Should I trade or Upgrade ???? I reckon I can spend £4500 on tricking up my long term owned SP2 or alternatively sell the bike and the bling already fitted and have approx £12k to invest into another bike which could possibly be a nearly new Panigale next year when second models start to appear. Here's the current spec of the SP2 Ohlins Shock, Dan Kyle Suspension Link, Pazzo Levers, Race Fuel Cap, Power Commander, Custom Map, Harris Titanium Race Cans, Ohlins Steering Damper, Harris Rearsets, Carbon Hugger, Carbon Fender, HEL Brake Lines And a photo The mods I m thinking of making to the bike which will cost me the £4500 are as follows: Carbon Firbe Rear Seat Unit, Lightweight Forged Wheels, Harris GP Clip ons, Brembo RCS M/C, Matching Brembo Hydraulic Clutch M/C, Remote Brake Adjuster, Gilles Chain Adjusters, Custom Seat Cover, Lightweight Racing Battery (2kg weight saving alone) Ktech 20SSK Fork Piston Kit Fitted, Harris Adjustable Offset Triple Clamps, Undertray. In addition to the above mods I would buy some ABS plastic replica fairing panels from MotoCC with the lights blanked out for the race look (plus weight saving advantage) and a new petrol tank so I could keep all the original bodywork panels and fuel tank so I could restore the bike to original specification if SP2's ever get collectable as the rumour mill suggests. I would then plan to have the bike sprayed solid black with no graphics rather like the Black & Gold RRA Fireblade and fit gold lighweight forged wheels or go for something a little more unsual which is a copy of the RC51 Basic Racer which was sold by Honda in the US. Here's a picture of one to show you what I mean A slight mod I could do on the above Basic Racer look is keep the Carbon Rear Seat Unit & Front mudguard as bare carbon fibre just to break it up all the white abit, but not sure if it would just look better as above i.e all white, just another option I m considering. I reckon I can get the bike wet weight down to 199kg the same as my RR8 Blade and with the Ohlins shock and Ktech fork tune combined with the Harris Adjustable Offset Triple clamps the bike should be made to handle and go alot better than the lardy old lump does currently. One of my current problems is although I love the bike it does'nt handle any where near as good or feel as light and flickable as my Blade so it barely gets ridden but if I did the above mods maybe and I m guessing here just maybe that would change. Or as I said at the beginning stuff it £12k is a large wedge of cash I could spend on something else
Personally Id keep the Sp mate. Though to be honest that's because Id love 1. Also I don't think the Ducati would give you that same feeling when you took it out for that occasional Summer blast like the SP could.
Keep it, sling a modern fireblade front end in it, advantage you get is treble fold (radial brakes) and It will make more sense than an ssk kit in the oe forks. Why not be really trick and get a set of 2012 forks in there...
As much as I love the SP I would have the base 1199 and add mechanical Ohlins... Its a classic bike but its no 1199.. I feel guilty now....lol
Iirc offset is same as 04-07 blades, so a complete front end should go in (yokes, forks) you may need to suss out stem sizes etc but it's worth it for a fine front end. Weight saving aswell!!
If it were mine Id get some radial FG43 Ohlins forks a TTX rear, some March wheels, Brembo all over, there was a full WSB spec Ti Akra on eBay a few months back...n i c e... a big FAT airbox, race body work with FAT air intake (like C E's), remap, full carbon body work, alloy tank, HM dash and Bobs Bob and all that..
Mmmm... Let you know in March as I have a full Termi in for polishing for my mates Tri Colour... I bet it will sound ok..
Its all about personal preference. I love the look and idea of a DUC, but I don't think I will honestly ever buy one. Rightly or wrongly, I would just be waiting for it to go wrong. I would pick the SP-2 every time. I do plan to get an SP eventually as a second bike.
I think the SP will always be a classic and awesome bike..but that new Ducati.... If your into twins then what a hard choice to make... I know what you mean about the reliability of the Ducati and I know people who have had problems, on the other hand I know others that have had none, but then I can say the same for Honda's! A chap I know well left the café' on Sunday on his SP he was sat there on tickover when it coughed and backfired thorough the air box with clouds of while smoke now pluming from the air intake I though thats it she's on fire! Good job he does not have foam filters or IMO it would have, but lucky for him mins later the smoke cleared and he was able to start it up and ride off but.....that SP...mmm she could have been a gonna.. just shows you a one off event that could have ended in tears.. If you have foam filters in an SP you run the risk of fire should it backfire! He has one of those cheap shifters on it maybe it had a moment and caused it to miss fire?? Who knows??
Keep the SP! It's your bike and will be totally unique, buy a duc then your just another guy with a flash ducati
Some great comments cheers Seems the current score is just in favour of keeping the SP2 I have scored it 5 for the SP2 and 4 for the Panigale so far. I guess on a Honda based forum it was always going to be close
This is a great idea and something I have been considering all day but just a few questions keep cropping up which hopefully you maybe able to answer. Why is there a weight saving ? Is the standard RR8 fork really any better than an SP2 fork with a Ktech 20SSK kit fitted ? as although any braking improvement over stock due to the radial brake fitment would be great, if the handling was'nt much different I would probably like to keep the original look of the non radial SP2 fork with external compression adjusters, but if the RR8 fork is a much better piece of kit performance would get the decision over retaining the original looks.
