Is a 7 year old bike with under 1k miles a bad thing?

[danaid]

Speaking as a Ducati owner I don't know how you can even type those words out in a thread like this.  I've had so many issues with my bike in the first 10k miles it isn't even funny and almost nothing in the first 1000 miles (it stalled a few times when I was downshifting).  

My advice to anyone buying a new Ducati would be to ride it and ride the duck out of it.  That way, when stuff breaks, it breaks while the bike is still under warranty.

If the 15k bike has had the valves adjusted and belts replaced recently (like within the past year or within a couple thousand miles) I'd buy it especially if you dig the mods the Ducati tech did to it.  The 1k mile bike will need to be gone through completely (valves checked, belts replaced, fluids replaced, fuel tank and lines cleaned of old fuel-it will definitely need this if it hasn't been run in a few years and stored with old gas in it) and this will be expensive if you can't do it yourself.

  As a Ducati owner I should expect to own a pile of crap? What was I thinking, I should have bought a Honda.

  Sorry about your crappy luck with bikes and buying a lemon!   

Are we talking about modern bikes? Why wouldn't anyone expect less then years of trouble free service. Ducati would be out of business long ago if they made bikes that break down after a few thousand miles.

[Rudemouthsky]

Ducati would be out of business long ago if they made bikes that break down after a few thousand miles.

[The ModFather]

'05 620 = Bulletproof

Never had an issue. Routine maintenance is all she's ever asked of me.

[Rudemouthsky]

My 750 was bulletproof as well. Had over 30k on the odometer when I bought her and put an additional 15k of HARD miles on it, rain or shine including a couple interstate tours through Appalachia/Alleghany without touching the belts or valves. Only "issue" was the main jet ovaling out which is normal. Wasn't until I foolishly swapped in a 900 engine with a completely unknown history I began having issues...really wish I'd just left it alone. With chopped cans, airbox lid and jet kit the bike was a perfect commuter.

SDRider was talking about the first 10k tho, and I can't speak to that.

[danaid]

My .02

 make the beast with two backs this thread

[SDRider]

 As a Ducati owner I should expect to own a pile of crap? What was I thinking, I should have bought a Honda.

 Sorry about your crappy luck with bikes and buying a lemon!    

Are we talking about modern bikes? Why wouldn't anyone expect less then years of trouble free service. Ducati would be out of business long ago if they made bikes that break down after a few thousand miles.

Look, I'm not trying to be combative I'm just giving you my opinion based on my experience with my 2012 Monster 1100 EVO.  I bought it new in July 2011 and I have over 15,000 miles on it now.

Issues I've had so far:

-Rear wheel recall (Ducati replaced under warranty)
-Cold stalling issue (turned out to be tight exhaust valves-Ducati adjusted valves under warranty)
-Low charging issue, bike goes into limp mode w/TC lights blinking (Ducati replaced stator under warranty)
-Scraping noise when pressing start button, starter going bad (Ducati replaced starter under warranty)
-Broken shifter return spring, this could have left me stranded if it hadn't happened close to home (replaced myself-required pulling the alternator case off to replace a $7 spring)
-Expanding fuel tank (Ducati replaced under warranty-I paid $350 out of my pocket to have it coated inside to prevent future swelling)

This is my first Ducati and this is my experience.  Reading the forums it doesn't seem like I'm alone either as I've read numerous people having the same issues I've had with my bike.  BTW-I never had a single problem with my last bike (a 2008 Suzuki) over the course of 3.5 years and 17,000 miles I put on it.  That's the kind of reliability I EXPECT with a modern motorcycle and something I haven't gotten with Ducati.  

I love my bike but reliable it is not.  It hasn't left me stranded anywhere but it hasn't exactly been trouble free either.  If I put less than 1000 miles on it none of these issues would have cropped up during that time except the recall and they would cost thousands to fix out of warranty.  

So, yeah... I recommend he get the well sorted 15k bike with tasteful mods.  

[HotIce]

How is expanding fuel tank a problem with an 1100 EVO?
It does, maybe, like my car does. But there is expansion tolerance and the tank moves freely under the skins.

[SDRider]

How is expanding fuel tank a problem with an 1100 EVO?
It does, maybe, like my car does. But there is expansion tolerance and the tank moves freely under the skins.

It was bulging back where the seat and tank meet up, both side panels had a gap of approx. 3-4mm between them and the center panel.  It would have cracked the panels eventually if it kept expanding.  If you look online at the parts diagram there have been 4 revisions of the tank for my bike already.

[SDRider]

Incidentally, I rode the Duck to work this morning.  It was nice and cool, traffic was lite, and she just burbles along beautifully at 80mph on the freeway.  A few twisties getting to the freeway so I had some fun.  

I really do love this bike... but I'll be brutally honest about the ownership experience too.  I have to say, my local Ducati dealership, Moto Forza, has been really easy to deal with and very accommodating.  I would buy another bike from them, even another Ducati.