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Owning a Ducati is for me a dream come true.
Back in the 70's and 80's I'd been captivated by the sight and sound of the few machines that turned out against the hordes of Japanese bikes in Proddie racing. Back then I always fancied a Mike Hailwood Replica or a black & gold 900SS but when I eventually bought a bike I ended up with a Jap bike, mainly because Ducatis were a)expensive & b)notoriously unreliable.
Three years ago however, older and with a bit more money in the bank, I took the plunge and bought an 18 month old 750SS in Ducati red. The wait had been worth it-the sight and the sound-I felt like a King and had been well and truly bitten by the Ducati bug.
Two years later however something caught my eye-the falling prices of the most beautiful bikes ever built bar none-the Ducati 748 & 916.
The general consensus is that the 748 is the better road bike but in the end the excessive cost of insuring a 916 made my decision and saw me heading south with Andy where I bought a three year old 748BP. Life just got even better!
For me, owning and riding a Ducati is an experience that is hard to describe but if you even think you might like one my advice to you would be DO IT...DO IT NOW! I am no mechanic but I have had no problems with either bike though I have them looked after by Italia Classics of Lincoln who are Italian bike specialists.
UPDATE 2003-I am currently bike-less as I have been spending all my time waterskiing but you never know I may yet have that Mike Hailwood Replica..or maybe the 900SS...or maybe a 888... or maybe.......!
My Ducati 748
My 748 Biposto is basically standard though with the addition of a few refinements which were all done prior to me getting the bike.
More Ducati pictures
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