The guy who sold me my Combat in 1978...

...called me a couple of months ago and told me he just got back from the Ducati dealer in Ft. Lauderdale....and put a down payment on this...

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/101/12306 ... -Ride.aspx

http://www.1199panigale.ducati.com/en/

Approx. 400 lbs / 195 horses...He sent me a photo text msg today showing the bike being prepped at the Ducati dealer shop in Ft. Lauderdale....picking it up tomorrow.

In 33 years, I've never let anyone ride my scooter, but I might make an exception when he shows up in my driveway and he offers to trade bikes for the 100 mile sprint around Tampa Bay!!!

Look out, Hobot...there's another bike in town who you can embarrass in those AK curves.

Hey hey Hey cmessenk, I do get off reading of your and DPO's anticipation of the flashy new Red Sausage Ducati 1199. But I live in Our-Kansas Dixieland not STATE of AR or AK Alaska US and diced it up with the upper 990cc size Monsters on mere Combat powered Peel to find them just another balloon tire flashy bail fish whose only means of escape is pure bee line sprints. Not that many opens here so didn't work out as the leader of the pack thought it would - and that was with 1/4 low air to cross mud to get to terra ferrma. in these various sport squadron encounters there was only one or two that would really kick up heels and leave pack to play serious but after a real turn or two only one would be left for Peel to play with. But even Peels extra accidental Combat power was not enough to out muscle these missiles leaving turns into opens and they could pass Peel on leaving stops into an open, after 90 mph/3rd. Pissed me off of course and so when the 1098 came out I realized even a boosted 750 wasn't gonna hack it, so 920 plan began. When ya got elite level zip its so hard not to flash right into trouble so be alert playing. If the new bike is on new tires BEWARE. If the tires are of a type that need some pre=warm, BEWARE. If able to get on edges BEWARE rear can't take nearly the throttle it can when not below 45'/ Do pay attention if harder to fling down or fling up. My Vtwin flings down easy but fights coming up in time, In line 4 seem to fight to fling down yet fly up on their own, sometimes as a hi side. I found my regular Combat has a slightly favorite side to fling to.

BTW I'm not impressed by sticking a knee out to knock over chess pieces, fun as that is, nothing to it at that half fast lean angle, about any one can do that after just a few laps to warm tires and feel bike stability-grip ease. Moderns can be lain over to fold peg up and grind fairing but then get scary loose and their CoG issues and over ringing rigidity comes up suddenly. Peel gave no room for knee off tank w/o getting scary or loose. Also I bet that Ducatti engine and valve train get to be annoying within 30 minutes of hanging on like it mattered or even just touring to sight see.

I'd love to see you and him playing in canyon tights but I'd fear for you on un-tamed Commando. I sure wouldn't-couldn't on my plain Jane Combat.

I don't know how the guys who ride Ducatis in your area ride them Hobot but I ride with a friend on his 1,000 Monster a lot and I can tell you I have never ridden a Commando that could even think about going 0 to 100+ mph 1/2 as fast as he can or corner at anything like his speeds. I've owned 3 Commando's including a well tuned combat and one P11, none of them could come close. I did try to keep up with him recently when he opened it up to over the ton, I couldn't keep up but did follow him for about a mile before he stopped. What got into you? I asked and he said, What? Didn't you see the cop turn on his lights & come after us??? We had just out run a cop at over twice the speed liner & I didn't even know it happened!!!

Oh yes sir gtsun, you and my experiences agree to the Nth degree, no way could any my regular Commando's nor my spiffed up SV keep up with a Monster after it left 2nd gear. My SV japan Ducatt knock off, can go into turns as good or better but it gets quickly left behind from apex on.

Btw I don't mess around anyone that ain't got race experience we discussed prior or is willing to leave their hot shot pack far behind to catch up with me on Peel, then I'll let hair out to see what they got. ONLY place Ms Peel could gain on them was in the short sections entering turns BEFORE apexes, So Ms Peel had to be A WHOLE LOT faster powering into turns to keep the Monster behind me... till I slowed up in opens then got out horse powered 100's of yards but could reel Monster back in by a couple of turns. This Monster pilot was dragging knees and rather lightly buidt. We both pulled into village together and long hair spilled out helmet, LOL! A girl. I'd waited most a year to meet up with this squadron I'd seen flash by with in a cage. She was only one of the squadron that had done race school and tract days. When I waited for her to catch up the in a straight with me loffing behind a car, she did not play fair, but instantly about pulled a wheelie away soon as she saw what I was on, that's when I thought I was in 3rd so only snicked one down to pull out to pass car and give chase, Ms Peel rev'd up for a tinkle sound and poor acceleration so snicked to 2nd to catch back up in 3/4 mile as she slowed for the turn I didn't have too but for low air tire distortion. All Peel lacks is pure hp not to get passed in the opens. I had to return home in 4th as pieces of 3rd gear finally jamed the shifter dogs. I got pretty good sense of what balloon tires can take on edges in a rigid chassis and I'm not impressed nor intimidated any longer by elites except in pure power to wt drag races. My hopped up lightened Combat on cam in 2nd gear pulled harder than these elites popping wheelies - but only to 90 then must try to keep up and wait for a turn to catch back up or stay out of sight if I enter the twisted sections first. But then again almost none of these elite missile pilots would run up over 130 But Peel could and did so securely - even though Peel got passed at times she did not get left behind to matter. Big Block Boosted - extra lightened Peel will not get out powered till who knows how fast next time out.

Put on tri-links, hobot the Roadholders and take off mass and see what ya might be missing out on. Btw Monsters weren't the hardest to do the twist with, that honor goes to a local on a Triumph Speed Triple. Yesterday got stopped by fella on 1200 suzuki asking for twisties to play in, so we did "Race Track Rd". This am he called to say wanted more in a couple days but not at the pace I did on mere SuVee, my half fast corner cripple.