Street Motorcycle

Im not so sure that this story is going to be much of a road test. Trying to judge this thing with "faster than that / nimbler than this" parameters would be

Is this the best looking Ducati since the 916? Sound off!pretty useless. See, when straddling such a refined nostalgic distillate, a tool that seems to come straight out of a time tunnel, a moving monument to an event that happened some 30 years ago (Ducatis win in the Imola 200 race in 72), all objectiveness gets thrown out of the window and its really hard not to be extra sentimental.

Ducati has not invented the nostalgic "retro" formula, of course. In the last few years weve seen the "new Beetle" and the "new Mini" cars, and in the two-wheeled world, Triumph is having a ball with their "new twins" success. Some would add Harley-Davidson or Vespa to the list, but considering the fact that both never gave up producing their retro stuff theres no real comeback to talk about here. So in many ways Ducatis move was kind of expected and upon seeing the first photos of the "Sport Classic" series from Tokyos 2003 show I thought to myself: "Hmm. A bit predictable, aint it?" It just felt easy to blame Ducati on jumping on to the comfy nostalgia bandwagon.
As someone who drove or rode the above three examples in their original guise as well as the new cover versions, I was always left with the feeling of, "what the heck do these things have to do with the originals, for Gods sake?" For instance, take the new Mini. As a past owner of three first-series cars (62, 67 and 69) I know these road-legal go-karts all too well. They had a start button on the floor, sliding driver windows, and a steel cable to open the door. To call the new, fat and luxurious Mini a proper successor to Alec Issignosiss genial minimalist creation is a bad joke in my book. And the "new Beetle"! How could anybody dare change from rear wheel drive to front wheel drive and still call it a Beetle? How could you ever throw the tail around in the rain with the new model? Thats plain chutzpa! The new Triumph twins fare only slightly better. Yes, they are much truer to the originals but wheres the vibrating heart and soul of the old twins? Yes, said vibrations made the things leave a trail of nuts, bolts and washers in their wake but did the new models have to feel so damn castrated?

Here I stand, in front of this new Duc, my first face-to-face encounter and the thing simply punches you straight in your stomach with its no-holds-barred directness. Wham! This is no synthetic product concocted by some smooth operators in a chic marketing office. The Paul Smart 1000 L.E. feels so genuine and so much like the real thing. This is not a tool for Italio-posers with a white/green/red leather jacket full of the "rightn cool" sewn-on badges. One look at the position of both handlebars and footpegs and you understand immediately that you are about to begin a hard-core S&M session meant only for true mechano-slaves. I kneel next to the PS 1000 and this thing is transparent. If you are a bit like Jay Leno -- who claims to love scoots that you can see
Gabe wishes he looked this good naked.through -- you are going to find plenty to like in the PS 1000s spindly lines and sweet emptiness.


As someone who works in design, I can only guess that when the boss opens your office door and yells, "do a replica of a 30 year old bike, and make it snappy!" it might not sound like the most interesting project to work on. Wheres the room to create something really new? Only in the PS 1000s case, Signore Terblanche, someone who has already established a controversial reputation, and that has to leave his mark at all costs, managed to keep his over-creative tendencies in check and produce shapes that honor the original. It all goes to show that the guy understood the spirit of things without falling into the trap of anal retentive restoration. For instance, it would have been all too easy to put dual shocks in the back of the PS1000, just like in them good old days, yet the single "conventional mount" shock coupled to a double sided swing arm is a brilliant reinterpretation of the old testament. Life for Ducati would have been much simpler if they would have used the complete front end of the SS1000. But in the PS 1000 youll find a narrowed-down triple clamp that pulls the fork tubes closer and flattened, one-off brake disc carriers all in order to achieve that narrow, tall and lean look for the bikes front end. The end result is convincing. Wherever the eye rests you can see that Ducati, with an almost fundamentalist zeal, did not cut any corners or recycle stuff from the parts bin with this one. Need a last example of their dedication? Look at the tires tread. No, those arent

New triple clamps give the front end a svelte appearance.30-year-old Pirelli Phantoms (the must have rubber of the seventies), these are current Pirelli Diablos that at Ducatis special request have been manufactured with the older tread design but are third millennium stuff on the inside just for the Sport Classic series.

Thats enough with the philosophy. I drag the bike out of the downtown dealership, swing a leg over and before I even get to squeeze the clutch lever, I can hear myself cursing compulsively inside my helmet. Ill spare you the list of exotic locations to which I sent the mothers of various high-ranking people in Ducati in my cursing. I mean, you try to reach for the handlebar, bend, then bend some more all the while thinking, "Wheres the Candid Camera? This is a joke, right?" The bar height is just the beginning; I havent mentioned yet the fuel tanks length that simply stretches you inquisition-style over the whole bike. The combination of these two demonic dimensions means that the first few minutes of city riding it feels like hell has come down on earth. So you wanted to know what a real 1970s racer-on-the-road felt like? You dont need a PhD in bikeology to know that this thing doesnt mix with city dwelling. No, sir. After a short show-off spin in the city I park the Duc at home. I have it for the whole week, and its better to wait for a proper outing in the fast lanes.

PIAGGIO MP3 250 244 (2006 - Present) Description & History:

PIAGGIO MP3 250 244 2006 - Present Full Specifications:
Brand: PIAGGIO, Model: MP3, Type: MP3 250 2006, Name Year: MP3 250 244 2006 - Present, Engine Type:  single cylinder, 4 stroke, 4 valve, Displacement: 244 cm3, Bore Xstroke: 2.8x2.3 in OR 71.1x58.4 mm, Compression: -, Horsepower: 17(22.5)/8250 KW(hp)/RPM, Torque: 15.5/6750 lb-ft/RPM OR 21/6750 Nm/RPM, Fuel System: Electronic Injection, Gearbox: CVT, Clutch: -, Primary Drive: -, Final Drive: Belt, Frame: -, Front Suspension: Parallelogram, cantilever, Rear Suspension: Hydraulic shock absorbers, Front Brake: Discs, Rear Brake: Disc, Length: 84 in OR 2134 mm, Width: 29.3 in OR 744 mm, Seat Height: 30.7 in OR 780 mm, Wellbase: 58.6 in OR 1488 mm, Ground Clearance: -, Weight: 449.7 lbs OR 204 kg, Fuel Capacity: 3.2 gallons OR 3.2 L, Tyres Front: 120/70-12, Tyres Rear: 130/70-12.

APRILIA SXV 450 450 (2006 - Present) Description & History: Using the same engine as the S2 race bike, the Aprilia SXV 450 is an off-road bike with a V-twin configuration. It was first launched in 2006 and can produce 60 horsepower at 13000rpm. Styling has always been an important element for Aprilia and this time they didnt disappoint, the SXV being very detailed.

APRILIA SXV 450 450 2006 - Present Full Specifications:
Brand: APRILIA, Model: SXV 4.5, Type: SXV 450 2006, Name Year: SXV 450 450 2006 - Present, Engine Type:  Liquid Cooled, Four Stroke, 77 Degrees V-twin Cylinder, Displacement: 450 cm3, Bore Xstroke: 2.99X1.94 in OR 76 mm, Compression: 12.5:1, Horsepower: -, Torque: -, Fuel System: Integrated Engine Management System Controlling Ignition And Fuel Injection, Gearbox: 5-speed, Clutch: -, Primary Drive: -, Final Drive: Chain, Frame: Steel Perimeter Frame With Alloy Vertical Members, Front Suspension: 48 Mm Upside Down Fork, Rear Suspension: Box Section Aluminium Swingarm With Cast Body, Hydraulic Monoshock, Front Brake: Single 320mm Disc 4 Piston Caliper, Rear Brake: Single 240mm Disc 2 Piston Caliper, Length: -, Width: -, Seat Height: -, Wellbase: -, Ground Clearance: -, Weight: -, Fuel Capacity: 2.06 gallons OR 2.06 L, Tyres Front: 120/70-17, Tyres Rear: 180/55-17.

BMW R 1200 S 1170 (2006 - Present) Description & History: Described as the most powerful Boxer ever, the R 1200 S has a 123 horsepower engine at a peak of 8250rpm. Being a 2006 model, the R 1200 S has a number of new features, such as fully controlled catalytic converter, twin spark ignition, Telever front wheel suspension. The optional features include an extra wide rear wheel and Ohlins sport suspensions.

BMW R 1200 S 1170 2006 - Present Full Specifications:
Brand: BMW, Model: R, Type: R 1200 S 2006, Name Year: R 1200 S 1170 2006 - Present, Engine Type:  Air/oil-cooled flat twin (Boxer) 4-stroke, one camshaft and four valves per cylinder, central balancer shaft, Displacement: 1170 cm3, Bore Xstroke: 4x2.9 in OR 101.6x73.7 mm, Compression: 12.5:1, Horsepower: 90(122)/8.25 KW(hp)/RPM, Torque: 61/6500 lb-ft/RPM OR 83/6500 Nm/RPM, Fuel System: Electronic intake pipe injection, Gearbox: 6-speed, Clutch: Constant mesh 6-speed gearbox with helical gear teeth, Primary Drive: Helical gears, Final Drive: Shaft drive, Frame: Three-section frame consisting of front, middle and rear sections, load bearing engine-gearbox unit, Front Suspension: MW Motorrad Telelever;stanchion diameter 41 mm, central spring strut, Rear Suspension: Cast aluminium single-sided swing arm with BMW Motorrad Paralever, Front Brake: Twin disc brake, floating brake discs, 320 mm diameter, four-piston fixed calipers, Rear Brake: Single disc brake, diameter 265 mm, double-piston floating caliper, Length: 84.7 in OR 2151 mm, Width: 34.3 in OR 871 mm, Seat Height: 32.7 in OR 831 mm, Wellbase: 58.5 in OR 1486 mm, Ground Clearance: -, Weight: 419 lbs OR 190 kg, Fuel Capacity: 4.5 gallons OR 4.5 L, Tyres Front: 120/70xZR17, Tyres Rear: 180/55xZR17.

DAELIM ROADWIN 125 (2006 - Present) Description & History: The Roadwin, produced by Daelim, was first launched in 2006, being equipped with an air and oil cooled 4 stroke - 4 valve engine.

DAELIM ROADWIN 125 2006 - Present Full Specifications:
Brand: DAELIM, Model: ROADWIN, Type: ROADWIN 2006, Name Year: ROADWIN 125 2006 - Present, Engine Type:  Air and Oil cooled 4 stroke - 4 valve, Displacement: 124.1 cm3, Bore Xstroke: 2.2x1.9 in OR 55.9x48.3 mm, Compression: 11.5:1, Horsepower: -, Torque: -, Fuel System: Carburetor, Gearbox: 5 Speed, Clutch: -, Primary Drive: -, Final Drive: -, Frame: Double cradle, Front Suspension: Telescopic fork, Rear Suspension: Swing arm, Front Brake: Disc, Rear Brake: Disc, Length: 79.1 in OR 2009 mm, Width: 29.1 in OR 739 mm, Seat Height: 30.7 in OR 780 mm, Wellbase: 54.3 in OR 1379 mm, Ground Clearance: 5.9 in OR 150 mm, Weight: 287 lbs OR 130 kg, Fuel Capacity: 4.2 gallons OR 4.2 L, Tyres Front: 110/70-17, Tyres Rear: 140/60-17.