Ok guys....on Friday, May 22, Ducati Streetfighter was officially launched for sale in the USA. and Saturday, some dealers were offering demo rides on it.
So, I got a chance to ride it.
What can I say...The bike is mindblowing....killer looks....awesome power.
It is somewhat smaller, very light weight with exceptional handling.
I rode to the Ducati dealership in Connecticut that was 50 miles away.
After completing the paperwork, I was handed the key and the rep described the route that I have to take. The route was on local roads (or "back roads" as they are called here) in the Connecticut countryside. No highway riding.
Probably because it was an unescorted test ride. I was disappointed & thinking what's the point of the test ride if you cannot go on the highway on a Ducati. Dude, I was mistaken. More on that later.
The demo model was the top-end Streetfighter S with lots of carbon fiber components making it even lighter than the standard version.
It has one cool new feature....the Engine kill switch covers the Start button in the Off position. You have to turn the Engine kill switch to On to expose the Start to turn on the engine. Kinda like in fighter jets where you have to open the lid to access the missile firing trigger.
So I started the bike... savored the sound coming out of the mufflers. Then started to move.....and I stalled it...
. (
since I am used to the clutch on my bike, you know the usual excuse) 
Anyways, I crept out of the parking lot. They had taped the map of the route on the tank. It was about a total of 20 miles of back roads. and man, it was beautiful. The country roads through the hills, along the river were totally empty & full of twisties with lush green scenery all around. These are the roads where you get to feel the handling of the bike. The bike handled like a charm through the corners & the sharp turns. The guys at the dealership had chosen the perfect route for the test ride.
(Later after the ride, I went back further on the route to check out the area. I'll post the pics in the tourer section)
It has a shorter tank than a 1098, so while riding, your chin is almost perpendicular to the handlebar and you can see the road zooming by below you... It almost feels like you are flying 3 feet over the road. It is a different experience if you are used to the faired bikes with windshield.
After about 25 minutes, I rolled back in the parking lot with a grin on my face, exactly like
(Cellpnone video, messed up even further by Youtube)
Here are a few cellphone pics:
Some pics inside the showroom:
How can I miss my bike:
