[project]

All publications reporting on the Scrambler reveal seem to be consistent in speculating that the Scrambler will share either the 696 or 796 with the Monsters. Now that could be because all have been cribbed from the same bunk report, or they're onto something.

Anyways, my vote is for the 696. That would make Thailand production viable as well as lowering cost on the new model...

 

[dukes]

Im also for 696 for reasons mentioned by you and to make it cheaper, i rather have this as a lower priced bike, but not too cheap, cheap enough, let it still be a ducati

 

[project]

absolutely!

Figure the 696 retails for $9,295, so if they can get the scrambler in at say $8K it will be a really competitive bike!

 

[dukes]

Exactly, at that price point it will be one attractive and competitive bike in the market, im sure a lot of people will jump at the opportunity to get one, I know I will.

 

[project]

I'm really excited to see it go up against the likes of FZ09, perhaps it will even have enough punch to go after the Z1000? I'm not sure what the strategy is going to be here...

 

[dukes]

It could possibly to do that, Z1000 is pushing it, im not too sure about that one, i actually think it could be a loss for Ducati in that battle.

 

[project]

sure in straight up performance, but Ducati is an emotional brand that pulls at people in other ways. It sells a certain image to be perpetuated. Kawasaki just cannot do that...

Anyways, now I'm hearing that the Scrambler could actually be air cooled. Seems to be all the rage lately. If you remember the NineT is expected to be BMW's last batch of airhead boxers, Scrambler could mean the same for Ducati!

 

[dukes]

The funny thing about this is that just about any brand can make their's emotional but many fail to do that, might be time to kawi, honda and the like to get on this.

 

[project]

The funny thing about this is that just about any brand can make their's emotional but many fail to do that, might be time to kawi, honda and the like to get on this.

no they can't. It all comes back to how they broke into the western markets. They showed up as the reliable low cost option to the Typical Euro/American brands. When the Euros/Americans tried to go down to Japanese levels they got stung because their products were inferior.

Ever since then the stigma has stuck with them. Its not that the Japs don't make fantastic hair raising bikes, its that people dont have that emotional love affair with them as they do with Ducati.

Its becasue 8 out of every 10 bikes you see is Japanese. Ducatis are rare which creates desire which is an emotional response...

 

[dukes]

I see.
Well Ducati is like the Ferrari of the bike world, it's expected.

 

[project]

absolutely, plus Ducati is one of the only manufacturers left with a semblance of style when designing their bikes. True there is not much you can do to a motorcycle to make it beautiful (they're beautiful as is) but there certainly is a TON you can do to make them ugly. The Japanese seem to of perfected that peculiar skill!