buying a fresh import off Turner's

[T.W.R]

After the absolute monza I've had with the 900SS I would have every right to declare against Ducatis, but I can't wait to get the old girl back together and onto the road again. It was always going to be highs and lows. I knew that when I bought the bike.

A lot of people have a go at the Ducs, a lot of people have never owned one or even ridden one.

Be glad you've only had to deal with fairly late model ducati engineering Big banger Bevels & 1st generation Pantahs would test you're patience to the max but when everything is working right & it all clicks together it's an absolute world apart; the real love hate relationship

[Paul in NZ]

If its been sitting you will need to replace the rubber cam belts, service it and by the looks of it replace the tyres. Make sure you factor that cost in..

[SVboy]

Far queue & miSTa had STs they'd both be able to give you some straight up info on them

As stock they're wickedly tall geared though

Following MiSTa a few years back heading down the Hakataramea valley I saw his bike hand-grenade the rear wheel bearings in spectacular fashion so much so that I heard it from a good 20m or so back travelling around 120 clicks above the sound of my own bike which wasn't exactly quiet by any means.
The bike ended up stranded for a week at the Dansey's pass holiday camp till he got bearings sorted for it. he stick over that too as he used FAG bearings

I think their two bikes were ST4s's? Helenoftroy had an ST4iirc?

[OddDuck]

Yeah, looking at costs (and time to sort issues pre Xmas) now after having gone to see it this morning. It's clearly been standing around for some time, if not in Turner's then somewhere else.

Turner's themselves were great to deal with, there was no issue whatever with taking the bike out into the sunshine and then being given the best part of an hour to look it over.

I'm not going to comment on the bike's condition. All I'll say is that the bloke's being good about a difficult situation and is going out of his way to help me make a decision.

[T.W.R]

I think their two bikes were ST4s's? Helenoftroy had an ST4iirc?

Something like that, Owen's one was the hotrod model Helen's got trashed in the February quake

Here's a pic of the whole line up at Omarama, Helen's is the Blue one; I hadn't long handed the keys of the Brutale back to Doc, some people had feather up their arses with that especially when I got them again at Palmerston Goblin was playing silly buggers on my GS

[AllanB]

Bang on. People who bag Harleys the most have never had one.

I've ridden a few Dukes. Just can't see myself owning one.

There is no storage room at all on mine - thus nowhere to keep ones donuts

[pritch]

Before I bought my Ducati I was told that the two valve models were more reliable but the one I was looking at was a four valve. I bought it but escaped without undue expense. There were some scary stories on the Ducati owners boards with regard to the 916 & 996 engines but mine was OK. The STs come in 2, 3 and 4 valve variants, a 2 valve ST2 shouldn't be unduly expensive to run.

As with all Ducs the maintenance history os important. If there is any hint that maintenance has been neglected that's a problem. The belts need to be replaced regularly and if they don't look as if they have been done that's potentially serious. If there is no info it might pay to get a service so you know where you are.

Good luck

PS
OK now I've read Pauls post and agree it seems a full service with belts and new tyres will be needed.

[SVboy]

I think Odduck will do the servicing needed in his sleep! I doubt that basic work would be a concern after his experiences lately!

[YellowDog]

Turners often let you buy a warrantee package, as a part of the deal. Possibly worth checking whether the same might apply to this bike

[BMWST?]

the mechanical thing is relatively straightforward...my concern would be is this bike in the system or not?.If its not in the system and needs a complete service the value would (have to be)very negotiable.Can you check on its status before plonkin down the cash?

[OddDuck]

Well, interesting times...

I wrote a list of everything I'd seen which would have to be fixed. I checked Stein Dinse to confirm general parts availability, then I checked local supply (bits4bikes mostly) for the tools and spares needed. I want everything good to go before Xmas, miss one detail and that's it, no bike for over the break.

Like they say, the devil is in the detail... it wasn't until I took an evening to do this that I found the surprising result:

It's not a particularly sharp price. Even at $3800 and doing a shitload of work myself, even if I haven't missed something major in the engine etc, I'm really not saving much money over buying something WOF'd, reg'd and rolling off the dealer floor. Private sale for rolling and ready to go would actually be cheaper than this, in pure cash terms... the bits add up fast.

That's just getting it road legal, it doesn't factor in things like fixing the broken hardbag mounting or sorting some of the perished or corroded bits I saw on the bike.

A pretty good example of an hour's scouting and a couple of hours detail planning saving me from a pit of time, trouble and bills. I mean, it's still possible. It's just that the owner would have to be willing to take one hell of a hit on his initial asking price.

Now I just have to fight my own terrible desire to save a wounded Duc...

[Paul in NZ]

Yup - even if you got it free there will be some serious $$ to be spent to get it up to a standard where you can trust it. I've never owned one but I think these are OK if the maintenance is done. If not - big trouble will follow...

At the end of the day its just like our ST. No one really wants fully faired sports tourers now. Its all adventure bikes and cruisers...

[Luckylegs]

That certainly is a lot of bike for the money

But is it just me or does it look a bit... I dunno... gay..?

being it's odduck - he'll spend more time looking at the inside of it rather than out so it matters not

[jasonu]

being it's odduck - he'll spend more time looking at the inside of it rather than out so it matters not

Smart man!!!

[GazzaH]

At least it's not blue. I'm still in shock from TWR's photo of his missis' blue Ducati.

Is that even legal?

Like a blue Ferrari or a green Lambourghini.