I live in Italy where seeing a Ducati is far from unusual; they're a dime a dozen.  However, the average Italian still considers them to be very cool and I hardly ever run into an Italian who doesn't recognize my bike as a Ducati, even those little old grandmothers who look like they're right out of some Hollywood movie. 

Not long ago I was sitting on a bench outside a cafe not far away from my Monster 696 parked along with 8 or 10 other motorcycles.  All the other bikes were made in Japan and all of them were hot sport bikes with fairings, colorful racing replica paint jobs, etc. and double the horsepower of my bike.

A Dad with a little boy who couldn't have been more than 5 years old came by.  I was fascinated when the kid passed by all the colorful sport bikes as though they were invisible.  He studied my Ducati for a long moment and then looked up at his Dad and said, "bellissimo".  They start 'em young here in Italy.

i think the draw with the monsters are that they are naked

Quote from: ducatigirl100 on June 01, 2012, 05:42:04 PM
"but the bike is so big and she is so small" 

I was riding past a gas station where the local high school was having a car wash. I blipped the throttle as i went past, and was greeted by a bunch of high school kids giving me the thumbs up. I knew that taking the db killers out was the right thing.

just happened this weekend, 2009 m1100 with akropovics.   "dude, ive NEVER ridden anything like that. The freaking torque.. it pulls like a freight train!"

woulndt be such a compliment, if it werent for the fact hes an msf instructor and has access to all different kinds of bikes all day long.

Coming out of the auto parts store today, there were a couple of young guys with flat brim hats and urban accents, in a 2-door 300 series BMW set up like a drift car had parked next to the Monster. As they were getting out, I heard the passenger giving the driver a hard time. The conversation went something like this.

Passenger: "Man, you can't beat that Duca-ati. Man, it will burn you up."
Driver: "Nah..."
Passenger: "Nice bike man... I'm tellin ya, that Duca-ati will burn you up, man. You ain't got a chance."
Me:   

Was on the way home from work today and was at a light waiting to turn with a guy in front me. He was kind of on the outer edge of the lane because he was going to make a uturn. Sticks his head out of the window and waves me forward. I was weary but said screw it, and pulled forward.
"bro that thing is a make the beast with two backsing monster"! "what kind of bike is it?"
me: "a ducati monster"
Him "no wonder that things make the beast with two backsing bad ass!"

He was a cool dude, put a big smile on my face damn dry clutch getting so much attention.

Quote from: ManaloEA on June 17, 2012, 08:40:42 PM
Coming out of the auto parts store today, there were a couple of young guys with flat brim hats and urban accents, in a 2-door 300 series BMW set up like a drift car had parked next to the Monster. As they were getting out, I heard the passenger giving the driver a hard time. The conversation went something like this.

Passenger: "Man, you can't beat that Duca-ati. Man, it will burn you up."
Driver: "Nah..."
Passenger: "Nice bike man... I'm tellin ya, that Duca-ati will burn you up, man. You ain't got a chance."
Me:   

Ha, I love that.  "Burn you up, man!"  Gotta use that sometime.

Nothing spectacular so far...

Lots of thumbs up from drivers next to me.
Lots of people taking pictures of the bike (either driving, or parked).

I felt sorta bad when they would always ignore my friend riding his bike next to me haha. 

I've been troubleshooting over the last couple of weeks and the bike completely died on a test ride in my neighborhood. As I'm pushing my bike home, I see a guy washing his 350Z...he says, "you okay? Need a ride or something..." feeling discouraged I tell him I'll be okay and don't live too far away. He says, "good luck man! I know that thing will be crazy fast after you fix it..." I never thought I'd have a grin when pushing my bike, but I did.

At the local Japanese bike "customer appreciation" night.  A kid no more than 5 comes up to the entrance with his dad and says" dad, that's the cool bike!" the line was too long and their place was too crowded, so as we re- geared, the kid tugs on his dad's pant leg, "Dad, I want to watch the bike!"

harley guy tells me today, "Man that thing looks like sex on wheels"

At a light with my wife on back in jean shorts and boots and her legs look like they could melt steel. Two young guys about 22 pull up and stare wide eyed at my Monster

them..."that thing is make the beast with two backs-ing sexy" 
me: "thanks... so's my bike" 

Quote from: tonyj311 on September 03, 2008, 09:42:59 AM
I lived in an apratment complex a few years back. My wife and I are sitting in the hot tub and another couple comes and joins us. We started talking and the bike came up in conversation. The woman says "oh,  so  you are the guy that keeps setting off the car alarms in the parking garage!" 

I take pride when that happens!!!
Am I the only one?

Halloween last year, the neighbors are doing trick or treating with all of their young kids and I forgot to put my gear away before everyone showed up.  I got several comments of "So YOU'RE the guy with the motorcycle!"

About a week ago I was taking a cute girl for a ride and dinner, and as we're getting on the bike we see seven kids from a local college pull into the lot.  They're about half way from their car to the restaurant when I started my bike and gave it a little extra throttle, all of them jumped about a foot in the air and started looking around.  All I could hear from them was one of them going, "Damn, that's a loud bike!"