Letters
LETTERS
916 nay-sayers
Nice article, April’s “The Great 916 Challenge,” and the Ducati winning was pretty much what I expected. I was disappointed, however, that an “If it were my money” impression was not included. I believe most readers/riders want to know which is best to own for everyday application and cost (i.e. maintenance). Now, where does the Ducati fall? Jimmy Ziobrowski
Rotterdam, New York
How about a street test of all these bikes-the T595, the 916, the TLIOOO and the VTRlOOO-not just a racetrack test, where 95 percent of American riders will never go? Felix Warren Fayetteville, Tennessee
Regarding “The Great 916 Challenge:” Is the 916 Ducati $7000 better than the Honda VTR1000F or the Suzuki TL1000S, or $5300 better than the Triumph T595? I don’t think so.
Consider the percentage difference in price compared to the difference in performance, and the inequality is absurd. And I didn’t even discuss maintenance costs. Bill McMillen
Salida, Colorado
Let’s see, one second per lap at Willow Springs or $7000...umm, tough choice. I would like to point out that the 99.9 percent of us who don’t ride like Duhamel would be more than happy with the Triumph, Suzuki or Honda. You guys are turning into a bunch of sportbike snobs. Richard Moore
Monmouth Junction, New Jersey
I recently read your totally irrelevant “Great 916 Challenge.” I’m sure it’s fun to get paid to flog sportbikes around a racetrack, but how about a relevant comparison for the 99 percent of your subscribers who actually ride on public roads? Frankly, I couldn’t care less that Toland is fastest on the 916 or Canet is fastest on the Honda. Tell me how well each bike works in city traffic, and on freeways and bumpy backroads.
Charles Allgood Decatur, Alabama
First, “The Great 916 Challenge” was just that, a challenge. In public statements, advertisements and private posturing, Honda, Suzuki and Triumph all made it clear that the Ducati 916 was the benchmark they were shooting for with their new Twins and Triple. So, we put ’em to the test. Are the VTR, TL and T595 better all-around streetbikes than the 916? Yes, as was noted, but as we said in last year ’s “Ultimate Sportbike Challenge” fiveway shootout, “Ducati ’s blood-red 916 is the ultimate Sunday-morning ride... It feels the most like a Superbike, and it works like one, too, winning every aspect of our testing that had a corner in it.” True then, true today.
Look for further impressions of the Honda, Suzuki and Triumph as part of next month ’s all-singing, all-dancing 16-bike Open-class roundup.
R&D altercation
As the proud owner of a Ducati 916,
I’d like to comment on your findings in the April issue comparing the pretenders to the real thing. Please don’t misconstrue my “real thing” statement as elitist. Let me elaborate.
In his April TDC column, “Development Power,” Kevin Cameron summed it up best with the statement, “Ducati has shown an alternative that works; capable classic status instead of a new model every five minutes...”
To once again quote Mr. Cameron, “Ducati is doing us and the free market a favor by taking the alternative route, reminding us all of the value of continuing development.” Dale R. Uhl
W. Windsor, Vermont
In response to Mr. Cameron’s column, “Development Power,” 1 feel that he is drifting a bit far away from his infinitely knowledgeable technical background. I’m not exactly sure which company he was referring to when he wrote, “This makes Ducati look very sensible in making year-by-year updates to its basic 851 design of 1985, while others, replacing entire engine designs every three years or so...”
I know he is not talking about Yamaha, which has had the same basic FZR/YZF600 engine since 1988, and the same basic five-valve 750 since the late ’80s. He can’t be talking about Suzuki-before last year it had the same basic GSX-R engine for the previous, what, 30 or 40 years!?! If I’m not mistaken, Honda’s CBR600 has had only minor modifications to its engine since the late ’80s.
As for his comments about the> “other” companies putting out a new model every five minutes and the Duck being “an alternative that works,” then why can’t Ducati put together a motorcycle that will finish the Daytona 200? Derek Brooks Manhattan, Kansas
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Go Joe!
I sure enjoyed Joe Scalzo’s “American Racers” article in the April issue. I thought all those memories had been erased years ago by breathing the exotic fumes my BSA produced running Castrol through the sump.
I still believe Bugsy Mann could kick anybody’s ass on a Schwinn, let alone his BSA Gold Star or Lightning. At any rate, good stuff Joe!
Ed Biza Centerville, Ohio
Just a note of appreciation for Joe Scalzo’s article on American racers. It was a wonderful trip back in time for an old-time rider and race fan from the early Fifties.
Back then, it was a great thrill to be watching when the Brits kicked Harley ass. I saw Dick Mann on his G50 blow by Resweber at Watkins Glen. He went by so fast, Carroll thought his bike had stalled!
Tom Hausen Lyndhurst, New Jersey
It doesn’t get any better than Joe Scalzo’s “American Racers.” Please run more Scalzo! RUSS Whittinghill Louisville, Kentucky
Seeing the “American Racers” photo of the late Cal Rayborn receiving a trophy at Laconia in 1970, smiling from ear to ear, made me wonder about when and where he met his untimely fate. Bob Pétrucci
Union, New Jersey
The great Harley-Davidson roadracer, aged 33, was killed in New Zealand when a privateer Suzuki twostroke he was racing locked up and spit him off. Scalzo writes: “Cal Rayborn’s 1973 demise in the Antipodes when he got jacking around trying to convert a Suzuki to run on gasoline instead of alcohol, or vice versaleading to piston seizure and a topspeed crash-was a disaster so traumatic that disciples of Rayborn threatened to start wearing black armbands.” □
