Monster shopping advice

[rabuz]

 I'm a new rider living in DC- just got my MSF two weeks agoo and am looking to get a 620/696. The good deals I've found sell quick! But I'll be checking out thid bike today: http://newjersey.craigslist.org/mcy/2418055962.html

5200 seems high. The bike is supposedly clean, well maintained, undropped and only 4k miles. What do you think?

also, any quirks with the 620 I should know about? Thanks!

[The Mad King Pepe']

Short answer: KBB *RETAIL* value is ~ 4K so yea it's pretty high. http://www.kbb.com/motorcycle/retail/2005/ducati/monster-620/67244/

At the same time it only has 4k miles so it's practically new. I think it will need a service at 6K so factor that in mind (don't know how much it will cost you, someone else chime in).

Plus you'll have to get the bike to DC. Don't know how comfortable you are driving down I-95... I feel much safer doing a track day.

[sbrguy]

i have an 03 620 wth 22k miles on it and it runs perfectly though i have gotten all the services on time by reputable people.

there really aren't any known issues with the 620, they are basically some of the most reliable engines that ducati has made, the smaller air cooled monsters are known for being quite durable if you just keep up with the intervals of service.  normal wear items go, ie  chain, filters, etc, but everything else is good on them.

i'm in the dc area so if you have any questions PM me if you don't buy that nj bike.

[The Mad King Pepe']

this one just popped up: '99 M750 for $2500 http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/mld/mcy/2421255928.html

btw, we locals post in the craigslist thread whatever deals we find online, so you might want to follow it.

[Slide Panda]

The price on that 620 is well above what I think it should be. It appears bone stock, so there's really no call for such radical deviation from market price. Granted it appears to be in good shape and low miles.. but 25% of KBB is a bit steep.

As Pepe mentioned it's due very soon for a service, and probably needs new cam belts as part of that. This sort of service can vary a bit if you need new shims or shims adjusted. If the valves don't need adjustment it probably knocks an hour off and a few bucks in parts. But expect at least $300, and $80 for parts (belts) on the upper end you'll probably get near $600 total.

Good thing is - doing a check is pretty easy if you're mechanically inclined. The only real hassle is if you need new shims. The can be purchased individually after you check. But of course that makes a delay with the guts of your bike opened up a bit. You can buy a kit before... but a kit is a few hundred bucks, so not really economical for someone just working up their own single bike.

[rabuz]

this one just popped up: '99 M750 for $2500 http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/mld/mcy/2421255928.html

btw, we locals post in the craigslist thread whatever deals we find online, so you might want to follow it.

Just checked this one out - it's already gone.

Thanks for the Craiglist thread reference. I'll keep an eye out on that.

[rabuz]

Short answer: KBB *RETAIL* value is ~ 4K so yea it's pretty high. http://www.kbb.com/motorcycle/retail/2005/ducati/monster-620/67244/

At the same time it only has 4k miles so it's practically new. I think it will need a service at 6K so factor that in mind (don't know how much it will cost you, someone else chime in).

Plus you'll have to get the bike to DC. Don't know how comfortable you are driving down I-95... I feel much safer doing a track day.

Checkout out the bike and it was CLEAN. But yea, I didn't buy it because I'm not comfortable driving 3-4 hrs down I-95. Would prefer to haul it in a pickup or uhaul trailer.

The 6k service is a good point. i should bring that up with him. The seller seems confident the bike will sell at price quickly. It'd be great if I can find something close to that locally. Prefer not to go over the 695 as this is my first bike.

[rabuz]

Hey guys - what about this one: http://easternshore.craigslist.org/mcy/2424867924.html

Do you think that's too much power for a fresh MSF?

[rabuz]

This one too: http://baltimore.craigslist.org/mcy/2414499745.html

[zooom]

both have +'s and -'s about em for a 1st time rider...

[The Mad King Pepe']

Both have about the same power and torque, more than enough for a 'noob' to get himself in trouble (no offense intended, btw). It really depends on how good YOU are at behaving yourself.

For what it's worth, I don't think the 900 will last for long at that price, so if you want it, you should jump on it. Nice and clean bike, very unmolested with just a few good mods.

[bikepilot]

^  Both pretty user-friendly though and you should be fine if you aren't an idiot, if you are you'll probably end up splattering yourself along the road somewhere even if you go with say a ninja 250     I'd go with the S2R if its clean and I were in your shoes.  The S2R has the wet, APTC clutch that works like a slipper and has a very light pull.  The 900, I think, has the dry clutch which tends to be more fiddly, has a much stiffer pull (though not horrible) and doesn't have a slipper as standard. 

The '07 just from being newer will probably have fewer problems, especially wrt leaks and rubber bits.

The '99 might have carbs, I'm not sure.  Carbs are a pain imo.  Can be made to work well, but lots of work and they don't like to sit. For an everyday rider I'd put a pretty high premium on a FI'd bike vs a carb'd one.

Downsides to the '07 are the expanding plastic tank (but the '99 steel tank might start leaking at the hinge) and the higher price.  Some folks also like the rattle from the dry clutch that you (I think) get on the 900.

Check whatever you get over carefully to see that its been cared for, has everything its supposed to and hasn't been poorly modified.  Neither advertisement really suggests an intelligent owner.

[DRKWNG]

As far as that S2R goes: the seller is asking about two grand less than I sold mine for, back in '08.  Mine had a good bit more miles on it too.

[Slide Panda]

The '99 might have carbs, I'm not sure.  Carbs are a pain imo.  Can be made to work well, but lots of work and they don't like to sit. For an everyday rider I'd put a pretty high premium on a FI'd bike vs a carb'd one.

The 99 has carbs. All monsters in 99 had carbs. The first injected monsters were the 900s in 2000, then the smaller monsters got FI a couple years later.