new to motorcycles and ducatis, help a noob out!

[Charlie98]

the bike is definitely worth 3500 to me, of course i am wearing rose tinted glasses because this has been one of my dream bikes for so long.

That's all well and good... but you are letting your judgement get clouded by your desire.

Last year I bought a '13 796 for $5000 with only 4K miles on it.  I bought it off a guy that bought it new... as his first road bike; it had sat unridden in the garage the year prior.  To do it over again, I would rethink it... primarily because of the plastic tank issue.  I have 7K on it now and it's time for the valves/belts/another rear tire/battery service, roughly $1500 in the Dallas market.  I'm lucky, I was able to turn the tank swelling issue around, but knowing now what I didn't know then... I probably would have passed.

My point is... a 10-year old Ducati can be a handful, maintenance-wise.  Although I'm not questioning the seller's integrity, he is either extraordinarily accommodating, or he really wants to get rid of the bike for some reason.  Half-down/take the title, I'll take it back if you don't like it...

[ducpainter]

When did a motorcycle purchase become a rational, well thought out decision?

Of course his judgement is clouded by desire...it's supposed to be.

[Doc]

I'm going to give advice contrary to those above: don't buy it.

OP said he is new to motorcycles, so I think the smart move to get something that is low maintenance, without a history of problems, and importantly, that runs at sale.  Ride that bike for awhile and then upgrade if needed.  With some experience and mechanical know-how, you can decide whether to buy as your second bike one that needs work.

For now, though, save the potential headache of buying a bike that needs TLC at the start.  Yeah, it might just be a $1000 or service and then you got a great bike for a great price, but all other possibilities are not pretty for a first-time owner.

My $0.02.

I agree.  Start small and cheap and get the bike of your dreams after a year.   Simple newbie errors are also way more expensive on a Ducati. 

[garethsmyth88]

hey guys, after my forum posts and the various replies i got i decided that i would ask the seller some more questions, here are the questions along with the replies:

do you have the service records available?
yes i do have the previous services records from both myself and the previous owner

does it include the two black keys and the red immobilizer key?
yes it includes all 3

do the tires need changed?
the tires will need changed after a season or two, the previous owner changed the tires, they have around 80 left and i dont think they have expired date wise, i will check when im back in state

how long has the bike been sitting unused?
he bike has been sitting unused since september 2016 when i left for training, that makes it around 5 months.

has the plastic tank had an of the common issues?
no sir, not that i have noticed.

and now for the big one...
can you have the bike started by the time i come to look at it?
i understand your concern, i will try my hardest to have the bike running by the time you come and look at it, wether that needs it jumped, charged or a whole new battery.

[koko64]

A battery, fresh fuel and new plugs should do it.

When did a motorcycle purchase become a rational, well thought out decision?

Of course his judgement is clouded by desire...it's supposed to be.

Yep, it's all about mad passion for these bikes. Welcome to the cult, I mean club.

[ducpainter]

A battery, fresh fuel and new plugs should do it.

Yep, it's all about mad passion for these bikes. Welcome to the cult, I mean club.

It's 10 years old.

It'll need belts.

[koko64]

DP, you reckon they're original belts? Edit: re-reading the thread I see why you suspect the belts are old and why Lars reckons they should be changed before the bike is started.

You change them every two years or 12000 miles as a precaution. You can go over , but its worse if the bike sits. If they were done just before storage they may just need an adjustment, but the belts have sitting for at least 6 months. You should check them, but where DP is coming from is that you factor cam belts and a valve check into a new purchase if there is any question about them being serviced. I got my last Monster used from a shop that said all their Ducatis were " fully serviced", but the belts looked original from 1995! I checked them after riding home and was grateful they didnt let go.
The seller in this case sounds like a good owner and the service log book will say alot. Edit: good owners who dont understand the peculiarities of Ducatis may think of cars when it comes to cam belts and shops unfamiliar with Ducatis may think the same.