I have always had a thing for Italian bikes (who doesn't) and hope to have one in my garage some day once my riding levels are deserved of one. Well I wish you guys could have been with me on my ride on Weds. I pulled up next to a guy in a gorgeous new Ducati 749. Well I say gorgeous until I got up close. The whole left side of the bike was beat to hell. Paint missing, clutch half broken, pegs messed up, etc. I pulled up next to him and flipped up my visor to chat him up but the light turned green and I guess he was trying to show off...got on it and shifted quickly into neutral instead of 2nd and it revved to the moon....found 2nd and got on it and looked really out of control....comes up to the next light and slams on the front brake and slides right over the painted line and almost drops it again. This time I got next to him and asked about the bike. "Yea man I just bought it last friday" So I ask how long he has been riding. "This is my first bike but I rode a friends a couple times". I asked about the body work and he explained that he "had a little trouble" with the clutch releasing too quickly and had dropped the poor thing on BOTH sides in the 6 days he owned it. This was IMHO the ultimate example of buying the bike you think you will look cool on and looking like a fool because you have no clue what you are doing. I really wish I could have taken pics of video of this guy. I will give him credit in the gear department though. Full Leathers (Ducati of course), Sidi boots, Suomy designer helmet, gloves. I kept my distance as we continued up the street for obvious reasons...my wife is better on her 250 and she is still in parking lots.