Ducati (ex) owners?

[Riko_imp]

You will be riding the bike wherever it needs to be ridden, it will feel natural after you get used to it. If you have never owned a Ducati maybe you should give it a try, but if you don't really have a lot of cash to spend on maintenance and need a reliable machine it is perhaps not the most effective choice out there. If it makes little to no power below 3000 RPM you won't be riding it in that range anyway.
103 pages of problems? Wow.

thats common sence

but many ducatistas do not have common sense, they call it passion

A Japanese engineer sees a bike and wants to get the most reliability out of it.
It still seems to me a Ducati engineer sees a bike and wants to achieve the coolest, loudest, fastest and prettiest bike on the block, and reliability is not a first priority.

That said, are the costs of maintenance of a Duc still that high?
When I look at the maintenance intervals, its pretty good:
http://www.ducatinortheurope.be/nl/bikes...ch_spec.do

Maintenance service intervals = 15.000km
Valve clearance check = 30.000km

Thats as good or better than our beloved reliable Honda's

Whats the catch?...
If, and I cannot emphasis this enough, but if I would get a 2nd bike, that second bike would be more a occasional long distance/travel/holiday/weekend bike, certainly not a daily commute bike.

So I'm not worried about break downs due to intens daily commutes
Break downs from occasional use is bad enough, but even a Duc should do for that I hope

Actually, I live close to my work so I do not use my CB for that, I got my 50cc Ruckus for that

For everything else I use the CB.

But I do feel the eager to travel across Europe, but for some specific reasons I do not want to use my CB for that.
Although purely technically its more than up for the job.

The CB is a perfect city bike for me, and the perfect day out bike.
I could even use that for a weekend I guess.

But to do longer international travels, I miss the practicality of descent wind protection, hard spacious luggage, a bigger tank with good mileage (the Multi's have good stats in that matter it seems) and I a little bit more bite would not hurt
It has all sorts of gizmo's that can come handy on such travels: cruise control, better seat (?), and that sky hook suspension should be something of a marvel...
Plus, the Multi combines all that in a relatively light package.
And I like the look of the Multi, by far the best looking AVD-Touring-Sport touring of them all.
The K1600GT is maybe on par in the looks department, but I am not gonna start about that Beemer...

Only big issue the Multi has is its reputation, being a Ducati.
But if I had the money and place right now, I'd take the risk


+ a 2nd bike give me the chance to dump all the practicallity mods on my CB and transform it in a true naked, something like these, wich are my reference CB's in terms of looks

[Ulvetanna_imp]

You will be riding the bike wherever it needs to be ridden, it will feel natural after you get used to it. If you have never owned a Ducati maybe you should give it a try, but if you don't really have a lot of cash to spend on maintenance and need a reliable machine it is perhaps not the most effective choice out there. If it makes little to no power below 3000 RPM you won't be riding it in that range anyway.
103 pages of problems? Wow.

thats common sence

but many ducatistas do not have common sense, they call it passion

A Japanese engineer sees a bike and wants to get the most reliability out of it.
It still seems to me a Ducati engineer sees a bike and wants to achieve the coolest, loudest, fastest and prettiest bike on the block, and reliability is not a first priority.

That said, are the costs of maintenance of a Duc still that high?
When I look at the maintenance intervals, its pretty good:
http://www.ducatinortheurope.be/nl/bikes...ch_spec.do

Maintenance service intervals = 15.000km
Valve clearance check = 30.000km

Thats as good or better than our beloved reliable Honda's

Whats the catch?...
If, and I cannot emphasis this enough, but if I would get a 2nd bike, that second bike would be more a occasional long distance/travel/holiday/weekend bike, certainly not a daily commute bike.

So I'm not worried about break downs due to intens daily commutes
Break downs from occasional use is bad enough, but even a Duc should do for that I hope

Actually, I live close to my work so I do not use my CB for that, I got my 50cc Ruckus for that

For everything else I use the CB.

But I do feel the eager to travel across Europe, but for some specific reasons I do not want to use my CB for that.
Although purely technically its more than up for the job.

The CB is a perfect city bike for me, and the perfect day out bike.
I could even use that for a weekend I guess.

But to do longer international travels, I miss the practicality of descent wind protection, hard spacious luggage, a bigger tank with good mileage (the Multi's have good stats in that matter it seems) and I a little bit more bite would not hurt
It has all sorts of gizmo's that can come handy on such travels: cruise control, better seat (?), and that sky hook suspension should be something of a marvel...
Plus, the Multi combines all that in a relatively light package.
And I like the look of the Multi, by far the best looking AVD-Touring-Sport touring of them all.
The K1600GT is maybe on par in the looks department, but I am not gonna start about that Beemer...

Only big issue the Multi has is its reputation, being a Ducati.
But if I had the money and place right now, I'd take the risk


+ a 2nd bike give me the chance to dump all the practicallity mods on my CB and transform it in a true naked, something like these, wich are my reference CB's in terms of looks

thats common sence

but many ducatistas do not have common sense, they call it passion

It still seems to me a Ducati engineer sees a bike and wants to achieve the coolest, loudest, fastest and prettiest bike on the block, and reliability is not a first priority. To each his own, but the Ducati motorcycle is a conversation-starter and attention-getter of the highest order. They are designed and marketed based firstly on style and then the engineering is bent (not forged) around that goal.

I have known a lot of riders of all kinds, and the ones who consistently choose Ducati are mostly the social butterflies, the ones who arrive very early at the roadhouse, going through pot after acrid pot of coffee clutched in styrofoam cups, bantering for hours on end before finally leaving for the day's (usually short) ride.

The marque instantly generates talk on a wide variety of tacks, from old-world craftsmanship, to art over science, to racing history, and general sex appeal. Harleys do the same thing.

Ducati clings to steel frames and large V-twin engines, just as Harley does.

You will be riding the bike wherever it needs to be ridden, it will feel natural after you get used to it. If you have never owned a Ducati maybe you should give it a try, but if you don't really have a lot of cash to spend on maintenance and need a reliable machine it is perhaps not the most effective choice out there. If it makes little to no power below 3000 RPM you won't be riding it in that range anyway.
103 pages of problems? Wow.

thats common sence

but many ducatistas do not have common sense, they call it passion

A Japanese engineer sees a bike and wants to get the most reliability out of it.
It still seems to me a Ducati engineer sees a bike and wants to achieve the coolest, loudest, fastest and prettiest bike on the block, and reliability is not a first priority.

That said, are the costs of maintenance of a Duc still that high?
When I look at the maintenance intervals, its pretty good:
http://www.ducatinortheurope.be/nl/bikes...ch_spec.do

Maintenance service intervals = 15.000km
Valve clearance check = 30.000km

Thats as good or better than our beloved reliable Honda's

Whats the catch?...
If, and I cannot emphasis this enough, but if I would get a 2nd bike, that second bike would be more a occasional long distance/travel/holiday/weekend bike, certainly not a daily commute bike.

So I'm not worried about break downs due to intens daily commutes
Break downs from occasional use is bad enough, but even a Duc should do for that I hope

Actually, I live close to my work so I do not use my CB for that, I got my 50cc Ruckus for that

For everything else I use the CB.

But I do feel the eager to travel across Europe, but for some specific reasons I do not want to use my CB for that.
Although purely technically its more than up for the job.

The CB is a perfect city bike for me, and the perfect day out bike.
I could even use that for a weekend I guess.

But to do longer international travels, I miss the practicality of descent wind protection, hard spacious luggage, a bigger tank with good mileage (the Multi's have good stats in that matter it seems) and I a little bit more bite would not hurt
It has all sorts of gizmo's that can come handy on such travels: cruise control, better seat (?), and that sky hook suspension should be something of a marvel...
Plus, the Multi combines all that in a relatively light package.
And I like the look of the Multi, by far the best looking AVD-Touring-Sport touring of them all.
The K1600GT is maybe on par in the looks department, but I am not gonna start about that Beemer...

Only big issue the Multi has is its reputation, being a Ducati.
But if I had the money and place right now, I'd take the risk


+ a 2nd bike give me the chance to dump all the practicallity mods on my CB and transform it in a true naked, something like these, wich are my reference CB's in terms of looks

Not so...the Japanese became performance-oriented in the late 1960s, and set out to build the fastest, most advanced and reliable bike in the world, which was the 750 Four. In the 1970s the CR750 Honda racebikes proved this very well. The Japanese produced all kinds of engine configurations, such as a six-cylinder 250cc racing engine that just has to be heard to be believed.

They didn't care about tradition, but, even so, carried forth a design philosophy in practice during WWII: make it as light and lethal as possible. The A6M Zero was a great fighter plane, very maneuverable, fast, with substantial range and excellent firepower. I interviewed Steve Hinton about that plane, and he called it a "pilot's aircraft", very easy to fly, and very fun to fly.

Unfortunately they did not have self-sealing tanks or armor and were later called "Zippos" because they caught fire and exploded instantly after a few tracers went into the wings and lit them up.

Motorcycles don't need armor or armament, so the light weight and performance goals were compatible with the mission.

But performance and reliability are goals that can be reached without compromise if the design is not restricted to tradition or style. That's why the Japanese motorcycles both win world championships and are known for their durability.

You will be riding the bike wherever it needs to be ridden, it will feel natural after you get used to it. If you have never owned a Ducati maybe you should give it a try, but if you don't really have a lot of cash to spend on maintenance and need a reliable machine it is perhaps not the most effective choice out there. If it makes little to no power below 3000 RPM you won't be riding it in that range anyway.
103 pages of problems? Wow.

thats common sence

but many ducatistas do not have common sense, they call it passion

A Japanese engineer sees a bike and wants to get the most reliability out of it.
It still seems to me a Ducati engineer sees a bike and wants to achieve the coolest, loudest, fastest and prettiest bike on the block, and reliability is not a first priority.

That said, are the costs of maintenance of a Duc still that high?
When I look at the maintenance intervals, its pretty good:
http://www.ducatinortheurope.be/nl/bikes...ch_spec.do

Maintenance service intervals = 15.000km
Valve clearance check = 30.000km

Thats as good or better than our beloved reliable Honda's

Whats the catch?...
If, and I cannot emphasis this enough, but if I would get a 2nd bike, that second bike would be more a occasional long distance/travel/holiday/weekend bike, certainly not a daily commute bike.

So I'm not worried about break downs due to intens daily commutes
Break downs from occasional use is bad enough, but even a Duc should do for that I hope

Actually, I live close to my work so I do not use my CB for that, I got my 50cc Ruckus for that

For everything else I use the CB.

But I do feel the eager to travel across Europe, but for some specific reasons I do not want to use my CB for that.
Although purely technically its more than up for the job.

The CB is a perfect city bike for me, and the perfect day out bike.
I could even use that for a weekend I guess.

But to do longer international travels, I miss the practicality of descent wind protection, hard spacious luggage, a bigger tank with good mileage (the Multi's have good stats in that matter it seems) and I a little bit more bite would not hurt
It has all sorts of gizmo's that can come handy on such travels: cruise control, better seat (?), and that sky hook suspension should be something of a marvel...
Plus, the Multi combines all that in a relatively light package.
And I like the look of the Multi, by far the best looking AVD-Touring-Sport touring of them all.
The K1600GT is maybe on par in the looks department, but I am not gonna start about that Beemer...

Only big issue the Multi has is its reputation, being a Ducati.
But if I had the money and place right now, I'd take the risk


+ a 2nd bike give me the chance to dump all the practicallity mods on my CB and transform it in a true naked, something like these, wich are my reference CB's in terms of looks

Generally the shop labor rates and flat rates seem to be higher in my area for the privilege of owning Ducati, but you should check around to see about yours.

The CB1100 is also an anomaly; as we've seen from polls and other threads, the 8000 mile valve inspection interval is probably not necessary, and those who did have valves out of spec were barely off the numbers. I did my own earlier this year and the top end looked perfect, all valves in spec.

Liquid-cooled Japanese bikes go much further between major services; Yamaha's top ends commonly call for an inspection interval of about 26,000 miles. The electrics, electronics, and rubber tend to be much more durable and reliable on the Japanese motorcycles. Vibration, moisture, and ozone seem to affect European bikes more than Asian examples.

Just a few things to keep in mind; your Ducati is going to demand more of you as an owner. Some owners give that happily, others become disappointed. Personality dictates the outlook and result, not engineering.

[Riko_imp]

If only Yamaha but a much bigger tank in their MT-10, it would be a much easier choise for a 2nd bike


But reading what the average range is on that 17L tank, thats just hilarious.
Especially for a travel bike...

[LongRanger_imp]

Ulvetanna speaks some truth. The desmo valve inspection and mandatory timing belt replacement on my 620 is every 12k miles, at a substantial cost. Yes, I could learn to perform the service myself but I am not a mechanic and have little patience to make detailed adjustments. Each time I wash the bike or ride in wet conditions, the check engine light comes on and stays on until the switch can dry out. The gear box has false neutrals. The electrical system has quirks. The immobilizer can fail and leave you stranded. Replacement parts are expensive. The build quality pales compared to my BMWs and CB1100. The plastic fuel tank is prone to warping from ethanol in the gasoline. But at least I have competent, knowledgeable dealers in my area who know the bike and seem to be adept in servicing it. I'm fine with that. It's certainly more than I can say for the two Guzzi's I owned. This is not a value proposition.

[Riko_imp]

Ulvetanna and LoneRanger, thx for the huge amount of info and back stories, much appreciated!
Ulvetanna what ducs do or did you ride?

Ducatis seem more than any other brand (Harleys too) a clear I-know-what-I-want-and-I-know-what-I-can-expect-but-I don't-mind kind of choice, a way of life rather than the most rational choice where one happily accepts quirks and minor mishaps

Lonerangers shows this perfectly
Summing up all kinds of stuff that would make a typical Honda lover go mad, I assume.
That said, if you know thats all 'typical Ducati' and at the end of the day it does what it has to do, namely ride, one could accept those quirks.
So seems to me its a matter of adopting your mindset to the new reality when owning such a bike.

What I like here is the honesty of you guys, saying what it is and not pretending it to be something it aint.

[LongRanger_imp]

Without actual experience with these other brands, I'd be tempted to generalize that most small-scale motorcycle brands probably have similar annoying quirks (MV, Bimota, Guzzi, Ural, Enfield, Benelli, Motus, even KTM, etc.). I'm guessing the major Japanese, German, American and British manufacturers enjoy a quality advantage as a result of their scale.

[Papa Weeley_imp]

I can only speak from the long time ownership of a 1995 900SS/CR, which I bought new and owned until about a year or two ago.

I don't know technically if riding below 3,000 rpms would actually harm the engine, but I can tell you that there wasn't much going on at that engine speed anyway, so you'd have no reason to attempt to ride like that...seems like kind of a moot point.
I can also only assume that Ducati's reputation for being a maintenance nightmare is probably based on its performances in the "olden days", and that may well be rightfully so, but in my almost 20 years of ownership, the only problem I had on mine was a leaky (hydraulic) clutch line. Period. In nearly 20 years.

I'd also like to comment that I can assure you that I personally am not a "social butterfly" that just sat around showing off my bike, and neither were any of my riding buddies - I'm in fact incredibly introverted - and neither am I the guy that arrived first and left last at a coffee shop. If I stopped at a coffee shop at all, it was because I was whipped and needed a breather after wringing out that incredible-handful-but-ultimately-beautiful-handling Ducati.
I hear those kinds of stereotypes much too often. It just comes off sounding like silly housewife coffee-klatsch gossip...

Yes, there may be some "cachet" that lures certain poseur types to the marque, but from being the only bike I've ever kept even close to that period of time, I can tell you that there is a lot of substance to that cachet; they are a fantastic, visceral experience unlike any other I've had on two wheels, and there is a very good reason that so many speak of them with such passion.

[url=http://s157.photobucket.com/user/mustangfeverrr/media/061.jpg.html]
[url=http://s157.photobucket.com/user/mustangfeverrr/media/070.jpg.html]

[Ulvetanna_imp]

I can only speak from the long time ownership of a 1995 900SS/CR, which I bought new and owned until about a year or two ago.

I don't know technically if riding below 3,000 rpms would actually harm the engine, but I can tell you that there wasn't much going on at that engine speed anyway, so you'd have no reason to attempt to ride like that...seems like kind of a moot point.
I can also only assume that Ducati's reputation for being a maintenance nightmare is probably based on its performances in the "olden days", and that may well be rightfully so, but in my almost 20 years of ownership, the only problem I had on mine was a leaky (hydraulic) clutch line. Period. In nearly 20 years.

I'd also like to comment that I can assure you that I personally am not a "social butterfly" that just sat around showing off my bike, and neither were any of my riding buddies - I'm in fact incredibly introverted - and neither am I the guy that arrived first and left last at a coffee shop. If I stopped at a coffee shop at all, it was because I was whipped and needed a breather after wringing out that incredible-handful-but-ultimately-beautiful-handling Ducati.
I hear those kinds of stereotypes much too often. It just comes off sounding like silly housewife coffee-klatsch gossip...

Yes, there may be some "cachet" that lures certain poseur types to the marque, but from being the only bike I've ever kept even close to that period of time, I can tell you that there is a lot of substance to that cachet; they are a fantastic, visceral experience unlike any other I've had on two wheels, and there is a very good reason that so many speak of them with such passion.

[url=http://s157.photobucket.com/user/mustangfeverrr/media/061.jpg.html]
[url=http://s157.photobucket.com/user/mustangfeverrr/media/070.jpg.html]

Passion is the word. And it is a funny thing about us, especially guys who've been riding for many decades. But if a guy owns a Ducati he is not going to be able to do much about being profiled to some extent, even among his motorcycling peers.

I've known quite a number of Ducati owners and fanatics over the years and they just have to own the Italian stuff. Most love talking about it as much as riding. The blend is different for every rider.

I would say I am more passionate about coffee than about motorcycles, which some may find odd since I can honestly call motorsports an avocation. I am intensely focused on all aspects of riding but it now feels more clinical, more like I am examining things to find out "how is this accomplished?"

But I do have an Italian espresso machine made by Pasquini in my kitchen, for the last 15 years. And they are the most delightful people. I actually look forward to needing some part or repair to my machine, because going to Pasquini in Los Angeles is a great experience. And they are passionate about what they do.

It must be an Italian thing.

[the Ferret]

Guzzi owners express a near identical "enthusiasm" for the brand. Even more so than BMW owners who occasionally defect (especially of late). A Guzzi owner may buy something else to ride (like Rboes CB1100) but most likely there will always be a Guzzi in their garage (like his Griso).

Just curious Ulva, you say you bought the Duc new and owned it for 20 years. Honestly, how many miles were on it when you sold it? I have known and seen many passionate Ducati owners. I have never seen a high mileage Ducati. Ever. 40K I think is the highest mileage bike I have ever seen. If they have accumulated 3-4K per year owned on them, that is a lot from what I have seen. I find their owners to be more "sporting enthusiasts" using them on only the best days and ridden in very limited areas as compared to say a Guzzi owner who for the most part are utilitarian riders (at least it used to be that way). I rarely run into a Ducati rider while out touring.

[Papa Weeley_imp]

Guzzi owners express a near identical "enthusiasm" for the brand. Even more so than BMW owners who occasionally defect (especially of late). A Guzzi owner may buy something else to ride (like Rboes CB1100) but most likely there will always be a Guzzi in their garage (like his Griso).

Just curious Ulva, you say you bought the Duc new and owned it for 20 years. Honestly, how many miles were on it when you sold it? I have known and seen many passionate Ducati owners. I have never seen a high mileage Ducati. Ever. 40K I think is the highest mileage bike I have ever seen. If they have accumulated 3-4K per year owned on them, that is a lot from what I have seen. I find their owners to be more "sporting enthusiasts" using them on only the best days and ridden in very limited areas as compared to say a Guzzi owner who for the most part are utilitarian riders (at least it used to be that way). I rarely run into a Ducati rider while out touring.

Actually, that was me, Ferret, not Ulvetanna.
Honestly, I think when I sold it, it had something like 18,000 or 19,000 miles on it. I'd have to look it up.
I've never been a high-mileage rider. In the case of this bike, it was partly because I've typically had two to five bikes at a time, partly because in the early days of ownership, I had a young family to enjoy, and partly because I was zealously climbing the corporate ladder over the years, which took a huge investment of my time (to the point now where I am a V.P. and part owner of the same company I was at when I got the bike!).
So, no really long term mileage to consider, just a really long period of time, at least from my point of view. I rarely keep a bike for more than 2-3 years, some even shorter periods. That I kept that little beauty for almost 20 just speaks volumes for me, personally.
And I can say that I never babied that bike. Almost literally from the beginning, I rode it like I felt it was made to be ridden. 99% of the miles on canyon and mountain roads. And it never once hiccuped. Yes, I took very good care of her, and definitely maintained it carefully - I may be crazy, but I'm not stupid - but it was never ridden like I was afraid of something breaking.
I still grieve the loss of that bike. It just came to the point that I couldn't fold myself up on to it any more, so riding it became nearly impossible. It then became a garage queen for a while, because I just couldn't bear getting rid of it (it was also a surprise Christmas gift from my late wife, so the emotions were complicated there), but I finally decided it was just too nice a bike to rot away in a corner. I still miss the sounds and the feels of riding it.