PonoBill wrote:Yeah, I love Ducks,
Ouch. They're Dukes Bill. Dukes. Not Ducks!
(the UK guys on the euro-moto and ducati email lists at micapeak.com always bashed the US guys about this
). Would Mike the Bike ride a Duck? Never! 
PonoBill wrote:<nsip>MV Agusta Senna<snip>
Oh.my.god. My fav bike of all times, the original MV Agusta 750 presented at the Milan bike show in 1997. I was there when they threw off the cover (I was the "Chief editor"/pubslied/responsible (dunno what it's called) of Cucciolo, the six issue (then. Now two I think) a year club mag for the Swedish Ducati Club, by then the 4th largest Ducati-club in the world with it's +1000 members. Also makers of the much renowned
CD Ducati Passions, released in 1993, with DAT-recorded sounds of Ducati motorcycles. Mine's in it, as well as a freidn of mine's 450 singles race and 6 times Swedish champ in the Classic 500 class). First I saw that, then the Ducati management team invited me for grappa, espresso and lots of food in their vip-area. Spoke to Federico Minoli, Bordi etc. All because I had the indecensy to publish their manufacturing plan for the next 12 months. That in a time when everybody was waiting 6-12 months for their Ducatis, wondering what the h*ll was going on. I did them a favour, on my trusty ol "Ducati Website" (first at micapeak.com, later on ducati.org). But the Ducati mgmt disapproved
First their marketing responsible called me from Bologna to Sweden, joking about horses heads in my bed (yes, honestly!), then this at the Milan show. I later that weekend had lunch with Pierre Terblanche. My guide for the weekend at the factory was Livio Lodi, creator and initative taker of the Ducati Museum. Wow, what wonderful memories were brought back to me now
Sorry for the rambling...
Back to the MV... that's one bike I'd love to own. Of the modern bikes, I rank them 1. Ducati Supermono - it doesn't get more beautiful than this. 2. MV Agusta - close runner up. 3. Ducati Monster.
A friend of mine had an MV 750 F4 since new 1998 but sold it 2004 with 50000km's on the clock
I actually liked the riding position better than the 916/996. It was more spacious for my legs and the suspension more subtle, yet lots better when pushed on the track. But it really needed the open exhaust to get the nice rich song at 7/8000 revs and up by the radial valves. It sounded too japcrap with the original exhaust.
btw, I've never owned a more versatile bike than my Ducati Monster 620ie. Bought a pair of computer-engineered air inlets with tapered K&N's instead of the airbox and it howled like a crazt 748SPS beneath the tank! Those 68rwhp (Dyno'ed) were really alive. I've always loved to ride the inside or outisde route of the japscrap +140hp bikes with kids on 'em that can only ride on their rear wheel and straight forward. It's humiliating but I just love it. Like once when a local "Fast Bikes"-typeof crowd had a rest on the inside of a really good downhill lefthander on a really nive backroad here. I came there with my Bimota DB2SR (with trackday fairings on, PVM magwheels, Braking Wave discs, no sidestand, etc.etc. I.e. full-on-trackday suit, no headlight) laid down the bike hard, noticed there were some guys o the inside, looked at them, let go of my left hand and waved all the while my knee were firmly planted on the tarmac (and I don't like to hand off much. I rather ride in between Mike-the-bike and Jaarmo-style). Then I realised I was in third gear in a 2nd gear curve. Th engine hardly responded when gasing. Had to lift the toes (reversed linking) to 2nd and wheelied away. Later that day, I walked out the gas station and there they were, gazing at my bike. "Hey, saw you today. Do you compete? What bikes is this?" I just smiled and said it was a Bimota. A what?
And me, competing? I'm slow as a dog on the track. But the 20 year olds today are more into backwheel, bar/tank-riding than gassing it up the backroads... Shit, I've become an ol phart...
PonoBill wrote:I know Stoner and Ducati delivered and then some, but he's not as fun to watch as Valentino--who used to be all about making the impossible run up from mid pack to win. No one seems to be able to do that now.
I totally agree. Nothing was more entertaining than to watch Vale go from 21st position to win the lot on the last lap. Whenever he was midpack, he really showed the rest who could ride and who could not. As in, he was the only one who could ride. The rest was just stroddling...
PonoBill wrote:didn't see the ROC, Travis Pastrana is amazing. Does everything well.
Except winning the RoC
Mattias Ekström whooped his *ss
And an interview I read in Swedish Auto Motor & Sport, he said he had lots of talk with Pastrana, because Mattias seem to be interested to go overseas. F1 doesn't interest him as much because he thought thte best drivers aren't in F1 
Sorry, this became a huuuuge post. Got carried away....