907 Contemplation

[Frenchy]

If the Ducati 907ie is the Ferrari of motorcycles then what is the Ducati of automobiles?

[Rhino]

Ok Frenchy if you're gonna start a fight then . . .

I would have thought that:

If the 907ie is the Ferrari of motorcycles then the Ducati of automobiles MUST BE Ferrari.

I wouldn't insult Ducati so. Until very recently Ferrari were horribly unreliable, shockingly expensive and usually frighteningly ugly. Of late they have become anodyne in appearance but terrifyingly quick and almost German in their reliability - with Enzo gone much has changed.

Personally I would have thought that the 907ie is better likened to a beautiful Grand Tourer in the old style - an E-type Jag' (XKE), a '60s Maserati Ghibli or perhaps a Lamborghini Espada? Massively powerful, massively comfortable, plenty quick and with a certain je ne sais quoi - without being too 'in your face Bro' '.

Hmmmmmm . . . I can hear the sleeves being rolled up from here . . .

[higgy]

Ok Rhino,You asked for this
First off,you really need to do something about your current condition


Ferrari unreliable? Now it may be that a few Lamborghinis have burned down more than one house to the ground, it may also be true that more than a few Alfa's have caused more than a little concern for their unfortunate purchaser's of record. You may even be able to prove to be true that more than a million Fiat owners are,shall we say disgruntled? BTW I loved every single Fiat/Lancia or Alfa or Maserati I have ever had the pleasure to drive/own .... And you may as well say Maserati has given more than one owner a reason to swear off the Italian Marques for perpetuity.
Burt dude,why the hell would you ever accuse Ferrari of having reliability issues.
It is MNSHO you need to take a pull, a very long hard pull on the lever


Jaguar reliable,Oh please,it is an industry wide fact when you acquire a Jag you best make it 2 cause one will be in the shop

je ne sais quoi ? diable pensez-vous ?

[persempre907]

I would like throw me in the fight, too .

For sure, a 907 is a gentlemen's tourer, much more reliable than a British car, as a Jag of the old times, but equally elegant.
In the late '80s, IMHO there was no Ferrari, nor Maserati which can be compared to a 907.
For sure, an 851 is a better term of a comparison.
Either, I would not offend a 907 comparing with a Maserati biturbo. Nice car but awfully unreliable.
About modern cars, I could say a Porsche Panamera, a Maserati Granturismo (more than a Quattroporte) or a Ferrari 612 Scaglietti.
I don't love anymore the modern Jag, rather I would see an Aston Martin.

But all in all, I would not compare the 907 with any Ferrari or another brand.
I think that comparison was a very bad sales strategy to relaunch a brand which was not so strong at those times with the everlasting awesomeness of a luxury brand like Ferrari.

Ducati and the Pasos did not need it. But, we would have found it out later.

Ciao

[Rhino]

Ahhhhhh Gentlemen, Laugh? I'm nearly in tears.

Higgy - My 1968 Maserati was one of the most reliable cars I have ever owned. It never once broke down or failed to start. My old Alfa 33 (from the 1980s)? The same, it ran like a watch. One or two others? Well - lets not go there, a catalogue of shame - and a Brit' car among them! But show me a man who says his original 1960's, 1970's or even 1980's Ferrari was/is reliable and I'll show you a liar! Great engines - if maintained like a religion - the rest (especially the electrics and the bodywork) well - lets not go there. The only engines that always worked were big yank V8s, understressed, over-sized, push-rod, primitive, gas-guzzling works of art (one day I will turn a 427 side-oiler into a coffee table and drool over it all day).

However . . .

We all know that if you rebuild something you can make it reliable - as the factory should have done.

Modern machinery - whole different world. The new Maseratis - works of art, the Ferrari 456 - automotive excellence, the 612 - sublime. But the high performance stuff built (by anyone) when I was growing up and lusting after them - mostly junk, very expensive, beautiful, beautiful junk. And hey! Junk to which I would guess most of us are still addicted! You too Higgy I suspect. I think I smell a tifosi . . .

Francesco - I'm with you. The 907 is a great bike, up there with the 851 and 916 - a very different animal for sure but as a sports tourer - magnificent. Thats why we own them, love them, and share them on this site.

[persempre907]

Ahhhhhh Gentlemen, Laugh? I'm nearly in tears.

At those times, the owners of 907s were very different by the 851/916 or Jap bikes owners, I guess .

But the high performance stuff built (by anyone) when I was growing up and lusting after them - mostly junk, very expensive, beautiful, beautiful junk. And hey! Junk to which I would guess most of us are still addicted! You too Higgy I suspect.

I disagree.
I love the 80's/90's bike more than most of the modern bikes and I don't manage to fall in love for an actual Ducati. Not a 1198, nor a Multistrada. I think the Diavel is very ugly, perhaps the only Ducati I may see is the Hyper.



On the contrary, I find modern sport cars much nicer than 80's/90's ones.
And I also prefer the 60's/70's sport cars to the 80's/90's Jag, Ferrari, Maserati, Aston Martin, Alfa Romeo...

Ciao

[PasoRoo]

Way to go boys!

I have never owned any Italian cars, but worked with someone who is a serious buyer and fixer of Ferraris and Lambos. Recently he showed me photos of a mate's Countach which 'ran a bit rough' because it ate a few of its' 12 pistons. Judging by his stories you drive the 80s Italians because you love them and are able to regard the foibles as 'character' (does that sound familiar??). Personally I think Italians never let function get in the way of a beautiful design.

Me, I love my Paso and still rate the styling of bikes from the 80s which is when I started riding. I've got an '84 pop-up Katana in the shed and high on the wishlist are a 916 (90's, I know), GPz900R, VF1000R and, if money was no object, a Moto Martin, Bimota or a Laverda Jota. I love the technology on modern bikes but the styling can get a bit bland nowadays (the same with cars really).

But let me be the last one to get in the way of a good fight...

<ding>...round 2

Cheers,

Mike

[angelix]

I think Ducati bikes are like Alfa Romeo... not everyone's cup of tea, sometimes can be extremely unreliable, fast and furious and if you drive one most likely you get one.

the 907ie/ Paso specificly?... Alfa Spider S3 or S4 or going a little back in time , the Alfa Romeo Montreal.

I have the AR Spider S3, My dad has a Ferrari 328..., my 907 stands out close to any of the two, but character wise... I would choose the Spider.

[Tamburinifan]

Yes, they are ugly & incomparable to Ducs :





Still, one of these f e makes my heart beat & I`d kill for one ride.

[higgy]

tifosi

I have a few cars on my target list for someday

69 Nova,the Yenko

66 Chevelle

any year GT6

any year Europa JPS

Wife wants another Vette
TransAm Cuda(AAR in Black on White) only 600 ever made




Not an Italian in the lot,been there done that

[Rhino]

Some list Higgy - a man of taste clearly. I formally withdraw the tofosi comment!!

I walked away from a '68 440 R/T Charger in Hot Springs (AR) a few years ago and still regret not having one but still glad it wan't that one!!

Never owned any American metal (barring a bored and stroked Shovelhead) but one day . . .

[higgy]

Well,maybe one


wee but tifosi

rumor has it there may be a newer Stratos on the way

[marineboy]

I think the discussion should move more towards the character of Italian engineers. I think they simply build machines to go fast, and worry about the the little things such as reliability, comfort, longevity, decent lights, etc much later, or not at all.
My other hobby is racing radio controlled model boats. All the fast engines are Italian. Just like their bikes, bits fall off and need to be modified or replaced. The quality control is generally crap. They rely on customers to do their development work at their own expense. If you want a well made reliable engine then the Japanese produce "nice" reliable motors (just like their bikes).

Mike

[higgy]

I think the discussion should move more towards the character of Italian engineers. I think they simply build machines to go fast, and worry about the the little things such as reliability, comfort, longevity, decent lights, etc much later, or not at all.
My other hobby is racing radio controlled model boats. All the fast engines are Italian. Just like their bikes, bits fall off and need to be modified or replaced. The quality control is generally crap. They rely on customers to do their development work at their own expense. If you want a well made reliable engine then the Japanese produce "nice" reliable motors (just like their bikes).

Now there is a can of worms
The Italians innovate and give it sex,raw sex without apology
The Japanese develope and perfect the technology incorporating every single innovation in a timely manner
The US produces them by the millions affordably even today
The Germans perfect the metallurgy and electronics for mass production and make it handle the rode all day long and make it stylish
The Swedes have always taken a back seat and made it safe to dive for a long long time

The Brits and the Italians excel at hand built powerful machines with class

The big question for tomorrow is,will it be the Chinese or the Koreans that rule the transportation industry for the future,only time will tell and no one is out and down for the count at the moment

I may be predisposed to favor the Us auto industry, But my money is on the US,when it comes to having your back to the wall, We always seem to have the big stick. If we can't beat them destroy them and then show them a better way

[Rhino]

Higgy - you used to have a real Stratos? - Respect!
On your wish list I only ever had a GT6 (mkIII) - loved it. I can always find you a good one here for very little money but shipping it . . .

Marineboy - agree with every word