when I was younger - I’ve no idea who they set these bikes up for or why they have those pins in to make it as difficult as possible… I’m considering exhausts - probably the lower-exit Akra - but I don’t think it’s essential and it’s not a priority.
I’ve loved riding it this year and found it surprisingly easy to ride - far easier than the litre bikes were when I was young. I’m in love with the handling, looks and sound of this thing and it feels so incredibly stable when leaned over. It’s a quite astonishing bit of kit. I didn’t manage to keep the throttle wide open for more than 2 seconds though and it seems clear that it really belongs on the track, so I’ll be looking to do some track days next year and probably get something else that’s less powerful for the road - maybe a SportClassic. I regret not having a bike for so many years, although the UK roads were a major part of the excuse, but I am so very glad that I’ve come back to it. I had forgotten what a tremendous feeling of joy and freedom you get from simply riding a bike. Great for the mind and the soul.
Anyway, a belated introduction.
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The roads here are so much better than the UK and looking at the lovely sweeping bends earlier this year I found myself wanting to get back on a bike after a break of around 25 years. My last bike was a new Yamaha FZR600R, which I used to have a lot of fun on.
I went to the local Ducati dealer to enquire about a Panigale and was told that I'd be waiting until at least winter and possibly next year. The dealership owner then told me that they had just taken a bike off the delivery trailer out the back and it was available if I was interested, so I went round the back and there in it's crate was a SP2. I thought it would be rude to not take the opportunity to get one of these and so I now have my first Ducati! Number 215, to remind me of the power output.
I had fallen in love with Ducati way back when the 916 came out and always wanted one. I've added Evotech radiator guards and tail tidy, SP Connect for the phone with a charger, the Ducati carbon rear mudguard and Rizoma Stealth mirrors and indicators (although I'm not 100% sold on them and considering trying DB Race Daemon mirrors), Ducati brake lever guard and a bit of carbon under the tank as I thought it would look better like that rather than the silver that is standard. I usually like to upgrade and modify my vehicles but that's pretty much all it needs and really it’s just great out of the box. I'll probably remove the reflectors at some point and I’ve got the spacers to do it... Oh, and I changed the gear change to 'race' style (first at the top) as it feels far more natural to me that way. I’ve got some throttle spacers but I’m still on the fence about fitting them. I also turned the levers down as I always needed to do on bikes when I was younger - I’ve no idea who they set these bikes up for or why they have those pins in to make it as difficult as possible… I’m considering exhausts - probably the lower-exit Akra - but I don’t think it’s essential and it’s not a priority.
I’ve loved riding it this year and found it surprisingly easy to ride - far easier than the litre bikes were when I was young. I’m in love with the handling, looks and sound of this thing and it feels so incredibly stable when leaned over. It’s a quite astonishing bit of kit. I didn’t manage to keep the throttle wide open for more than 2 seconds though and it seems clear that it really belongs on the track, so I’ll be looking to do some track days next year and probably get something else that’s less powerful for the road - maybe a SportClassic. I regret not having a bike for so many years, although the UK roads were a major part of the excuse, but I am so very glad that I’ve come back to it. I had forgotten what a tremendous feeling of joy and freedom you get from simply riding a bike. Great for the mind and the soul.
Anyway, a belated introduction.
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Thanks.
Kutna Hora is a lovely place.
It‘s a lovely country, nice people, great beer - love it here.
Most is closest to me and I got a little look at it when I went to watch WSBK a few months ago. It looks great and is apparently quite a technical circuit. Brno is of course rather famous as well and a lot of people seem to rate it highly. RSE are doing events at both circuits next year and I’m tempted to do both. Most is 1 hour from me and Brno is 2 hours away.
Have you got a thread on your 916 SPS? One of my dream bikes.
Never mind. I’m quite jealous.Ano ano!!
No thread on the SPS sorry 🧐🤨🤪
I’ve been buying stuff because I can’t go out riding…
Parts purchased so far in preparation for track days ahead:
I’ll probably just take the Supercorsa SP V4 tyres from my carbon wheels and put them on the bike, although I’m very tempted to try Supercorsa SC - I wonder how quickly they warm up… In the 90s I used to use some intermediate race compound tyres that I would buy off a friend after he had done one race on them - the back used to last a maximum of 1,000 miles and was bald at that point and the front had a very pronounced V profile - maybe Dunlop? Anyway, they used to warm up very quickly and were super-sticky - you could get away with murder on them. I wonder if the SC are as easy to get up to temperature.
Parts purchased so far in preparation for track days ahead:
- Downgraded the wheels to DP M9RS in bronze (very pretty and light and I got them for a good price).
- DP clutch cover (I saw it on Bautista’s bike and I’d had a few drinks).
- GB clutch and generator covers (I forgot I had bought the above).
- Ilmberger swingarm cover.
- Low-exit Akrapovic exhaust (I managed to get a decent price after searching around and finding one at a dealer).
- Full DP race fairings kit (I’ve got to decide on a colour scheme but will stay predominantly black/grey with some bright highlights so I can use it on the road and not have to register a change of colour).
- Stompgrip tank and fairing grips (I’ve ordered clear and black - probably clear on the tank and maybe black on the fairing - couldn’t decide so I got both).
- R&G fork sliders (but I’ve also seen some from Melotti Racing that look interesting and I might give them a go instead).
- Socket tool for the front and rear wheel nuts.
- Seat from RaceSeats (flat version but rounded off - I want to keep the original seat nice and it was already starting to show signs of grubbiness from the first 1,000km).
- Some plain V4 plastic wings (to save the expensive carbon ones).
- Thermal Dynamics Tri Zone tyre warmers (I like the logic of warming the rim and it was my birthday - then again, I also got a Pocher Ducati model to build and said that was because it was my birthday… and another helmet because it was my birthday…).
I’ll probably just take the Supercorsa SP V4 tyres from my carbon wheels and put them on the bike, although I’m very tempted to try Supercorsa SC - I wonder how quickly they warm up… In the 90s I used to use some intermediate race compound tyres that I would buy off a friend after he had done one race on them - the back used to last a maximum of 1,000 miles and was bald at that point and the front had a very pronounced V profile - maybe Dunlop? Anyway, they used to warm up very quickly and were super-sticky - you could get away with murder on them. I wonder if the SC are as easy to get up to temperature.
Some updates to the bike. I’d not seen the bike for a week or so… I almost forgot how bloody gorgeous it is.
I went for fork sliders from Melotti Racing. Reflectors off the front at last. Some other bits have just shipped from WRS and the fairings should arrive in a couple of weeks, but they won’t be painted until probably April as the chap that’s been recommended is reassuringly busy. I’ve got some plastic V4S winglets to save the carbon ones as there’s a big price difference and I can’t imagine them doing well in a crash. I might have them painted as well, depending on the colour scheme that I end up with. I’m not sure how well paint would hold up on winglets.
As much as I love the carbon wheels, I really like the look of these on the bike. Super-light and I got them for a good price.
The seat is from RaceSeats - flat model but rounded off a bit. I did this mostly to save the SP2 embroidered seat from getting trashed but the chap at the dealer’s said the seat is good, will help with braking and my balls will thank me. 🤣
Oh, and I had the exhaust changed as well and it sounds fantastic.
I can’t wait for the good weather to arrive… 🤬
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I went for fork sliders from Melotti Racing. Reflectors off the front at last. Some other bits have just shipped from WRS and the fairings should arrive in a couple of weeks, but they won’t be painted until probably April as the chap that’s been recommended is reassuringly busy. I’ve got some plastic V4S winglets to save the carbon ones as there’s a big price difference and I can’t imagine them doing well in a crash. I might have them painted as well, depending on the colour scheme that I end up with. I’m not sure how well paint would hold up on winglets.
As much as I love the carbon wheels, I really like the look of these on the bike. Super-light and I got them for a good price.
The seat is from RaceSeats - flat model but rounded off a bit. I did this mostly to save the SP2 embroidered seat from getting trashed but the chap at the dealer’s said the seat is good, will help with braking and my balls will thank me. 🤣
Oh, and I had the exhaust changed as well and it sounds fantastic.
I can’t wait for the good weather to arrive… 🤬
I thought I’d try something different from the Rizoma Stealth setup with Rizoma indicators, so I got the sequential indicators from DB Race along with CRG Arrow bar-end mirrors. I like the indicators more then the NRC version as there are no screws showing on the top and it’s a cleaner look without the Rizoma mirrors. I’ll probably sell the Rizoma mirrors and indicators once I’ve tried riding with the bar-end mirrors.
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I might have made a bit more effort with the track fairings than was strictly necessary...
Now I know why they say Ducati bolts are made of cheese...
GB Racing generator cover fitted (it said 10nm max torque - that didn't feel very tight compared to removing them but I've stuck to the recommendation).
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Now I know why they say Ducati bolts are made of cheese...
GB Racing generator cover fitted (it said 10nm max torque - that didn't feel very tight compared to removing them but I've stuck to the recommendation).
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