^ the warranty issues re Italian bikes is definitely true based on my friends' experiences.
On relatively low mile bikes, they have issues with prre-mature busting radiators, leaky forks, fuel tanks that crack with temperature expansion/ contraction. The list goes on & on, with $ signs at the end of each.
Italian bikes are honestly, really for rich ppl who have a very high tolerance of "break & fix frequently." Ducati covers a portion of the defects, but never 100%. And, if time is money, then the time that owners need to spend getting those machines towed, repaired etc sure as heck better make it worthwhile.
I'm a very tame rider, but I still ride fairly spirited. And, i've never even remotely come close to wheeling the R1. I will say this though. Both the R6 and R1 feel better in higher RPM band. And I think Yamaha designed it this way... The 8K range feels the most stable to me- meaning at that range the throttle is most stable/ smooth and the most responsive. Riding canyons in the 6K RPM is definitely doable, and Ive done it many times. but there's just not as much pull and not as much engine braking capability. Keep the needle floating between 7k and 9k and it's a completely different experience. The bikes come alive and are more precise.
To put things in perspective, 8k rpm is 3rd gear on the R6 and 2nd gear on the R1. Yes. 2nd gear. It takes some getting used to, but it's smoother than you think.
