New York City "Progressive" International Motorcycle Show
Ducati Models for 2015
I met a buddy of mine in Chelsea for lunch mid-day Friday, and headed over to the Javits Center.
2015 Ducati Panigale 1299
After helping rescue a junkie on the subway, where this poor kid kept falling against a departing train, then proceeded to jump down onto the tracks where he couldn't even regain his footing (I pulled him away then out from the tracks), I was ready for a real thrill at a motorcycle show.
And yet, after sitting on one it does not seem like a terrible machine. The Scrambler sits you upright, more comfortable than my Monster, with a slim width, perfect for the city. And when you compare 75-80 horsepower to these kids riding around on their CB500's and Bonnevilles, this is simply a much better motorcycle.
Finally, the design and styling are pulled directly from the mid '70s Scramblers, and it could be argued that Ducati is tapping into a much deeper vein of their own history with cheap, versatile street bikes.
I felt a bit bad for this Monster, because honestly who powdercoats rims in a the most likely color to show dirt, then puts knobby tires on them? What a shame...
Stay tuned for the my next post about the rest of the show, including the new H2R, the RC390, the new R1 and more...
