So after my recent engine issues with my 999 I am considering getting a new bike. My two choices I narrowed down are the r1 (not m(it's a waste for track I think) and the zx10r (non abs) Wanted to see what everyone's thoughts were. The plus on the zx10r I like: Full front brembos and steel lines. The showa balance free forks at least from what I read are decent and I might not have to upgrade them. Zx10 is what I'm leaning towards. This will be a track only bike. Thanks everyone for your opinion.
There's a long thread about this same question started by rock3r4life back in March. It's on page two of this section on my computer. I'd get the R1, assuming Yamaha has fixed the problem they had with the '15 R1, just because I've owned yamahas in the past. You can't go wrong with either bike.
Wait for the Suzuki to come out. It's supposed to be awesome. Other than that, sit on them then decide which fits you best
See I would love too. The Suzuki looks awesome but with a release date not even out and the fact I don't have a working bike right now just a hunk of expensive Italian parts in the shape of a bike, I really don't think I can wait that long. It's been a week and I've done nothing but look up bike reviews every chance I get. Also it'll take at least a year for companies to make aftermarket track stuff for the Suzuki. Woodcraft doesnt even have body work, clip ons or rear sets released for the zx10 right now and it's been a year and a half since its release
Have you figured out what happened yet? Might be a good idea to shop for a used engine and blueprint it for track usage.
Yea the nut backed off the crank and the fly wheel and stator spun on the crank. Long story short need a new crank, fly wheel and stator which equals according to the dealer 7300 bucks. I am taking the bike to mark at Ducshop Tuesday to see what he says. The used engine and blue print would be great but the bike is a 2006. A used engine is 2-3500 bucks. It would have to have the valves done ($1000) and blue printing is 4500 bucks along with dyno fuel mapping how ever much that is. That being said I rather put that money towards a new bike since it's about half the money needed. As much as I love Ducati at heart and wish I could afford it but the parts and maintence is just way to expensive on a track bike for me. Anyone who has seen me ride all say I ride the hell out of the thing just I think at this point due to its age and what's out on the market the bike is holding me back. Also it's zero fun spending all the money on traveling,food, taking days off and the track fees itself just to have something break and then your weekend is over. It really sucks the fun out of this. The past three track weekends I've attended I have had major mechanical failure and it has ended my weekend on Saturday afternoons
If you're not a mechanically inclined person then stay away from Ducati! I have found used parts to be abundant and very inexpensive for my 2001 748. I got a complete (used) crank with rods and bearings for $200 on eBay. My brother and I are both mechanic/machinists so we blueprinted it based on information that I got from Mark @ Ducshop and Ben Fox from Fox Performance. Have over 1000 (half of them track) miles on it since the rebuild and all is good. Try doing a search on eBay for your model to see if parts are as available and inexpensive as they are for mine. Just some food for thought...
I am a farely mechanically inclined person that's why up to this point I've enjoyed my Ducati but I have roughly 10,000 track miles on the 999 since I got it parts are just getting worn out and old. What I'm saying and here's an example last year my rear Cush/carrier shattered into a bunch of pieces causing the chain to fly off and my sprocket broke into three pieces at tally coming out of turn three. Didn't break my swing arm but booged it up comestically. I went on eBay to find a used one and there was two both $750-1000. I looked up a used gsxr swing arm same year $65 dollars. That's the point I'm trying to make. I am going to fix my 999 just want to put her back to street duty to have a cool I guess now "vintage" (lol) Ducati to ride around and go to bike night in the city on.
R1 and ZX10 both great bikes. Can't go wrong with either one. Given you are coming off a Ducati I would say the R1. It is very similar to the twin and pulls throughout the rpm range. I have not ridden a new ZX10 but have raced against many. You won't be giving up speed or anything like that. The ZX10 seems to want to be ridden like an R6. At Tally last weekend, both Geoff May and Stefano Mesa both were ringing the neck of the ZX10. I have heard though, that the ZX10 also pulls through out the rpm range. Quite a few companies have rearsets for them now too. Parts are plentyful for both bikes.
Kawasaki. Grande horsepower man!!!!! But yeah, go sit on both and see which one you get the warm and fuzzies from. It's to bad you cant try before you buy though isn't it.
I think you're looking in the wrong places. Forums is where it's at for parts! Granted, the 999 is definitely an outdated bike and I rarely see parts for it pop up, especially an engine, but with the newer generations like 848/1198, and Panigales, it's not so bad. I bought an 1198 swing arm in pristine condition for $80 shipped...sold it later on for $200. I saw another guy recently sell one for $50 with just a minor scuff on it. Engines tend to cost a bit more than japanese ones. I sold my 1198 engine with 6000 miles for $2500, and 848 engines go for $1500-$2000 so I expect 999 engines to be no more than that. Blueprinting can get expensive especially if new parts are required like a crank. Also the older Ducs are more finicky and require more attention. Going with a Panigale as an upgrade is a much better bet. Then you get all the bells and whistles and power of a modern superbike, while keeping a Ducati in your garage still if that's what you love
Hopefully you can get the Duc sorted out or pick up something soon. I was hoping to run into you in the pits at Barber or Road Atlanta.
Sign up at a Southern STT day, they had an R1 and R3 at Barber. There is something about it in the "general" forum
Well the Ducati is officially dead. Just not worth the money to fix so it will be posted up shortly on all the forums. It sucks I dumped a whole bunch of money for one track day. New clutch plates, pressure plate. Galfer pads , all fluids changed, new tires, just had all new ohlins internals installed, rear shock serviced, along with a bunch of carbon fiber bits. Just hoping someone will buy it as a whole since I have a clean title and the red/black keys for it. As far as getting a new bike it's looking beginning of next year..
Just out of curiosity I looked for a 999 crankshaft on eBay and found one for $265 or best offer. As sbk1198 mentioned, forums are a better place to find parts. I'd bet you could get the parts you need (crank, flywheel, stator, rotor and side case) for less than $700 if you do some trolling. If you aren't able to do the work then you'll have to find a mechanic but it doesn't have to be a Ducati specialist, an engine is an engine. There are plenty of capable mechanics out there that could do the repairs for about $600-800. Now that's assuming you could remove and replace the engine in the chassis yourself. If you can't do that then yeah, the labor would probably be double.
I asked myself (and the forum) the same question, and ended up buying an R1. Its not a track bike just yet, probably next year, but man oh man does it want to be taken to the track I have zero regrets