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Ducati

FaithfulThrottle

FaithfulThrottle

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Hey everyone,
I'm looking at buying a Ducati but really don't know too much about them. Does anyone know how they are for parts and does someone specific have to work on them?
Any help would be appreciated
Thanks
 
FaithfulThrottle said:
Hey everyone,
I'm looking at buying a Ducati but really don't know too much about them. Does anyone know how they are for parts and does someone specific have to work on them?
Any help would be appreciated
Thanks
Click to expand...


Why do you want one? Because another has one and you want to also have one? What's the deal?

Are you planning on using it for display purposes?

Sorry but your question does not seem well thought out considering...
 
May help if the the type / model of Ducati is listed as well so we can give more secific information.
I have a S2R 1000 Monster.
Love the bike for its Style, Looks, Handing, Long rides are also not a problem for me but Im small and light. 600km days are no issues at all.

Derek Paisley said:
Why do you want one? Because another has one and you want to also have one? What's the deal?

Are you planning on using it for display purposes?

Sorry but your question does not seem well thought out considering...
Click to expand...
 
Sorry my bad not to clear. I have a ninja now but have always heard the Ducati is the ferrari of the motorcycle for performance. I remember when they were $15,000 - $20,000. I have a chance to get a 748 and all the reviews are good. I thought getting some advice from everyday riders might help though.
 
Valve checks are expensive/time-consuming (but don't happen often). Resale is hard and depreciation can be high on new bikes (most people don't have large amounts of cash to buy a used bike).

As above, why, what model? Personally I would have no worries about buying a duc.

EDIT for updated info from OP:

748 is pretty but old. Unless you want a project, I would stick with newer bikes. Modern 600 SS bikes can probably beat the 748 in just about everything (except sound).
 
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FaithfulThrottle said:
Hey everyone,
I'm looking at buying a Ducati but really don't know too much about them. Does anyone know how they are for parts and does someone specific have to work on them?
Any help would be appreciated
Thanks
Click to expand...

Generally speaking, Ducati parts and service are just as easy as any other motorcycle. Search out a local dealer and see for yourself.

It is a premium motorcycle and with that, comes premium expenses for maintenance.

Major factor in terms of parts availability and who should work on them will depend on the year and model you are looking at.
 
nakkers said:
Generally speaking, Ducati parts and service are just as easy as any other motorcycle. Search out a local dealer and see for yourself.

It is a premium motorcycle and with that, comes premium expenses for maintenance.

Major factor in terms of parts availability and who should work on them will depend on the year and model you are looking at.
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I disagree, maintenance isn't has expensive as people state. Is that statement coming from first hand experience and if so, based on how many years of ownership? Without real experience you cannot make this claim based on hearsay.

Parts and availability is what is a bit expensive, and depends if you are going with OEM or aftermarket.
 
FaithfulThrottle said:
Sorry my bad not to clear. I have a ninja now but have always heard the Ducati is the ferrari of the motorcycle for performance. I remember when they were $15,000 - $20,000. I have a chance to get a 748 and all the reviews are good. I thought getting some advice from everyday riders might help though.
Click to expand...

This is incorrect. Based on performance alone, Japanese bikes have figures. However, riding a Ducati isnt about performance facts but the visceral feeling you get when you ride.
 
slayerofsouls said:
I disagree, maintenance isn't has expensive as people state. Is that statement coming from first hand experience and if so, based on how many years of ownership? Without real experience you cannot make this claim based on hearsay.

Parts and availability is what is a bit expensive, and depends if you are going with OEM or aftermarket.
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I found that maintenance labour rate is expensive if you want a ducati certified mechanic at a ducati shop to work on your bike. Some OEM parts for Ducati are ridiculously priced too, like chains for example.

If you are comfortable with having a non-dealer mechanic work on your bike and are willing to use aftermarket parts, then the maintenance costs will be in line with other bikes.
 
nakkers said:
It is a premium motorcycle and with that, comes premium expenses for maintenance.
Click to expand...

I can't believe how people swallow this BS marketing from Ducati. you pay more, thus you expect it to fall apart?? Performance is good, but no better than Japanese or German brands.

Good: design, high quality brakes and suspension
Bad: electrical problems, ridiculous desmodromic valve maintenance (only recently fixed), belt maintenance and dry clutches that rattle and wear quickly, poor throttle mapping on EFI. I would avoid most models older than 5-6 years. They had a tank swelling problem that was poorly handled.

Yes, you can source parts easily, but bend over...$$$.

They got much better recently dealing with these issues, but there are some design choices that are made just for the sake of the brand, and you pay for the brand. Used, they are typically much better cared for than Japanese bikes but they still devalue due to reliability issues.
 
Chaos said:
I found that maintenance labour rate is expensive if you want a ducati certified mechanic at a ducati shop to work on your bike. Some OEM parts for Ducati are ridiculously priced too, like chains for example.
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In the latest issue of Practical Sportbikes, they show how to replace the valve toothed belt on a 900SS, and they point out that the same belt is used in Renault Clio's for $40 that is three times that price from Ducati.
There was also a huge controversy in early 2000s 900s where the factory spec'd soft metal shims on the desmo valves, so customers were making their own shims better.

Buy because they are cool and exotic, but know what you are getting into with design and reliability problems versus Japanese bikes.
 
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I had a 1198 and the wife has a 796 monster no major issues, reliable and would buy again. The 1198 was a ***** to sell and ended up trading it in and got a good trade in value on a new KTM. As said above I wouldn't buy anything older than a 1098/1198/848 series as earlier models had some issues.
 
Chaos said:
I found that maintenance labour rate is expensive if you want a ducati certified mechanic at a ducati shop to work on your bike. Some OEM parts for Ducati are ridiculously priced too, like chains for example.

If you are comfortable with having a non-dealer mechanic work on your bike and are willing to use aftermarket parts, then the maintenance costs will be in line with other bikes.
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Agreed, but this same logic applies if you go to an audi dealership or ferrari dealership to do the actual maintenance vs. an independent. There are fantastic non-dealers that can work on exotic bikes and cars out there.

I agree with the parts, as stated in my post.

Maintenance though, is not the biggest factor.
 
Scuba Steve said:
I had a 1198 and the wife has a 796 monster no major issues, reliable and would buy again. The 1198 was a ***** to sell and ended up trading it in and got a good trade in value on a new KTM. As said above I wouldn't buy anything older than a 1098/1198/848 series as earlier models had some issues.
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Agreed, my 848 was a pain to sell and trade in but at a poor trade in value.
 
Scuba Steve said:
I had a 1198 and the wife has a 796 monster no major issues, reliable and would buy again. The 1198 was a ***** to sell and ended up trading it in and got a good trade in value on a new KTM. As said above I wouldn't buy anything older than a 1098/1198/848 series as earlier models had some issues.
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+1 to the pain in selling part. Longest it took me to sell a bike was my 1198. Having said that, in the years I've owned it, it was dead reliable and had 27K when I sold it. Only reason I sold it was to get something more touring friendly. I wouldn't go older than the 1098/1198/848 series. Most of the kinks have been worked out.
 
I have a 796 monster with 20k km trouble free. Any parts I have ordered were here within a week and no different in price than myninja. Valve adjustments are every 12k km and unless you do Iit yourself or a non dealer mechanic, then be ready to pay. Like others said I wouldn't go older than 848/1098/1198 series.
 
For valve adjustment. Will the dealer accept a stripped down, ready to adjust bike? Is there any savings in delivering a bike in that state?
 
I don't see why they wouldn't. You would have to call around and ask. Alot of the labour is taking off the gas tank and airbox to reach the top cylinder valves then putting it back together. Just getting to the battery can be tiresome on my monster.
You would probably save 2-3 hrs labour I guess.
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