Ducati Monster Forum

My wife and I are going to check out a 2006 620 with about 14,000km on the odo. From the photos it looks to be in immaculate shape. So I have 2 questions:

1) Are there any particular weak spots, TSB's, or other specific items we should look for on this bike?

2) Who makes nice frame sliders for this bike at a reasonable price?  I found the Motovation sliders, they look good at least in terms of the mounting (through-bolt that goes through the motor & frame, like my beloved Motosliders on my SV).

If I can score it for $6000 CDN it seems to me that would be an amazing deal. I'm guessing that at $6500 it would still make a lot of sense.

Any info or advice is much appreciated.  But mainly I want to be talked into buying this bike! :)

plastic tank and it's set of... issues... if the first thing that comes to mind.

otherwise just make sure it's in good shape, etc.  what's the blue book in your area for that year/milage?

re:sliders, I believe speedymoto are the popular ones, and I am a fan of the hideously ugly cyclecats  :D

I just bought my '05 620 a few weeks ago with 16,500 km on the odometer for $4300 CAN (converted from US for your comparison's sake). I figured it to be a steal despite needing a front tire and having a small oil leak from the left cover. It's been great, no problems and runs perfect, but it will need a chain soon as it doesn't look like it was cared for very well. Also bear in mind there is a 12,000 mile service which includes valve adjustment and such... I was quoted $700+ US for this from my local dealer. So I got the bike for $1000 under book, but I'll end up having that much in it once she's all up to snuff.

Basically I'm saying be sure all her services are up to date, and be sure to take any overdue services off the asking price. Good luck with the bike, you guys will love it!  [thumbsup]

You guys should combine this & the buying used thread together.

Shifty,  Good points for sure.  [thumbsup]

it all equals less money in your checking account.

Make good decisions (The ones that work out for YOU).

duh!  [bang]

FULL set of keys (at least one black, AND the red key) and code card for immobilizer!

i bought a 06' 620 dark with 2500 miles with carbon leo vince cans for $4500 (i was very happy)

everyone freaks about a red key...but....from what i hear and told is that noone has ever needed or used a red key and it's just an "incase" and i still have never heard a story of a red key saving the day. anyone have a PERSONAL story of using a red key? (not a i heard from a guy who talked to a guy who's cousin brothers sister once used one)

I almost quoted my own post, but figured this was the important one.

I've been Parts/Service MGR & Dealership GM, and will only tell you that if you have a FI bike (pre 08) & don't have all your keys & cards, you, or the next owner are going to eventually be very disappointed.


Edit:  06...with 2500 miles?  When did you buy it?

we (as users) don't use the red key.

but the red key is handy for your ducati tech...

What's an immobilizer card?

Immobilizer is supposed to prevent an unauthorized key from starting the bike.
Card has a code that can be used to override the immobilizer, procedure in the owners manual.
The ECU can be reflashed to disable the immobilizer, for a fee.

05 M620 14Kmiles

I use speedy-moto frame sliders.  It has saved my bike twice from a 0 mph tip over.  Worth every penny.

I have almost 40K miles on her (200 miles more to reach 40K   [thumbsup] ) .  I have had about 3 valve maintenance work , engine bore kit upgrade , fork oil change etc done and never needed the red key so far.

Just have the service maintenance - valve, belts , oil and chain and hopefully you should be good to go.

It's like buying insurance.  It's not worth a shit til you need it,right?

I am impressed you have an opinion & actually have some miles on your bike. 
What year is it?

handy how? what does the tech NEED it for? i heard (which might be bad info) that all work and or maintance does not need a red key.

p.s. i still have not heard a first hand story of someone USING ONE.

could you please translate, because your answer seems to just be another person claiming you need it but don't state a REASON WHY. or is it a big secret you can't release to the public and just that people will "eventually be very disappointed".

bought it 6/08

The red key is not needed in everyday riding, but is needed to recode new keys or new components like gauges and ecu. Without coding the immobiliser kicks in and the bike won't start or run.
So, if it needs gauges changed for instance because of a fault, the new gauges can't be coded without the red key and the bike won't run. Likewise if you lose the key you have. You will be advised to buy new gauges, ignition and ECU together, with a new key set, and the bill will be well into four figures.
The only alternative would be all aftermarket.  And let me know how that goes.
 I'm building a custom bike now with it. funny part...it hates the FI still.

Anything else?

My two 999's & M1000Senna haven't needed any gauges, ECU's or keys.  My 2 1098's don't need them so I guess I'm clueless.    I've just run dealerships...what could I know,right?

I do hope that helps, it was a great question and am surprised no one else chimed in.


It must be a conspiracy. 8)

^ what he said


iirc the ECU/lack of red key/code was a big part of mac900's basket case 999 debacle...

pretty bike, for a money pit  :(

well part of what you say might be right.....BUT part is wrong i know for a fact (first hand knowledge). i don't own dealerships BUT i do have keys recoded without a red key (thus not needing a red key). surely being a dealer you must have multiple horror stories of people who lost their red key?

so, basically the only REAL reason one would need one is if he was changing his ECU/Gauge? (and if your changing that then the cost of not having the red key was already 75% planned on be spent to begin with and not attributed to not having the red key. right?)

I sould have said (Iguess). If you lose your black key(s). That is the point here,right?  No red key, but have a black? At least I hope He has one black key.  If not it's a giant paper weight.

You CAN get new keys cut and programmed as long as you have an ORIGINAL black key, from which the codes can be copied, but you CANNOT just buy a red master key from Ducati.

Two different topics.

And I don't own the dealership.

of course not, the POINT IS why does one NEED a red key if a bike comes with a OG black. losing all your original black keys would seem to me to be a BLACK KEY ISSUE. my whole point of the posts are what does the RED key do that the black one won't that actually matters enough to make it so important like most people make it out to be.

sorry, let me refrase.....surely RUNNING dealerships you've encountered many problems with such an important part, no?

that's too big of an "IF" to make a red key important......because if your so stupid to have lost ALL your black keys without having made at least 2 extra copies (which are cheap) then you are 99% for sure have lost your red key too.

please someone speak up if you have lost ALL your keys? and explain how that happened.

i'm still convinced the red key is useless to 90+% of ducati owners.

SO, to the orignal poster.......i say screw the red key if he don't have it and if you like the bike and like the price pick it up, don't let a missing red key scare you off (my opinion of course).

It's not only if you lose your black keys. As stated already you would need it if your gauges malfuctioned or went to shit. I've seen posts here of such things happening. Yeah you probably won't need it but if you pay full blue book for a bike that didn't have it and ended up needing it in the future, you'd probably not be too happy.

If there is no red key, use it as a bargaining chip to get a lower price for the bike. 

ya i heard that STATED earlier.....but if you could please link those posts you were talking about because they always seem to disappear.



you are right AND THAT IS BY FAR THE MOST COMMON AND USEFULL USE FOR THAT DAMN RED KEY!!!

i'm wondering how long it would take me to stop laughing when i go sell my bike and the buyer goes "no red key? your gonna have to come down $1000 just incase i lose ALL the keys your giving me OR incase the gauges malfunctions" hahaha oh boy, i might as well give him $200 more off INCASE the tires explode or $400 off for a new paint job because THERE MORE CHANCE of him stratching the bike driving away from my house then the gauge just up and malfunctioning.

So Acemoney, All you are trying to tell us is :  You have no red key for your bike.

?

You asked a question and it has been answered.

This thread is to help someone in purchasing a bike, and not your beef with the RED KEY (sorry guys he likes doing that).

you must be a democrat..... slow (just figured out i don't have a red key after 2 pages), misleading (telling people how great some useless thing is having never USED one in the first place), and flat out liar (telling me my questions were answered which weren't, see below as just ONE example)

surely being a dealer you must have multiple horror stories of people who lost their red key?

p.s. i DID HELP HIM PURCHASE HIS BIKE.....after listening to you post it just PROVES MY POINT that people just TALK about it and never actually use it. so he owes you a thank you for helping him purchase a bike with no red key.

night night

i had a chance to purchase a NICE 749... no red key/code card or whatever was needed... point is, i personally would never buy a bike without all the important components. Did Ducati realize the red key was an issue.. yes, that's why they all are just code cards now.

I don't think bashing someone with realworld knowledge about the red key and POTENTIAL (key word, POTENTIAL) problems is needed.

It's a buyer's risk if you buy without the immobilizer demobilizer (copyright Raux 2009). You may NEVER need it but if you do, you end up with a non-running work of art...

     I'm a what
 
    And you did what

            ???

there's a search button up on top that works pretty well.

and you might want to chill on the personal attacks/politicla nonsense. no need to get mods involved in an otherwise useful thread

i'm gonna try (yes try) to end it with this post, or it will never end with the same back and forth nonsnese. my point about the key is that when people say "you might need it someday" that that "someday" never ever happens. i've still have yet to ever hear a story of one using the key in an "oh my god i need a red key" instance. but for the sake of this story say you have heard 1 or 2 stories......well, 2 keys being used out of MILLIONS of keys sound like the same odds as winning the lotto.


point blank: when a key/part is only used by less than one-tenth of 1% of owners than it cannot be considered an important or a much needed piece.


p.s. how funny would it be if i went outside today and my bike wouldn't start (and the red key was needed)

the search button is my point.....nothing there

it's never personal, just the facts.

Search button works fine for me, I can see threads about it.

And yes, very few people need it; but if you need it and don't have it, it'll cost you quite a bit.

There are ways around not having the red key.


I believe Motogpfan found a way when he bought his trashed multistrada which became Ducati's Motard (note: that is opinion, not any facts to back it up).

complete aftermarket swap was the other option when Mac had his 999, but going the DP route still had problems...

It was a wise man indeed, who stated,

"better to be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt"

I think it has been well established, again, you may, or may not, ever need a red key.

 [popcorn]

Oh - I'm a democrat, and yup, there are plenty who think me a fool.

i like removing all doubt. and yes it has been VERY WELL established that "you may or may not need it".....but what i'm trying to establish is that only 1/10 of 1% will ever need it, meaning that it's more important to install a lightning rod on your bike because you have a better chance of getting hit with lightning while riding than ever using the red key.... MAKING THE KEY NOT AS IMPORTANT as people make it out to be.

God this thread got stupid.

We got the bike, with 2 black keys, the red key, and the code card.  The original owner was very meticulous - even had the OEM riser bolts in a ziploc bag inside a bubblewrap envelope. :)

The original owner also had a 2-piece Dainese leather suit which fit my wife, so we scored a good deal on that, too.  The bike looks great and she's very happy with both purchases - looking forward to putting some serious miles on it in the spring.  We have a few nice pics but they all have her on the bike and reading the way that this thread has gone off the rails, there's no way I'm posting pics of my wife on here.  ;)

As for the red key - this is a personal issue - some will be comfortable without having it, knowing that it's only needed in rare circumstances.  Others will refuse to buy a bike that has what's effectively a self-destruct feature if the override/revive mechanism isn't provided.  Then some others will resort to non-sequiturs about party affiliation, name calling, and general assaholism.  Personally, I'm in the 2nd camp, but wouldn't argue/fight with someone in the first camp, or waste my time on someone in the third.

Thanks to all who provided helpful information!

congrats on the 620  [thumbsup]
i've got an '05 that i adore.

please don't be soured by the way this thread went... it's not typical.

if your wife is into it, send her over to the women's section of the forum,
we need more ladies on here :)

have fun with the 620  [moto]

So it wasn't just me that thought that? ;)

Congrats on the purchase. I hope your wife has fun with it.

First off, sounds like a great deal on the used Monster!  Congrats!

for the rest of you, here is a full description of how the immobilizer system was designed to function I found using Google  ;)   
http://www.ducatiwiki.net/index.php?title=Immobilizer_Description_and_Specifications_Manual (http://www.ducatiwiki.net/index.php?title=Immobilizer_Description_and_Specifications_Manual)

 Until the last few years no one was able to copy key codes and the only option was to use your red key or replace all the associated components.  Yes there are some options nowadays.   I will caution those who do have a red key.  If you run a DP ECU in your bike and the red key is ever used it will marry the ECU to your immobilizer.  If this never happens the DP ECU could be used in another bike.   The original ECU's are married to the immobilizer at the factory, pretty much turns them into paper weights.  

Dave,

please clarify how the new monsters work with the ECUs. if someone has mounted the DP ECU how do they mate up the gauges and keys.. AND if they sell they DP ECU.. how does someone else use it?
is the new immobilizer without the red key different? do you need the code card to be able to use someone else's DP ECU?

no need to mate the DP ECU, plug and play.  Red key will permanently marry it.

Can't I just paint one of my black keys, red? 

all 3 of those things are really the most important.  Glad it all worked out for you.


regards,
Andy

Yes.  :)

really? is that what you tell all people who try to answer YOUR questions?



no problem, it was my pleasure

Yes.

Congrats on your purchase!

I've enjoyed my 05 620. I'm sure it was mentioned but the 14T front sprocket is a very good mod ~$25, call it essential.
I've put almost 7Kmi on mine this year and am sad to see the season winding down. I hope the missus enjoys the heck out of it.

Good luck surviving the mod-ite-us that is sure to hit.

Well, last Thu I lost the black key that is the only one we've ever used for riding the bike. In that moment I realized that I had not seen the other black key, the red key, or the code card since around the time I posted the above. And I also realized that we had moved twice since then.

As I spent hour after hour ransacking the house in search of the box with those magic contents, the words I had posted here almost 10 years ago about being so content to have everything I needed to ward off disaster kept ringing in my ears. I knew how important that stuff was, how did I ever let myself lose track of it???

We started by looking in every logical place, but came up empty. I did find the special tool for adjusting the spring preload on my CBX's YSS shocks, though. Oh, and a melted pump from a Pro-Oiler I uninstalled many years ago.

I finally determined to methodically open and inspect every single box in our small but disorganized basement, one after one, just in spatial order with no preconceived notions of where I would or wouldn't find it. This process took 6 hours of time and 2 years of service life from my back and knees. I started to feel optimistic when I found things like every smart battery charger I have ever bought (three of 'em!), hard drives I had put into storage to grab and consolidate their photos later, the removable dropouts from my road bike, the original CB1100F calipers I thought were lost by my machinist when he installed the Brembo 4-pots, my old MP3 player, etc. etc.

But when I was down to just a bunch of old/discarded parts in unsorted cardboard boxes, I was thoroughly discouraged. By the time I picked up the absolute last uninspected box, overflowing with crumpled-up pieces of oily newspaper, I was gutted - sure that we were well and truly screwed.

[laugh] [laugh] [laugh]
Well, in a move too cliched to be included in any well-written movie, at the very bottom of that very last box I found exactly what I was looking for.
[Dolph] [Dolph] [Dolph]


I post this here because I believe there are others who would appreciate or somehow relate to the highs and lows of this experience.

Looking in the last box first, should be a known procedure by now  ???

Congratulations!  [Dolph]

YAY!   [Dolph] [Dolph] [Dolph] [Dolph] [Dolph]

For what it's worth, the bike is still very, very close to stock, and still very much loved.

It's a sweet little peach of a bike!

Here it is a few days ago:
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/830/27065519947_6624fa9f39_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/HeFS8D)

Looks great. Glad you’re both enjoying it.
👍🏻👍🏻

It's always the last box...

even if it is the first. :P