Pick one: Ducati 998 or 999

[spinal tap mode on]The 999. It's 1 better.[/spinal tap]

 

I would personally say 998 because it has the 999 motor with the better designed 996 body style. No me its no question. Also a lot of 999 seems to be having a stumble issue and Ducati has been forced to lemon a few of them.

My. 02 turkish lira.

 

999

 

Rob, seriously, go to a Motorcycle Safety Foundation course first and learn to ride on their little 125 cc bikes. It takes a weekend, and if you pass you can get your M on your license just by passing the written test.

Then, go buy a used bike from a reputable store and see if you like riding.

Then go buy whatever you want.

That's the path I took and I stopped at stage 2 after too many close calls in traffic around here. Stupid drivers can't/won't see the 2 wheelers.

 

I always had a thing for the Ducati Monster family, especially the early ones. I love that naked sportsbike look.

 

First Rob, no one drives a bike, they ride .

I will tell you what, buying a Ducati is probably not a good idea for your bike. You will eventually drop it and a Ducati/Aprillia will be expensive when damaged.

That said, I say learn to ride first. I used to ride dirt bikes so it is a little different how I started, but I have friends after watching me got started. One thing I always recommend is take the MSF course. Find one in your area and do it. It's a great course. Second buy a beater Honda CBR F2 for like 2K. I know my friends hate hearing that, because it is not a cool bike and chicks won't dig it. *insert rolleyes smiley here* (PSK from Aus knows who me and him usually refer to on such matters ) However I know you are not 17 and getting chicks is not why you would ride. Thus the F2 is a great starter bike. It is fast enough and if you crash/drop it its only 2500 bucks max. Ride it for 6months to 1 year and it will hone your skills. IF you can't stand the thought of a used bike, then here is the other way of going about it. Go buy a Suzuki SV650 or a Ducati Monster 600. I recommend the former. These bikes are referred to as "naked bikes." They are plenty fast for you and can keep up with the race bikes on the street. They are fun to ride and you will learn a lot about the bike and improve your riding skills. THey are called naked bikes since they don't have the fairings on the sides, and thus not very costly if you drop them. Expect to pay 6K or so for these. After you are comfortable riding these for a while, then you can move up to Ducati 748/998 or 749/999 model or whatever else you choose. I personally feel a Liter bike (999 or gsxr 1000 or R1) are too much for the street. In reality a 600 is enough for 98% of riders out there. But by this time, you would have ridden your F2 (if you chose used) or your Monster/SV650 (if you chose new) for about a year or 2 and have improved your skill so that you can move up to the crotch rocket italian style.

Good luck. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. For such a awesome board that you have, this is the least I could do to give back.


*Remember advice is from a 21 year old who never posed in his life or bought bikes to get chicks*

Man I sound old giving the advice above

Ok forget all that, go buy a Ducati 999 (see that is more typical of my age)

 

I have ridden them all and I will take the 998 every day of the week and twice on Sunday. You get the better engine with the nicer chassis. Stephens did give me some track set up tips for the 999 that I will try but I really, really like the 998.

Rob, let me know what you want. I own a motorcycle dealership and race prep facility.

 

Don't forget my name on the list for the yellow 748 brotha

 

I'd take a 749R over both of them, what a beauty ... or even a 749s.

Every article I have read about the 749 has stated that it IS a better bike than the 999, and the 749R is one horny looking beast.

As for the 998, sorry but the looks are dated to me and I prefer the 996 looks with the air exit ... 998 is too slab sided IMO.

Pete

 

Also I thought only the 998R got the testastretta engine (or whatever it is called, ie. the narrower valve angle and shorter stroke)??

Pete

 

Rob, search the classifies for a used Honda XR100 or XR200. Then go ride the snot out of it in the dirt. (You can also use it as pit bike.) Learning on a dirt bike is the only way, IMNSHO, to learn how to ride a motorcycle. Warning, this stuff is addicting.

 

The 999 is a much more comfortable/usable road bike. The 998 is not even in the same league from this perspective.
A lot of people still see the 998 as the last of the 916 style Ducati and a classic, but on the track, for all the rhetoric, in my experience they are not as quick as the new bikes in club, State, or National championships.
There are plenty of guys around like Ryan, who still prefer the 998. There is a decade worth of development and setup experience available for it, which is a big plus.

Pete
Where do you get the rubbish about the 749? A good friend has a new 749R, which is a significant improvement on the 749 and 749S. While it is great value for money as far as Ducati's are concerned, it is still slower than a base model 999 around a race track and having significantly less torque, no where near as usable as a street bike.
A group of us are flying up to Eastern Creek from Melbourne to do a Superbike School track day next Sat 24th and a Circuit Breakers day on the Sunday. We will have my 999 race bike, a 999R, 749R, 998R and a couple of 999S's and maybe a Foggy. If you're around drop by and say hello. I've seen you on speedzilla, do you ride yourself?

 

Just depending on the looks i would choose the 998
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What about this new model, the Multistrada, IIRC?? Any feedback on it?
It doesn't have all that expensive cladding if you drop it, Rob.

I agree the 998 looks a little more stylish than the 999, but I may get used to it. Rob, I'm still under my "lifetime" ban after totalling one out. Almost killed myself that day.

I still look thru the window though.

 

I don't know about THAT wisdom Dr. tax.

My cousin rode dirt the whole time I was riding street.

My score: Three crashes, only one was my fault. The other two times I was hit by cars. Broken bones = 1 (jaw)

His score: two crashes, one head on. Impaled on tree stump=1, Crushed nose and facial bones, major plastic surgery = 1

Is this a great hobby, or WHAT!

Then I have two classmates no longer with us, they are just dead.

 

The 996/998 is much more visually pleasing but have you been up close to a 999 in the flesh? VERY impressive looking and holds a lot of presence!

 

I didn't say that starting in the dirt made you a saner rider, just a better one. I have been riding since I was 12, but it really scares me to see a 50 something guy, who rode a Honda 90 back in college, walk into a Harley dealership and say, "I want wanna those." 800 pounds. No power. No brakes. Not good.

At least in the dirt, you can learn how to countersteer without busting your skull, too badly.

Dr "Dat's my story, and I'm sticking to it" Tax

 

Yep, this is the one.

 

I am doing my MSF course soon, and having just went to a motorcycle show and must say. If you can afford a ferrari, BUY the 749. Gorgeous bike. In my opinion much better looking then 748/998. It just that the older model has been around for a while and people are always hating the newer model when it comes out. Look it is still not thaty expensive comared to a car in terms of maintanence. And people!!! This is an Italian car forum, when has Italian and logic ever were in the same sentence? Buy it anl love it.

 

If you can afford to buy a ferrari....buy an MV Agusta F4! Dudes. Have you ever seen one next to a Duke, the mv makes it look old and ugly. Hey and dont flame me becourse i also own the Duke 996, so i have them both side by side, no contest. I am currently waiting for my F4100 to arrive, i was told it would be here in around March but now told July, ARRRGG!