Considering the '12 model retains the same $11,995 price but adds (slightly) more power, better ergonomics, and standard ABS and traction control, the improvements make the $12,000 price tag more palatable. But naked literbike shoppers with $12k to spare will find a torturous distraction with the Triumph Speed Triple, another trimmed-down bike that offers a similar-- if slightly less stylish-- aesthetic, but one third more grunt: 133 horsepower, to be exact. ABS runs an extra $800 and traction control isn't available on the Brit bike, but it's so intrinsically in touch with its hooligan roots that it makes the Duc seem almost tame in comparison.
Think of it this way: the Ducati has loads of personality, from its grunting sounds and puppy-like eagerness to lift its front wheel, but its engine also has a somewhat narrow powerband and, despite its geometric tweaks, the saddle is still rather stiff. The Triumph trades an incremental amount of so-called "character," and adds a more stirring powerplant while maintaining rather excellent handling.
Can't decide between the two? Consider the Ducati the aesthetic choice and the Triumph the functional one; each has its magnetic charms, but choosing between the two is the difference between picking the girl you want to stare at all day, and the girl you want to bed.
