Ducati Monsters? Owners who can tell me the truth

[MIXONE]

I commute 250km a week on my monster and although it could do with gearing down a tad for lane splitting I find it more enjoyable all the time.Getting a decent sounding set of pipes was the best thing I have done.

[Maha]

Definitly reccommend learning to do basic servicing (oil/filter/belts) yourself. Easy enough to do. Even the clutch is easy enough to sort.

The suspension from factory is average ( what isn't ) the stock cans are too low. They need a tail chop and to drop one on the front sprocket.

Other than that they're the bidness if you like small naked bikes.

And......they camouflage well in bush's also.

[Wannabiker]

a lot of mis information around about Ducatis and servicing. I own 3 of them. If they were that bad, I would be broke!! 999, 748R and Multistrada 1000DS

The 20K service on the 999 cost $1400. That is belts, shims and all the rest...including re-setting the service light!! The 2 valve ones are pretty easy to work on and as has been said on here, the service including belt change can be done easily.

If you can change the sparkplugs and change the oil by yourself then you are half way there. If you can change the brake fluid and clutch fluid and check the brake pad thickness then you are 3/4 of the way to completing a service (on any make of bike)!!

[Mudfart]

all this is good advice about doin the oil changes, but if its brand new, don't you breach warranty by doin it yourself?.

[crazyhorse]

guys i am moving on up to my big bike.. i have been shopping around and have taken a monster for a ride... really like it but have heard bad things about their servicing costs....
(the guys who sell the oposition say ducati service averages $1500) (where as the ducati sellers say $600 and dont need to be serviced as often as other makes.... anyone who rides one able to tell me the truth...lol

Good on you. I have a friend who had one, she loved it

[Insanity_rules]

Notice a lot of the mis-information on Ducati's come from those who don't seem to own one? +1 for they're not that expensive. My ss has a techically similar engine as a 2000 ish Monster and a belt service (20,000 per change) costs me about 800 odd including the valve timing. I change the oil myself (very easy to do on a duke) and its been a really relaible bike. Mines up near 60,000 Ks and the engine is top notch still.

Has been the most fun bike I've ever owned too.

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

So far in all honesty my Ducati ST4s has been cheaper to run and maintain than my last bike VTR 1000... It has been just as reliable and hasn't missed a beat in the 20,000 I have ridden on it...

Personally if you like it get it...

[Corse1]

Generlly speaking Monsters are a very reliable and easy to maintain bike. Do the cambelts at 20000km (yes they recommend 24000km but earlier for safety) and the shims at the same time. Usually a major (20000km) service costs around $550-$600 (incl belts, shims, oil, oil filter, brake fluids, fork oil etc) on a 2 valve and between $700-750 for a 4 valve. More if it needs parts like steering head bearings, fork seals, chain and sprockets etc. A minor service (5000km) should cost about $200-220
We do sell and service a lot of Ducatis here so the guys are possably a little quicker than most on them.

Well $320 just for St4s belts is nearly half the serviice...then there is:
Oil + Filter + Labour $100
Air filter and Labour $50
Belts labour $35 2 x Fuji lock nuts $15
Ducati diagnostic hook up $70 charge at local dealer
Remove and install fairings $35
Check valves + Gaskets $100
Remove and reinstall airbox, throttle bodies etc drain and refull coolant $50 (including coolant)
I'm over budget now then there is
Balance throttle bodies + fuel mixure adjustment etc, brake fluids, fork oil etc
Based on $70.00 / hour
While R1 madness has a good price that does not allow for new shim's at $15-$30 each if required. I do all my own maintenance but take the bike in with no fairings just to get the throttle bodies balanced and mixture done. My local dealer charges me $175 just for that.

I might have to move to Christchurch as I woould pay your prices to have all that work done R1madness. Probably would be closer to $1000 + mark here for me :-(

[Corse1]

So far in all honesty my Ducati ST4s has been cheaper to run and maintain than my last bike VTR 1000... It has been just as reliable and hasn't missed a beat in the 20,000 I have ridden on it...

Personally if you like it get it...

Yep apart from the costs mine has never missed a beat and find it a fantastic bike as well. you just have to find a decent dealer like Just Motorcycles or do it yourself .....

[R1madness]

i find that the 4 valvers rearly need shim changes and 2 valvers even less so. Once set up properly the desmo system places so little stress on the valves and head that wear is truely minimal. If you need reshimming often then it is being over reved of not set up exactly right in the first place. There is a definite knack to the shimming of the closing shims and its unfortunately something you have to learn by feel and experiance to get the correct clearance. A feeler gague gets you to the ballpark but then its done on tension on the shim from the lift arm.... errrr too hard to explain really.... it creates a bit of a can of worms when i try to describe how to do it. Surfice to say take it to an expert for shimming but EVERYTHING else is easy enough to do with some simple tools and a good manual (and some degree of mechanical ability).

[Corse1]

There is a definite knack to the shimming of the closing shims and its unfortunately something you have to learn by feel and experiance to get the correct clearance. A feeler gague gets you to the ballpark but then its done on tension on the shim from the lift arm.... errrr too hard to explain really.... it creates a bit of a can of worms when i try to describe how to do it. Surfice to say take it to an expert for shimming but EVERYTHING else is easy enough to do with some simple tools and a good manual (and some degree of mechanical ability).

Not sure what you mean by Feel?? The range of in tolerance clearance is quite large unlees you are trying to target LT Snyders specs. Plus once you measure the opener clearance you load the valve manually and measure the "loaded clearance". Loaded clearance minus the opener clearance gives you the closer rocker (lift arm) clearance. All with feeler gauges.


But yes a can of worms.......

[Herman Jelmet]

sounds to me like youve got your heart set on the monster. I love mine, all the above people have said what I would say to some degree-- not excessive service costs ( some may disagree) - easy oil and filter changes, and there are heaps of them to chose from. Make it happen I say

[dragon_fly]

thanks guys ur awesome

[miloking]

all this is good advice about doin the oil changes, but if its brand new, don't you breach warranty by doin it yourself?.

No as long as it has been done and you can prove it...also thats only assuming that failure was "engine" related. If your ECU fries or your back wheel falls off it has nothing to do with oil/spark plug change...

But most dealers will try to make you believe that if you dont pay for expensive service at their place your bike is not covered by warranty anymore...but its all just big scheme to get money for servicing out of you.

[Ronin]

No as long as it has been done and you can prove it...also thats only assuming that failure was "engine" related. If your ECU fries or your back wheel falls off it has nothing to do with oil/spark plug change...

But most dealers will try to make you believe that if you dont pay for expensive service at their place your bike is not covered by warranty anymore...but its all just big scheme to get money for servicing out of you.

Can you supply proof of this or is is opinion? It could turn out to be a very expensive opinion.