Sports: [DucatiST] New 1998 ST2 owner

Hi guys, I'm Linden, I've fallen ass backwards into buying a Ducati, and I'm having some culture shock. My regular ride is a '73 Moto Guzzi Eldorado. The Rolls Royce of bikes. This Ducati is so attenuated, like a pit bull on crank.

I am going to try to make this a bit more user friendly for me. This was a rebuilt bike with under 15000 miles. I have implicit faith in the bike and the build. It's rock solid. Except for the faring lowers, and mirrors.

So I need to locate some bits. Mirrors, bar risers that will fit in the upper fairing, I'm thinking of just staying with the upper fairing and going naked down low. Any other mods to you know, old fart proof it?

I'm going to have my local shop here in Lexington Ky change the belts and put on the bits to make it easier to ride. There was a time when I would have done that myself, but now I'm older and wiser. Just not wise enough to say no to this bike.

A bit more about the bike. It has the Ferrachi carbon fiber exhaust, stage one chip, air box replaced with pod filters, battery replaced with a gel pack under the tank, new clutch and basket, black imron frame and kinda a hodge podge of other hard core stuff. The builder I trust and watched the build. Some of it. It looked like hard work. There was no structural damage, just the expensive plastic bits, and it got written off.

Corbin seat, but the rest is pretty much stock and original. The engine temp gage is freaking me out, it gets warm at about 150-170, then cruise at 45mph and the temp drops and flashes LO LO LO. Also, just what the hell are the shift points for townish type riding? It sounds like it lugs under 4K but over 5-6K it sounds like all hell breaking loose. And this is a six speed right? Cause I was rolling in third gear on the beltway. Never made it past fourth.

I've lusted for a Ducati for years and really, I'm not disappointed. I'm going to love this bike and I tend to keep the good ones for many years.

Look forward to getting to a rally this summer. Ill post some pics tomorrow.

Linden in Lexington