Information on a '94 M900

[Ontario_Monster]

So I am looking through a local bikes for sale board here in Ontario (Autotrader.ca) and I found a 1994 M900 for 3700.00.  But I can't find any information on the 94's, is it fuel injected carb etc.  The place that is selling it knows nothing about it, they are a used auto dealer that was storing this thing but the owner has gone missing and hasn't paid for a couple of years apparently so they have the right to sell.  I am currently on an '07 S2R 800, as my commuter bike, but I was thinking of picking this up and making trial and error bike, and if it is good condition turning it into my long distance travel bike.  Anyone out there know anything about the '94's, are there any particular issues to this model I should be aware of?  They claim it turns over but no one has run it more than a mile or two.  I haven't seen it other than the pics but we all know that never tells the whole story.

Thanks

[Slide Panda]

Hmmm, been sitting for a couple years?  Sounds like a project bike.  It's going to need a good bit of attention before your should be running it.

All monsters, until '00 where carb'd and only the 900 was injected in '00.  So the 94 will have carbs.  Carbs which are probably in dire need of draining and cleaning.  Same for the tank, which might have rust in it. 

The cam belts on it are toast.  They need to be replaced before its run.  Tires are likely toast too.  All fluids oil, hyro would need to be drained and replaced.  Proably the fork oil too.  Oh and plugs... yeah plugs too.  Hoses and lines should be checked for signs of dry rot, ballooning etc... I could keep going for a bit here I think

The good news is that the 900 engine's a brute, been around a long time and not known for any fincky issues. 

Personally I'd be leary of this bike - it's been neglected and needs a good bit of attention before it should be run at all.

Though it might mean more initial cash out of pocket, there's probably plenty of newer monsters, with a less dubious maintenance history that could be picked up.  Even doing all the work your self, that 900 needs a few hundred worth of parts, fluids tires etc

[johnster]

-I can't confirm the validity of this, but I heard that '94 Monsters were shipped with inconsistent random parts. In other words, two bikes manufactured sequentially might have different forks (Marzocchi, Showa)...

-Anyone know if this is true??

[Norm]

'94s are good bikes. The only thing to watch for is that they use the older silver head studs that are prone to breaking. If the studs are a bronxe color, then it means the old owner has upgraded them already. Give it a good look over & decide whether it looks in good shape or not & how many extras (like aftermarket exhaust) are on it. Also look for handle bad dents on both forward sides of the tank.
 A 10 minute test ride will let you know if there is anything major wrong.
Beyond that, I'd only offer about $3000 & make them guarentee it for 30 days. Change fluids, belts, and tires, and go rip up the roads.

[Ontario_Monster]

Thanks for all the info, as for this being a project bike that is exactly what I am thinking, I'll take a much closer look at it and take a good bike mechanic with me, he isn't Ducati certed but he loves any bike with carbs to play with.  I'm thinking more along the lines of what ever the previous owner owed for back storage + $100 and nothing more, then again I'm cheap when someone wants to dump something.

Cheers and as I said if they still have it in Aug-Sept I'll have a toy to play with during the long winter up here.

 [moto]

[Stangman]

As mentioned 94 is a Carbie.

If it's been "sitting for years" I doubt it will start for you to be able to take it for a test drive and like others have mentioned the cam belts could give up the ghost at any moment anyway so I wouldn't advise riding it until those have been replaced. 

Look the tires over very carefully for dry-rot and probably figure those into your budget too.

If you can get a deal and have a friend whos handy with carbs it may be a good buy milage depending.

[ducpainter]

-I can't confirm the validity of this, but I heard that '94 Monsters were shipped with inconsistent random parts. In other words, two bikes manufactured sequentially might have different forks (Marzocchi, Showa)...

-Anyone know if this is true??

I'm pretty sure all the bikes that came to the states of that vintage had Showas.

Don't know about Canada.

The Monster has always been a 'parts bin bike', but it was more what the suppliers had...not what Ducati had.

[printman]

I think the 900 is an awesome motor. Easy to work on, parts still very available from all years.

Carbs are easy to clean and redo also. Belts easy, even the head studs were easy.