Breakfast on Bikes

Log Item: The Harley types do this (I guess), but we've got a Ducati breakfast bunch thing that is starting. Guys who drive Ducatis on the weekend sort of fell into eating at the same joint because it offers a chance for us to compare, and contrast machines before joining the human race. 

Yes, it's a bit of an 'old bull elephant' get together since it's a weekend thing that we do before we conform back into pleasing people other than ourselves, but it's fun. 

It really doesn't matter where you work. If you ride the same machine, there is something to talk about. 

Log Item: Ducati is launching its new bikes. Never fear, I'm locked at the hip to the Devil/Diavel. But this is the shape of things to come.

Ducati Viper Concept

Four Cylinder Ducati Panigale scheduled for 2017

Muffler Dragging Ducati

Ducati Streetfighter

I thought of taking photos of the Foothill Ducati Club meet/greet tonight, but it took place at an outside patio on a restaurant at night and the bikes weren't parked in the light. Suffice to say there were about twenty people with the age demographic surprisingly between 35 and 55, so I didn't stand out as old. The weather was too warm for leathers and nobody wore them, which speaks to age and wisdom trumping the need to look "cool". It's a sanctioned Ducati Factory Club. I'm not sure precisely what that means except that I'll get free Ducati swag for joining.

There were Streetfighters (848cc), vintage Ducati 1000's and even a couple of unlicensed (street illegal) track bikes showed up. There are three Diavel owners in the group. Mine is the only totally flat black Ducati Diavel.  There was interest on the part of a few people in buying a Diavel for themselves and they checked out what I did. All of them wanted to ride two-up (with a passenger) and the Diavel lends itself to that better than the other Ducatis.

After dinner a few people broke off into smaller run groups. There is a limited amount of muffler dragging that can be done at night without coming to a bad end quickly.

Grand Prix 2016

I am not a club joining kind of guy, but I did join the Foothill Ducati Owner's Group.

I've been riding but not doing much with this blog because -- I've been riding. 

The Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas is coming up in Austin, TX April 2016 and the club is going. Since I have to be in Dallas the last week of March, I may stay on for the race because Ducati has a big showing there and I was invited due to my membership in the Ducati-sanctioned club. I'm trying to balance the benefit of buying a Ducati ticket (which entitles you to "free" swag, etc.) with just showing up. Nothing about Ducati is free or even cheap.

There are not a lot of women who ride Ducatis - it's a sausage fest. Thus the Ducati clubs are made up of mainly smaller guys who like to wear leather. I don't like to wear leather all that much, and clearly, not when it's hot. These guys LIKE leather at any temperature. Yeah. We will see how long the membership lasts. I'm going to my first meeting this coming week and will report.