True or False

Hi it's me again! Still looking for my first big bike

I joined another duke forum the other day (ducatisti) to ask about buying a 750SS. Among all the advice when I said I was from London and would be riding all year round they said that Ducati's don't like traffic and recommended against it also that they don't like restriction

Is this true? Hope not because I had my heart set on an SS or Monster

im sure it al be reet , though id stay away from a carbed bike if using all year

Well i've got about £2-2.5k to spend. Would one of them be better or are they both pretty much the same

[Yorkie]

I wouldnt worry about riding a Ducati all year round, as for riding round town, again its just a matter of getting used to it.

As Scotty said some carbed bikes (Not just Ducatis) can suffer from carb icing, this can be solved easily using additive!.

Yorkie.

I do 34 miles a day commuting in london on my 695, I find it fine and have had no problems since I got it last august - and I ride rain, wind or shine

Originally Posted by Scotty

im sure it al be reet , though id stay away from a carbed bike if using all year

He`s alive!!!

[Dave G]

As one of those who replied on the other site I'd just like to qualify that ducatis per se aren't hard to ride in heavy traffic, just that the SS has a heavy clutch pull and can also be grabby when it gets hot(while filtering in traffic for instance) it also has a very limited steering lock,even more so than my 916 I seem to remember, a monster would be easier in regular heavy traffic (like you get in London)and even better if you can find one with the aptc clutch.
heres one on ebay
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DUCATI-MONSTER...A1%7C294%3A100
its a dealer,find out their number and call them to find out how much they actually want for it.
hers another
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2006-DUCATI-Mo...A1%7C294%3A100


I also mentioned that most Ducatis I've had have benefitted from swapping out the oe front sprocket with 15 teeth for a 14 tooth replacement,this immediately makes them easier to handle at low speeds.
I wouldn't worry too much about the corrosion comment,all bikes are pretty much the same in this respect, regular coating with one of the corrosion inhibitors should help.

Thanks Dave G!

I saw those on ebay but I think they may be a little out of my price range.

Originally Posted by Dave G

As one of those who replied on the other site I'd just like to qualify that ducatis per se aren't hard to ride in heavy traffic, just that the SS has a heavy clutch pull and can also be grabby when it gets hot(while filtering in traffic for instance) it also has a very limited steering lock,even more so than my 916 I seem to remember, a monster would be easier in regular heavy traffic (like you get in London)and even better if you can find one with the aptc clutch.
heres one on ebay
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DUCATI-MONSTER...A1%7C294%3A100
its a dealer,find out their number and call them to find out how much they actually want for it.
hers another
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2006-DUCATI-Mo...A1%7C294%3A100


I also mentioned that most Ducatis I've had have benefitted from swapping out the oe front sprocket with 15 teeth for a 14 tooth replacement,this immediately makes them easier to handle at low speeds.
I wouldn't worry too much about the corrosion comment,all bikes are pretty much the same in this respect, regular coating with one of the corrosion inhibitors should help.

wow those bikes are fairly cheap for the mileage

Originally Posted by Scootaboy

wow those bikes are fairly cheap for the mileage

Especially the first one, the black & red one. I'd snap that one up in a heartbeat, the 695 is a fabulous city bike. Not as good as my Vespa, obviously, though...

[craigie]

I ride a carbie 750ss all year round for my commute to work from east London to west and I get on ok, it's not the most reliable but it had no service history and 11 owners before me so can't really blame it, steering lock is bad but just plan ahead more, not many pass me on the way so it's not that bad. Buy as modern as you can afford I suppose but I had as much trouble in the rain with a 02 M620ie as I have with this 94 750SS, both seem to like idling at 3/4000rpm in the rain, always a nice surprise.
Whatever you get you will learn to ride around its flaws, just go for it and if you hate it get something else.

^^ Thanks for the reply, definitely a boost in confidence. I just need to go and see one of each in the flesh and decide.

Oh and get the CBR shifted

[Liz]

"Buy as modern as you can"

I wouldn't necessarily agree with that - my M600 is a 1995 bike and had only done about 16K when I got it (paid about £1200). Lovely little bike - but had obviously been well looked after - check the service history and quiz the owner before you buy. If they've only had it for a few weeks/couple of months, they may well have just bought it cheap and are hoping to sell on for a profit. Ask how long they've owned it, how many owners, service history etc - loads of questions - you'll get an idea of who's genuine and who's not! And a dealer will obviously be trying to make as much profit as possible so pick out all the faults - and be tough - you're younger than my older son (now I feel extra old!).

Thanks everyone!

When should the belts be done on a Monster?