Getting a duke 05, 06, 07?

Hi there, i am looking into buying a duke990. Ive seen a couple second hand bikes for sale 2005bikes, 06, and 07 are within my budged i guess.Owh I still have to get my drivers license, ill take a crash coarse for that so ill probably end up having my license before the end of the month if all goes well.

Anyway i was wondering if the 05 is significantly diffirent than the 07 version, basically if i should save up another k in order to get a 07. ALl bikes i have seen have 10/15Thousend KM on the counter and are in great shape.

*Note*

I used to live in hanoi when i was 21 and used to drive a super duke 2010 i could borrow there, so i am used to driving one...and crashing one too.
Now back in Holland, and aching to get another duke.


also my apologies for my poor spelling, had to much coffee and im dutch.

You will open up a can of worms here!

Pre-'07 owners will swear the earlier bikes are best. Sharper steering geometry, better engine-(with slightly different cams than later), The raw original SD concept.

After '07 you get a slightly revised steering geometry that makes it a bit more stable and less quick to turn in. You also get a bigger fuel tank that gives 100 mile range over the previous 75 or so and a restyled front headlight and clocks. Any you also get radial front brakes. Owners of these think these are the best.

They are both great bikes. Either model, take your pick of the ones that are looked after the best and have been owned by someone who cares. A combination of any of the performance mods that might have been done would make the difference between which bike performed better but much, much more than that - the standard of the rider.

If it's your first bike you wont be able to tell the difference. But the colour does make a difference. Think hard about whether orange or black - it will place you on a side for ever.

You are allowed to use the fuel after the light comes on guys!

05 and 06 are identical - the OGs of the superduke world.

Ding Ding ...seconds Out .......Round one

Yes. I meant that the new tank has a pretty reliable range of 100 miles or more, not the 75 or so reportedly got by the '06 boys.

Keep in mind . the earlier SD's with steeper steering angles have their nuances . Head shake / less stability ! My 07 would sometimes shake like a sob on me till i learned how to be lighter on the bars. Point is when pushing my 07 pretty damn hard into the turns ( at speed ) i could tell the front wanted to wash out ( Too short of trail ). This is with the factory setup ( 1/8th" fork tube sticking above the triple clamp )... i have sense lowered the tubes about 1/4" into the triple clamp making a world of difference and stability improved / less head shake / and that washout feeling much much reduced ( basically gone ).... Point is if you get pre 07 you may need/want to go with that Nichols triple clamp so you can give yourself some rake back and some stability . 2 cents

john

...Not lowering the front the exact opposite pushing the forks into the triple clamp (SD turn as fast as you would want standard...well the 05/06 ones any way)

Well guys, i read quite allot of neurology books and psychology books, and this is what we call; Cognitive dissonance

Anyway well c Saturday

Also im really really looking forward to photographing the duke - being a pro photographer and all ^^"

It doesnt matter....................as long as it's BLACK, orange ones are scientifically proven to be slower*.



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