I don't know.  The feeling is so different between riding my wife's Hawk (650cc Vtwin) and my M750 it's crazy.  I'm not belittling the Hawk, it is a great bike and I learned a lot about riding, body position, and knee dragging on it.  It was the classic ride a slow bike fast.  Same thing with my M750 really, it's only got 62HP and the Hawk has 52HP or so BUT I've never had the level of enjoyment of riding from anything.  Even my 900SS didn't put the smile on my face the M750 does.  The only bike that has come close was my Suzuki GS1150ES and then it wasn't the same.

JM

Ducati builds into its bikes all sorts of wonderful stuff that only very skilled, experienced riders with long ownership can appreciate fully.

And it overlooks all sorts of exasperating stuff that makes sure skilled, experienced, long-term Ducati owners have extraordinary patience, perseverance and loyalty.

So it's win-win: great bikes; great people. 

If you need someone to explain "it" to you, likely you will never understand "it" until you experience "it".  You don't get "it" until you get "it".  That's how I would explain "it" to your friend.

Quote from: ungeheuer on June 10, 2012, 02:39:52 AM
If they have to ask.... they'll never understand 

Yes, to ask the question is to declare no answer satisfactory.

great answers, mine is....how much ducati or monster have you saw ? in my city probably are 3 monsters.

also i wanted a naked bike, the frame is just beautiful and the sound even on a M620 as mine, is a head turner.

Guys and Gals the answer is simple.  Ducati is a race company that also makes bikes, not a bike company that also races.  So when in the case of the Ducati the bike is a descendant of a thoroughbred race horse so even the most minute detail is race inspired.  When you go to one of the bigger companies the bike was designed for that market and loses a lot.  So brands like Ducati, Aprilla, KTM and so forth have that something extra that the other bikes don't have.

Quote from: Goat_Herder on June 11, 2012, 10:00:08 AM
If you need someone to explain "it" to you, likely you will never understand "it" until you experience "it".  You don't get "it" until you get "it".  That's how I would explain "it" to your friend.

Sounds like a Harley bumper sticker....

Quote from: Speedbag on June 11, 2012, 12:02:20 PM
Sounds like a Harley bumper sticker....

Agreed. IMO you should be able to come up with a reason why you like Ducati. I also don't get the "soul" thing, and I've owned a bunch of Ducatis.

I like Ducatis because:

-- I like the feel of a quicker revving twin
-- In general they're light for the class
-- Their compact nature. Not just the width, but the cockpits also feel more compact than most other makes.
-- Their sound
-- Their look

The point is not that the question doesn't have an answer, but that the answer is very close to being what is known as the self-evident, that is, it is that for which no proof is possible.  You either recognize it or you don't.

Try to prove to someone that the part of a thing is smaller than the entire thing.

Try to prove to someone that Ducati is desire itself.

There is no proof.  It's what the words mean.  Either you see it or you don't.

^^

I liked your pre-edit answer better. 

Quote from: NorDog on June 11, 2012, 12:38:00 PM
The point is not that the question doesn't have an answer, but that the answer is very close to being what is known as the self-evident, that is, it is that for which no proof is possible.  You either recognize it or you don't.

Thats what I said:

Quote from: ungeheuer on June 10, 2012, 02:39:52 AM
If they have to ask.... they'll never understand 

'cept you said it better 

the problem with the O.P.'s question is this...most times this question is asked by a non-rider and the concepts of why we ride as well as what are never fully really understood by them...so it is pointless at times to try and explain it....when this is the case, I often ask them in reply what they drive and then ask them why, which ends up in them frustrated in trying to come to terms with the best answer is.....on the opposite side though, when the question is posed by a rider, it is much easier to quantify to another rider usually in terms of explaining how you ride which answers why usually pretty quickly...

in the end...the answer is simple...."Because I can!"

Quote from: Triple J on June 11, 2012, 12:26:46 PM
I also don't get the "soul" thing

If you have to ask...well... 

The correct answer is ...."gee I dunno.....nothing I guess"

or if you feel confrontational...."I didn't feel like being one of 11ty billion rugged individuals on a Harley"

i dont think its as much of a soul thing as much as it is a passion thing, you can tell the bike was put together by someone who obviously cares about doing a good job, not to say that the japanese bikes arent like that either but those guys over there live, breath, bleed ducati

and i think at least my monster has a personality that makes it enjoyable to ride