[jhwalker]

Rough day yesterday, with traffic jams and torrential downpours. The Classic did fine. I should have put 350 km on the bike during the hours I was on it, but with 2 hours of traffic jams during which I covered 10 km, (and yes, it does not like traffic jams), and several epic downpours (gimme shelter!) that closed both highways and streets to anything but a slog thru standing water, I got 125 km. I only had 1.5 of good riding out of 7 hours on the bike, and during that time NO problems. The mountain biking shorts were a good idea :laugh:
Yes, suspension MUST get upgraded.
The bike sounds surprisingly good with the stock exhaust but I still hate the look of that massive thing.
We will see what today brings.

 

[jhwalker]

Picked up my Ducati in Guadalajara Thursday, put kilometers on it Thursday and Friday and rode it home to San Miguel yesterday after a repair was made. 805 kilometers in 3 days. As of tonight, 850 km -- took yesterday off to let my rear end regain its will to live.


Thursday, stuck in a 2 hour traffic jam (covered 10 km.) Then caught in a torrential downpour that wrecked parts of Guadalajara. On the bike 7 hours, covering 125 km. Not the plan.


Friday, got out of the massive (7,000,000+ people) town to a country road and put another 225 km on the bike before a fuel hose came off. I got the bike back to Guadalajara in a country truck tied down with ropes 7 hours later.


Saturday, got bike repaired by 12 noon and headed to San Miguel de Allende 380 km away at 1:30. Made it by 7pm -- mostly adrenaline-fueled. Hit 1 downpour, hit a hailstorm, life is good. Butt is not good. 805 km.


I will post more as I accumulate more time in the saddle, but if I could wave a magic wand, I'd have new front and back shocks pronto. I live 7 km off the paved road, mostly rutted tepetate and a little cobblestone. I will check what Will read what everyone else has done to shocks, but for 14 km (7 x 2) each time I ride to down, I am riding a lot of time standing, which invokes the slightly twitchy throttle.

At 850 km, LOVE the bike. any bs issues WILL be resolved. :laugh:

 

[jhwalker]

It has been raining like a mofo in San Miguel de Allende, and to get to the nearest paved road, I ride 8 km of tepetate (clay) that is covered with a couple of inches of water and has hidden potholes in too many places.


The bike is stable. After hitting a hidden rock under the water, I have had to plant hard a couple of time, but -- more fun. I used the gold heat resistant tape under the seat and that helps with the slow-speed riding. I took my wife for a ride yesterday and the bike suspension was better with her on it. Based on that I am going to reduce the pre-load.


I appreciate the bike much more at this point than when I bought it.

 

[jhwalker]

Tomorrow morning I take the Classic back to Guadalajara for the 1000 km service, with a little fewer than 1100 km on the bike. The bike has been great.
Still plan to do the exhaust. Still gonna mod the suspension, but I find the recent posts on the possibilities for the front suspension interesting. The wife has begun to ride behind me now and again, and as long as I don't play around (little slides, little drifts) she is happy. I think that the engine and tranny are great. Every time that I ride the bike I return with a smile on my face.


Can't wait to get past the rpm limits.


todo bien

 

[pcasso87]

Allright guys, i finally got her in my hands. She was delivered on June 26th to the ducati dealer in Monterrey and my brother had been keeping it for me since then. Work and family had me stuck in San Antonio so i could not go and pick her up. I finally get a text from a business partner he is going to a track day in college station and was willing to bring my bike on Saturday. I just got her yesterday and ran to my local Ducati dealer to pick up some goodies.


The picture my partner sent me before heading to San Antonio:


Here she is after the rizoma mirrors and Termi exhaust!! She sounds amazing.

 

[jhwalker]

Post up the sound. My bike with the stock exhaust sounds better at 1100 kms,
and I was still waiting to see what happens now that I am running it harder -- but I am ready-o-to-go with an exhaust...


And congrats!!!:laugh:

 

[pcasso87]

Post up the sound. My bike with the stock exhaust sounds better at 1100 kms,
and I was still waiting to see what happens now that I am running it harder -- but I am ready-o-to-go with an exhaust...


And congrats!!!:laugh:

Here you go brother, it sounds much better in person. I did not like the stock exhaust sound so i installed the exhaust as fast as i could. This is without the baffles, just click the image below.

 

[jhwalker]

Thanks. Sounds good.

 

[Javier]

I wonder if this forum is still active, I see all post are quite old.
Just got myself a 2016 Classic, I'm loving every minuto on it.
I live in Monterrey.