Ducati Scrambler and other things Ducati

[Brakelate]

My first two stroke experience will never leave my memory. My dad schemed up some deal and ended up with a '74 Honda CR125 Elsinore. I was in the 8th grade at the time and used to putting around on my bland white toast powered '73 Honda CB100 "do it all" bike. How different could they be? Two Stroke vs Four, similar year and displacement, same manufacturer.

The Elsinore was purchased seized. I had to work in the motorcycle shop to pay for the top end job. First time it fired, inside the concrete shop was the first time I had heard one run. I literally about shit my pants! It barked to life like it was struck by lightening. Ringing and Tinging and blowing smoke everywhere in the confines of this small back shop. I seriously got wide eyed and jumped back when it fired. Holy Crap!!! Then he threw a few good revs on it, to clean it out. Offered it to me to take down the back alley. I promptly declined, as my knees were shaking so bad. So, the shop owner ripped it through the gears, lofting the front wheel with each. Black knobby marks, the sound echoing off the metal trash bins in that narrow back alley that was now filled with two stroke fumes. Scared to fucking death? Yes. Hooked for life? HELL Yes!

And so it begun.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane guys. Another "job well done".

[jhwalker]

I would have to go and look. I LOVED 2 strokes, starting out on the air cooled, nasty loud but lightweight models and then was one of the last to convert to the modern 4 stroke. I stuck with the CR500's for years. In the decade or so that I was out of the sport due to the kids (was out boating) the Four Strokes caught up.

I had a big argument with a guy one time as I was getting back into bikes that no four stroke single could touch a CR500. They claimed the new Honda 450 would run right with it, with more tractable power and all of that. Turns out he was right.

I would have to look it up, but let's say (in MX, not Supermoto trim) a CR500 vs CRF450R. I would guess good running, lightly modded (pipes, etc) examples were putting out just under 60 hp. Not sure what the weights would be. In my mind, the 2 strokes were much lighter. Surely, the air cooled ones were, such as my much loved '78 RM400. But, these 4 strokes have both torque and a top end hp rush. Plus, the power pulses keep the rear hooked, no matter what, whereas even my later, more "refined" '90 CR500 with a stock pipe would just "explode" into it's powerband. Sure fun for play riding, as in the dunes, etc. where traction was non existent. Damn frightening when "hooked up' on a short course.

My last stadium race was a fool's venture. Raced that '90 CR500 bone stock at the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds "Hot Supercross Nights" event. Damn near killed me. We were both relics at the time, in that environment, against that competition. Too tight and "phony" for us. I would have been better off on my old KX125. I preferred venues with old "outdoor" courses that harkened back to the "good old days", fast, wide open, fun. Rolling hills, sweeping corners, natural terrain. We had done REALLY well at the rare running of the Edwards AFB MX a few weeks prior so I got talked into doing this "supercross" stadium thing in front of the grandstands full of drunks and it sucked.

Terri and went to watch someone at the Ventura County track. Was it you? I have this memory, but a vague memory. John, did you go too? Didn't we do a SoCalT night at the motorcycle track?

[xbacksideslider]

In 2009 I went to Birmingham, AL for the two day Schwantz riding school and had a chance to talk to Mr. Schwantz while we were in his garage eating his dad's BBQ and looking at his world championship winning 500 Suzuki four.

The tank was off and as I was looking closely at that bike he said "that thing has more valves than a four stroke." He was referring to the various intake and exhaust vacuum/servo/stepper controlled valving mechanisms that both increased and made useable the power of that beast. Then, I said to him, "if they put equal development work into two strokes today as they put into the four strokes, they'd still kick four stroke butt" and he agreed, enthusiastically.

Your CR500, of course, was stuck with an expansion chamber of fixed dimensions so naturally, even in stock form, it was peaky.

For a dual sport/Super Motard, I'd like to see a direct injected V twin 500 two stroke with servo controlled pipes and intake ports. No reason it couldn't weigh equal or less than a KTM.

[03_SONIC_BLUR]

Jay, imagine the power capable of being made by the Banshee motor with the YPVS power valve system in a MX bike. Scared yet?

[Brakelate]

I owned and progressively built a early Banshee. Nothing like the sound (and feel) of that thing coming up on those Toomey pipes. It was my Dune Play toy and Sand Drag beast. It eventually was so over built, that it would only run for a brief period before fragging. BUT in those few minutes, it was a real hoot! It just got so expensive, as with every tear down, it cost 2x plus to build it, with two cylinders to be bored, two pistons, multiple reed valves and port work to be done.

Fun Fact: I actually did another stupid thing, and entered that quad in the "Fire & Police Motocross Nationals" held at Perris Raceway back in 1990 or 1991. I absolutely killed them in the first moto, then in the second, peeled the right rear tire off in the very first corner. I refused to quit, and though passed by many, I still managed to pull out enough standings to win the Bronze Medal overall. I have that on video somewhere, as well as the Medallion and some "stills".

[jhwalker]

I owned and progressively built a early Banshee. Nothing like the sound (and feel) of that thing coming up on those Toomey pipes. It was my Dune Play toy and Sand Drag beast. It eventually was so over built, that it would only run for a brief period before fragging. BUT in those few minutes, it was a real hoot! It just got so expensive, as with every tear down, it cost 2x plus to build it, with two cylinders to be bored, two pistons, multiple reed valves and port work to be done.

Fun Fact: I actually did another stupid thing, and entered that quad in the "Fire & Police Motocross Nationals" held at Perris Raceway back in 1990 or 1991. I absolutely killed them in the first moto, then in the second, peeled the right rear tire off in the very first corner. I refused to quit, and though passed by many, I still managed to pull out enough standings to win the Bronze Medal overall. I have that on video somewhere, as well as the Medallion and some "stills".

Great story. Damn, 1990-1991. I was trying to hang onto a bad job in Great Western's IT department, but the only job I could get at the time. My only fun was bicycling and skiing at the Colorado.

[jhwalker]

I am going to hold off on buying another DRZ400 (probably E) until I see what Ducati is doing with the Scramblers. Way way back while I was still living in Tallahassee, a friend had one of the 250 scramblers and we would switch off on our bikes. I liked it, but all I really remember is how slow it felt compared to the little scrambler I had rigged up using the Diana engine after having a head-on with a Buick -- which ended the road-racing on that bike.

By golly, they debuted! (is that a word?)

Ducati has been teasing us for months with a very long and drawn out advertising campaign for the new Scrambler.

Everything from leaked photos, spy shots, a claymation series, loads of photos on their Instagram account, and a Tumblr account. And by George if they weren't able to keep the fact that they were actually going to release 4 bikes at INTERMOT a secret! Check out the intro to the Ducati Scrambler, complete with links to the details on all 4 here:
http://www.scramblerforum.com/threads/d ... ions.1601/

First up is the Ducati Scrambler: Icon. This is the tipping point for the Scrambler bikes. It features the 74 horsepower 803cc engine and that iconic styling that comes from an era gone by. Check out photos and the full details for the Icon here:
http://www.scramblerforum.com/threads/d ... icon.1604/

Next we have the Urban Enduro. This features the same power plant, but what sets this bike apart is the more aggressive stance as it is set up with fork protectors, a skid plate, spoked wheels, and a great Wild Green color. To see everything that makes this bike different, chick here:
http://www.scramblerforum.com/threads/d ... duro.1608/

Now the Classic. This bike is all about that 1970s style. The quilted vintage seat looks amazing against the Orange Sunshine paintwork on the tank. This bike also has some slick aluminum accent pieces that really take it back in time. Check the Classic out here:
http://www.scramblerforum.com/threads/d ... ssic.1609/

Finally, the Full Throttle version. This flat track inspired bruiser shows clear references to the dirt oval bikes that are it's predecessors. It sports a bobbed tail, tracker bars, and Termignoni Mufflers as well as some other great features. Take a peek at this track star here:
http://www.scramblerforum.com/threads/d ... ttle.1610/
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I like them. Cool. But I did buy the old 400 E today so I am under orders to not mention a different/new motorcycle for 12 months.

[jhwalker]

Well, I still like the Ducati Scrambler Classic. I am going to get myself one more toy for my 72nd B-day. At this point, the Classic is the choice. I have 7 months to read the forums after some folks are actually riding them. I find myself checking in to find the news and the "this bike sucks" reporting. I will be eyes-open but right now I am setting aside $1000 a month from my Social Security check each month in anticipation of getting one of these toys.
My first good bike was a Ducati. Perhaps my last good bike will be a Ducati. Perhaps.
http://www.topspeed.com/motorcycles/mot ... 65652.html Pretty much the details.

[Tetge]

The scrambler appears to be a nice Ducati, and, for you application it would be just fine. I vowed never to get another bike with tube type tires and spokes and also, the Scrambler uses special chunky tires, including an 18" front, so, high performance street rubber might be hard to get. For rough roads and perhaps even some casual dirt action, the stock tires are no doubt just fine. It does look good and the 14000 km service intervals sound great. And, if it can be tuned and a expensive Italian after market exhaust system added to it, there is no better sound in motorcycling than a properly modified Ducati twin.

[jhwalker]

The scrambler appears to be a nice Ducati, and, for you application it would be just fine. I vowed never to get another bike with tube type tires and spokes and also, the Scrambler uses special chunky tires, including an 18" front, so, high performance street rubber might be hard to get. For rough roads and perhaps even some casual dirt action, the stock tires are no doubt just fine. It does look good and the 14000 km service intervals sound great. And, if it can be tuned and a expensive Italian after market exhaust system added to it, there is no better sound in motorcycling than a properly modified Ducati twin.

I was thinking that I might go for a more aggressive dual purpose tire. From the paved highway to my garage and back to the paved highway is 7 miles. Mostly gravel/packed tepetate (unless it is wet) but also 2 miles of pretty slick cobblestone with varying amounts of grass between the stones, depending on the season. If I go in any direction except directly to the highway, it is all "not quite a road" road. Just scraped land. Rocks. ruts, gullys, loose crappola. It is different day to day depending on what heavy vehicle drove over it recently.

I probably average a trip to town a day, maybe more when I don't plan. The trips would be a ton more fun on a street-legal motorcycle. I'll just keep to keep my head on a swivel, stay ready to dodge the beaters being driven down here with more gusto than brakes...

I have some time to think about it.