Ducati 999 reviews

In the Spring of 2006, after a 24 year hiatus from bike riding, I purchsed a BMW R1150R. It was fun, but the ride soon became boring. Like driving your car in a straight line for 150 miles on the Wyoming Interstate. Fast forward to November 2006. I spot a bright red motorcylce parked in front of the Ducati dealership in Las Vegas. I pull into the lot on my BMW and leave riding a Red Ducati 999. There is no rational reason for buying this bike. But once you are sitting on the bike and press the start button to wake up the heart of your Ducati, the sound of the rumbling exhaust, the smell of the fuel being devoured by the beast, and the Ducati's heat pouring upwards from the engine makes your day a special day. This red Ducati 999 makes going to work bearable and gives a reason for having weekends. No motorcyle that I have ridden has created such havoc with what is more important in life---my red Ducati 999 or everything else that a responsible adult is supposed to be doing each day on planet earth. Show less

I have had my share of riding other Ducaties, Aprilia and some Jap biles. But this Ducati 999 is substantially different from others I have own or rode before. Impressive handling, super smooth power delivery, oh the list goes on. The bike is relatively comfortable to ride with an exceptionally good wind protection in a nuetral seating position. I have taken this bike on the track - it has made me look/perform and feel several times better than I really am. What also is imprtant about this bike is that how forgiving it is for its level of performance. Warning: I don't recommend test driving this bike, unless you are ready to buy - It can be very addictive even with short use. Show less

Just got used 2005 999 and love it, great acceleration, smooth, great ride. First time I accelerated on a country road I burst out laughing with joy. Bike is amazingly easy to ride and handle, I had never ridden a bike like this, and had very little trouble riding. The bike is at its best on twisting country roads, and very stable on highway. In a lot of city traffic, stiff clutch and high gearing make it not the bike of choice for city. Show less

I struggled with the looks of the 999 series at first, but now I love them. One test ride was all it took to hook me into the 999S. The power and handling not to mention the comfort is amazing. To me the design now looks like something from the formula 1 circuit. So far the bike has been dead reliable, absolutely no complaints. If your stuck with loving the looks of the 916/998 series, try one of these. I never thought I would say this but in some ways the 916/998 series bikes now appear to look a little dated! For me the point is that at some time they all start to look a little dated with the passage of time. So why not ride something that still looks great but is cutting edge technology for today? The Ohlins suspension and the S package in general are great. How can you not like 136HP, from a stock V twin!! Show less

This bike surprised me at how refined and smooth it feels. Throttle response is instant no matter if you're rolling onto or just opening it up. Brakes are phenomenal with feel and power. The best part of the ride is the torque that is instantly present all the way to redline. My only complaint is that my wrists become uncomfortable if I'm working the clutch a lot. I don't have this problem on the curvy or the long stretches of hwy. I really am pleased with the 999S, it has great power and power delivery. The torque of the twin makes it my favorite engine configuration for the street and occasionally track day. Show less

I've owned a 999 for over a year now. Early models had a problematic dash. Mine was replaced. I've ridden other makes with similar early model "opportunities" so I'm forgiving. Maybe the real reason I'm forgiving is the bike simply over delivers as a sporting ride. Cornering, handling, suspension, thrust, and performance -- it all comes together on this bike. So do the looks. Not a me-too. The ergonomics are friendlier than the 998 Superbike model it replaced, but the attitude is still aggressive... this also makes sense when the Ducati comes into its realm -- at speed on a sporting ride or at the track. Show less

I bought a 999 ducati in San Francisco, I shipped it from there to Toronto. I waited for a week to get this bike, I was so excited. When it arrived I was astonished. I wanted to take it for ride but it would not start the battery was dead. (But before I carry on let me tell you about my history. I worked on ducati's back in Italy, I have a motorcycle technical license also auto, truck and coach I have been doing this trade since the age of 11 had built go carts to custom cars with 800 horsepower superchargered, updates in mechanical coarses. At this present momement taking cnc and electrical engineering coarses. Anyway I did a draw test on the battery. Does not have enough amp to crack over the stater. So I put another one from my r1 identical gs battery. It barely cracked over, after it reached 200 f it started to leak coolant. I did a pressure test, leaking coolant on some of the hoses all of the hoses needed to be tighted another half a turn and some even more. One hose was shreded, I replaced that. So know I started the bike and went for a ride. What a ride but after 30 minutes my speedo was not reading anymore my rpm gauge was off by 2000 rpm and my chech engine light comes on and off. I pulled over shut the bike off let it cool down. Tried to start it did not start, called a friend boosted the battery and drove it home. I left it in the garage and called ducati customer service three times emailed them three times no reponse. After looking at the bike a few times saw some rust in the welds and again coolant on the bottom of the fairing. Know I am bringing the bike to Velocity its a Ducati dealership to get serviced in 2 days will right report to see if the problem is solved. So far this bike is junk and it hurts me to say that but it is. Thank you for reading. Show less

Best bike I've ever ridden. Have ridden an R1, CBR, and other Ducatis. This bike is it!!! Test it for yourself at a participating Ducati dealer and you'll know what I'm talking about!! BTW, its now the World Champion. Show less

I live in the best place in the world to own a motorcycle. We have canyons that take your breath away. As an ex-New Yorker, the weather alone could put you in Nirvana, but throw in a 2003 Yellow 999 and my life is truly bliss. I walked into the Ducati dealership and after a 10 minute test ride I wrote the check. Compared to the earlier Ducati superbikes, the 999 is a couch. Ergonomically it is much easier on the wrists and lower back.In 3 weeks I have put on 2000 miles. It starts every time and has given me ABSOLUTELY no problems.The handling is confidence inspiring and after every corner, you realize you could have gone faster. The motor seems to never run out of power. I actually commute to work on it because I couldn't stand to not start my day with it. I have gotten stuck in typical LA bumper to bumper traffic and although it gets hot, it never misses a beat. I am able to cut through the canyons at high rates of speed with complete confidence. When I ride with my friends on other sportbikes, they have trouble staying with me. Not because of sheer power, but the level of refinement in the handling and power application. There is nothing like a 999! Show less

The new 999 is not for everyone, especially Ducatisti that have renowned the look of the 916. But, the 999 does do all that is promised. It is easier to drive than the previous SBK 916/996/998/748, it feels smaller under you, and it brings a new generation to the ducati family. Some will like the looks and some will not. It will take a while before I totally agree on the styling, but all in all it's the best bike ducati have made. Show less