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I'm sure you've probably heard this a million times already from plenty of other Ducati noobs, but it would be nice to get some feedback on my thought process and whether I'm right or wrong.
I've done a lot of research on these bikes, and the differences between them. Previously I've owned several Japanese sportbikes, the last being a 2013 Kawasaki ZX6R. However, I've always loved the looks of the 90's era Ducati sportbikes. I'm not really concerned about top speed, or being able to keep up with modern bikes... that is not the purpose. This is more of a nostalgic purchase on my part. If I wanted a more modern Ducati I'd get an 848 or 1098, but those just don't do it for me. I want something that I can ride for an hour or so and just enjoy myself. (I'll actually be looking into doing what I can to make the bike a bit more comfortable, sport touring ws, aftermarket seat, riser clipons, perhaps adjustable rear sets.)
The 916 is iconic, but the gold frame and 3 spoke rear wheel look a bit dated to me. Still, a frame could be powdercoated and wheels could be updated to the 5 spoke ones on the 2000ish models, which are my favorite wheel for these bike. I'd be seriously down on power compared to previous bikes I've owned. Problems with electrical and rocker arms are well noted. Not sure about the longevity of these motors either... I've seen that 40k miles seems to be about the limit before needing a rebuild.
The 996 is probably the best looking of the 3 IMO. Gets a gray frame, the 5 spoke wheels in gray, and the side fairings are still vented, while the 998 fairings are not, which looks a bit bland in comparison. Not happy about the switch to four injectors, I like simplicity and would want to switch back to a 2 injector setup, which can be done but drivability depends greatly on which tune you go with. I also have a Porsche 996 turbo (hence the sn) and it would be kinda cool to have two 996 vehicles in the garage. The engine has more power than the 916 and the braking was improved. Not much difference in pricing vs the 916 as far as I can tell either, so it seems to be the better deal.
The 998 has the better engine, better electronics, more reliable?, but doesn't look quite as good as the 996 with its vented fairings. I assume I could buy some generic aftermarket fairings with the vents that would fit if I wanted to. The fuel injection is much better than on the 996 or 916, and shouldn't need to be changed. Should also be the fastest, but is probably more or less on par with a solid running 996. Maintenance I hear is much easier with this engine than with the previous models. I'm pretty handy, but the purpose of this bike is to just be able to hop on and ride when the mood strikes me, and so reliability is important.
I want a bike with the iconic looks, but I also want to be able to ENJOY it... not constantly troubleshoot problems. So, I think I've decided on a 998, unless you guys can convince me that a 996 would be just as good with a few modifications or things done. The 916 I think would need several modifications to be on the same level as the other two, and at that point, you may as well have just bought a 996/998 instead when it's all said and done.
Thanks for reading, looking forward to hearing your opinions.
Todd
I've done a lot of research on these bikes, and the differences between them. Previously I've owned several Japanese sportbikes, the last being a 2013 Kawasaki ZX6R. However, I've always loved the looks of the 90's era Ducati sportbikes. I'm not really concerned about top speed, or being able to keep up with modern bikes... that is not the purpose. This is more of a nostalgic purchase on my part. If I wanted a more modern Ducati I'd get an 848 or 1098, but those just don't do it for me. I want something that I can ride for an hour or so and just enjoy myself. (I'll actually be looking into doing what I can to make the bike a bit more comfortable, sport touring ws, aftermarket seat, riser clipons, perhaps adjustable rear sets.)
The 916 is iconic, but the gold frame and 3 spoke rear wheel look a bit dated to me. Still, a frame could be powdercoated and wheels could be updated to the 5 spoke ones on the 2000ish models, which are my favorite wheel for these bike. I'd be seriously down on power compared to previous bikes I've owned. Problems with electrical and rocker arms are well noted. Not sure about the longevity of these motors either... I've seen that 40k miles seems to be about the limit before needing a rebuild.
The 996 is probably the best looking of the 3 IMO. Gets a gray frame, the 5 spoke wheels in gray, and the side fairings are still vented, while the 998 fairings are not, which looks a bit bland in comparison. Not happy about the switch to four injectors, I like simplicity and would want to switch back to a 2 injector setup, which can be done but drivability depends greatly on which tune you go with. I also have a Porsche 996 turbo (hence the sn) and it would be kinda cool to have two 996 vehicles in the garage. The engine has more power than the 916 and the braking was improved. Not much difference in pricing vs the 916 as far as I can tell either, so it seems to be the better deal.
The 998 has the better engine, better electronics, more reliable?, but doesn't look quite as good as the 996 with its vented fairings. I assume I could buy some generic aftermarket fairings with the vents that would fit if I wanted to. The fuel injection is much better than on the 996 or 916, and shouldn't need to be changed. Should also be the fastest, but is probably more or less on par with a solid running 996. Maintenance I hear is much easier with this engine than with the previous models. I'm pretty handy, but the purpose of this bike is to just be able to hop on and ride when the mood strikes me, and so reliability is important.
I want a bike with the iconic looks, but I also want to be able to ENJOY it... not constantly troubleshoot problems. So, I think I've decided on a 998, unless you guys can convince me that a 996 would be just as good with a few modifications or things done. The 916 I think would need several modifications to be on the same level as the other two, and at that point, you may as well have just bought a 996/998 instead when it's all said and done.
Thanks for reading, looking forward to hearing your opinions.
Todd