Ducati Monster Forum

I'll try to keep this short. I love my Monster and have spent a lot of time on it and working on upgrading it.  However, in 2013 my best friend's parents were killed on their bike by a drunk driver.  At this time I sort stopped enjoying riding and started worrying about getting hurt on it. Then as I was lubing the chain that summer the bike fell and when I grabbed it to save it I broke the welds on the tank at the mount and it started to leak fuel.  I never got it fixed and it has just been sitting in my garage since then.  I now have a baby on the way and it feels like my riding days are past me.  I really miss riding and keep telling myself I'll keep the Monster and fix it one day to have when maybe I move to the country where I don't have to ride through the city to get to good riding.  I'm very conflicted because I think the money I can get out of it may not be worth it to sell but I could use the space in my garage and I'm starting to think someone on here who really appreciates Monsters could get a lot of enjoyment out of it.

So what say you my friends.  What would you do?

Also if anyone has thoughts on what I could get out of an 02 620 Dark about 11K miles with a leaky tank (everything else is in great shape).  It has the tail chop, led tail light, chain guard, oil cooler upgrade, carbon high mount arrows, ducati performance gel seat and a few other upgrades.

I'm sure if you replaced the battery and got the tank fixed it would start right up.

You might get $2000. Leaking tank would scare almost anyone especially after they Google "Ducati leaking tank" and see the problems, even if the problems aren't with your tank. Guilt by association...
Why not drain all the oil, and spray a fine mist of oil over everything and in everything, and push the bike to the corner of your garage and cover it.
You'll never get what it's worth and if you ever do decide to start riding again you'll have a great bike to bring back to life.

Sorry to hear about your friend's parents and I sure understand your feelings about riding.  I like what jduke said about storing it in the corner for awhile to see how things settle out.  You don't need to make a decision right now that you might end up regretting later.   

About the leaking tank, that isn't a big deal and can be brazed.  I think DP can fix it for you. 

Bob

I'd keep it, and just store it properly as mentioned. You won't get much for it, and probably won't get much less than now if you decide to sell in a few years. Bikes seem to reach a point where they just hold value (even if low).

I took a break from street riding when my son was born. Not because I didn't want to ride, but because I always had to pick him up or drop him off at preschool. It didn't seem worth it to keep my bike for the occasional weekend ride. I was racing as well, so that ate up even more of my time.

That lasted a few years. Now he goes to school close to home, and I have another street bike. I wish I wouldn't have sold my SMT a few years ago though...it was my favorite bike ever. The point is, situations change, so if you really like your Monster then keep it and see how the situation pans out.

Alternatively, just sell it, buy a race bike, and start racing with the local club!  [thumbsup] [thumbsup] Not as dangerous as street riding IMO.

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All of this. [thumbsup]

And fix the tank so you will be ready to go! 

What Howie said.

Fix the tank so you can ride it if and when you want.  If you opt not to ride it when it's operational then you'll have a better idea of why  ;)

Thoughts:

1- Don't ride if you don't feel safe.  We are all aware of the higher risks of riding on two wheels, but if the accident your mentioned puts some additional concerns on your mind, that is not good.  Especially if prevents you from enjoying it.

2- Kids eat up all the time.  I don't have any, but I am relaying experiences confirmed by 100% of the parents I know.

3- Given 1 and 2, I say sell it.  Or rather, if I had 1 and 2, I'd sell it (after getting the tank properly fixed).  You may be of different mind.  My personality is that I would feel guilty with it sitting around and then every 3-4 months I would be inspired to work on it or consider taking it out, but even then only w/ half-ass efforts.  In these cases I prefer to get rid of the distraction and tell myself "when I'm ready to take in on again, I will".

/end of thoughts

I have a 1y/o and an 8 y/o. I just bought my first monster. I've been riding for almost 3 years now. I usually commute to work on my bike. I live 55 miles from work. I know of the increased risk, but then again i know of many more people who have died in car accidents than motorcycle accidents as well. I know the risk is much greater than a car and i also know i have a family that needs me. This is why when i ride i am at 110%. 75%, take the car. I thought of hanging up the helmet too, especially because someone pulled out in front of my brother a year and a half ago. He wasn't hurt too bad. Bike was rough though. I also don't live in that much of a congested area. I commute to one, though.

As others have said. Do what you feel is safe. Fix it for now and tuck it in the corner. Hold onto it for a few months and see if you even want to throw a leg over. If not, sell it. Good luck man.

Hey thanks everyone you've sort of confirmed what I was really feeling. It's just not worth it for me to sell it.  I love that bike and I know I will ride it again sometime.  I'm going to measure today to see if I can get it in down in my basement after I get it storage ready.  That would be best as it will stay dry and give me more room in my garage for now. 

I like that you're keeping it - at least this way, even if you never ride it again, you can still say you own a ducati, and it might kinda sound cheesy but I think even that's pretty cool.  at least for me, and I'm sure a lot of people on this board as well, the thing speaks to me...even when I'm not riding it. I smile every time I walk out past it as I take my dog out, no matter the mood I'm in. It's been a long cold winter that I haven't taken it out, but I can't tell you how many times i've taken a minute to sit on it, put the stand up, play with the throttle and make revving noises like a little kid...It's dumb, but that thing is by far my favorite toy.

My wife is pregnant too, and I'm keeping my Monster.  With her blessing too, it wasn't a fight or anything.  Granted, I'll be more conservative with my riding (like not seeing how fast I can run Deals Gap) and things like that.  I ride to work a lot and such too, uses a lot less fuel than my truck.

Glad you're keeping it, despite the leaking tank, it can easily be road worthy with not much work or expense.\

JM

sell it come spring/summer, put the money in the bank and don't touch it.  buy a new bike wen you're ready.

As suggested previously, look into track days, once you start doing those you probably won't want to ride on the street much anyway.

Plan A)
Drain the tank, fix it, use engine fogging oil to preserve the tank and engine, remove and dispose of the battery.
mothball it until life dictates you can ride again.

Plan B)  get a quote to fix the tank, put the bike up for sale with that knowledge at price that works for you. if it doesnt sell you can either get the tank fixed and raise the price or lower it to compensate the potential owner for the  fix.
 When you can ride again, you will find that bikes have evolved and there are tons of cool new things (or you can buy an older monster  ;D)

Either way, do it quick. don't languish with "that old broken thing in the corner" get it sorted.

Keep it.  I have a kid too and the thought of making my wife a widow scares the crap out of me sometimes but I can't imagine not riding.  I love it too much.

Might take a couple years for you to get back on it but just take your time and do it when you're ready.

Sorry for your friend and his loss, that's a huge hole all at once. Don't let others misfortune determine how you live your life,  there's risk involved in everything. It's probably as dangerous if not more to walk down a busy city street. Your more likely to be killed doing an everyday task then riding a few miles on your motorcycle. If your riding paranoid all the time then it's time to take a break.
I have been a paramedic for 23 years and have seen the worst of the worst as far as accidents are concerned (far more car than motorcycle) and never for a moment did it make me want to stop riding. Last October a good friend and fellow firefighter / paramedic hit a landscape trailer that was being towed by a truck and almost lost his leg, the accident happened wile I was following behind him, he said he won't ever get on a motorcycle again and  I can respect his decision considering all the pain and multiple surgery's he has gone trough but I  know that's going to eat him up inside not riding.
Keep the bike, if it's in your heart and you sell it there's nothing but regret. And like Barney said, there's bragging rights to owning a Ducati even if it's covered up in the basement.

You have no right or wrong decision, and lots of good advice here.

IMO-- You likely knew street riding can be dangerous before your friends parents accident.  While it hits close to home, you already accepted the danger when you decided to buy a motorcycle.  Now you are re-evaluating your decision, go with what you feel...

IMO-- When your head is not in the game, it is time to sell or park it (your choice).

I had a good friend, and a good rider, say he is done riding, after many years, up and sold his bike, said he had a feeling his number was coming up.  He still shows up at track days and loves bikes.  We support him 100%.  Listen to your gut.

Me-- I have a little girl, love motorcycles, and do not ride nearly as much as I did, I do try to get a few track days/year because IMO they are A) safer and B) more fun.  Even still I like to look at my bike so when I am not riding it, it looks pretty pregnant dogin, and most of the time that is all I need.

Best of luck on your decision, only you have the correct answer,
Case

Sorry about your friend.

Everyone of my riding friends urge me to sell my bike, but I just can't do it.  She is dying and yet I still look to swap her engine and keep her going.  I just can't part with my first decent bike.  The $ I would get to sell her would not be worth much. Likewise, in terms of the $ value you would get on your bike,  I would think you can hang on to her for the future and ride her now and then.  

Good luck with your decision.

ps. when my 620 tipped over when the stand gave way, the hinges needed to be weld and the JB weld has held well all this years.  Not sure if your damage is similar but good luck.

Life has risks. There's no sure bet. Motorcycles and Love are risky and not easy, but they make life feel so much more satisfying.

One of my kids is taking up motorcycles and one is embarking on a boxing career. While I have raised them not to live in fear I have raised them to manage risk as best they can no matter what they do. While I'm excited for them I am also concerned, but not fearful. By supporting and training them to survive I am trying to contain risk, but it's never eliminated.

It's about getting the risk levels down to a level you can live with and manage.

This. [thumbsup]


and this. [thumbsup]

I  have an old  1983 fender stratocaster. I bougth it almost 20 years ago ...took some lessons and store it away... It's underneat my bed and I the last time I payed it was around 5 years ago....but I would never sell it....... just to make sure I carved my name on it ....  it's collecting dust ...

But some day's about 1 time every 5 years. I take it out and play.... and it feels  amazing !

One day you will wake up craving your bike...

Keep it, store it   [thumbsup]

 Now I have to go and play some music...

I'm kinda in the same boat.  I have a Stratocaster SSH (humbucker by the bridge so I can get the Telecaster sound) that I can hardly play, and then I've got the M750 in the garage too.  I enjoy them both!

JM

Keep it, and start that rebuild project.  You know there's parts there that could be upgraded or repainted or powder coated, and with no pressure to get it done in time for spring or whenever, you can take it slow and do most of the work yourself.

Great idea.

Basically my thoughts.

Keep it and sloooowly make it the bike you've always wanted. Tear it apart, clean and paint to the last detail, and enjoy. You can always add more fancy bits if money allows as well.

building a bike is as fun as riding one for some.

sorry to hear about your friends parents man. My buddy was severely injured on a street acident and since then, ive really not ridden much. I did however started off road racing where the stakes are higher, but in a different way. You can just no go as fast and ride for the fun of riding without worrying about drunk drivers. Thats why my ducati has seen less than 3000 miles in 2 years.

If it's paid for ( i assume so)

Keep it.
Fix the tank. Get it coated while you are at it.
Store it properly.

Some day you might want to ride again, and this a cheap re- entry.

Or, someday this bike may be worth more to "the right person", and you can sell it.

 [thumbsup]