Ducati as a first bike

[Gow87]

Why does nobody mention ducati 600s as a first bike? are they known for being unrelieble, expensive, hard to work on.. what is it? any hints? and does ne1 know how long a passed theory test lasts... e.g. how long will i hav to do my test afterwards?
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[nick.h]

the costs?
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[Ste]

Bad idea, very very bad idea.

Ducati's are expensive to buy. They are expensive to buy parts for, so when it gets dropped or crashed (very likely on your first bike) it will cost stupid amounts to repair or mean the value is much lower than what it would be worth mint.

They are expensive to get serviced, they are known for not being the most reliable of bikes but as long as they are looked after well (which is expensive) they seem okay.

Any hints? Yup, don't get one as your first bike unless you have a very deep wallet.

Your theory test is valid for two years.

[Fire_Eyes]

just like everyone told you...Ducatis are very expensive don't waste too much money on your first bike because its gonna get dropped you wanna get a ducati buy it when your a pro and you know you wont drop it unless money doesnt matter to you at all.

[Gow87]

o dont worry the prices put me off, i was just wondering... still a nice 99 as a new bike wouldnt say no.
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"Is It Just Me Or Did Everything Just Taste Purple" - Fry

[Gow87]

i meant 999, missed a 9
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"Is It Just Me Or Did Everything Just Taste Purple" - Fry

[Fire_Eyes]

hey im 1 year older than you! lol anyway yea a 999 is definitely once of the hottest bikes out there but id rather buy a gixxer 600 a couple of modifications and i could wipe out the 999 in a flash

[Jasoon]

Admittedly, I know little about Biking... But Insurance on a Ducati as your first bike...?

Surely they'd just laugh at you

[CBRPETER]

[G]

I like the look and sound of the ducati's but that's about where it ends. I've been able to keep up with them on some big straights on track (untuned ones) on my untuned r6. The handling isn't significantly different to make a difference, if you want really decent handling, stick decent suspension on. But all the new sports 600s have got plety good enough suspension for 99% of the time.

I wouldn't buy a Ducati 600SS because it's slow. We are talking a lot slower than a 400 sports bike. Infact, only marginally quicker than a lightly tuned 125 I suspect.

[map]

Something like the Monster 600 may made a good first Ducati.
Depends what you want to do with it and the pose value you're after.

FYI, MCN recently did a full article on the different Monster models.
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[dainesefreak]

A 600 Monster wouldn't be a bad first bike really. Power, handling, etc, would all be fairly easy going and they are fairly cheap to buy.

The biggest pain is the running costs, have a look at the price of Ducati servicing it's enough to send a shiver down your spine!

[cliff]

Italian.
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[cagiva gezzer]

My friends mum had a monster 600 dark as her first bike after passing her 33bhp test. I'm not sure if it was the bikes fault or the fact tha she wasn't too confident but she hated it. It was a big step up from the sr125 though...

She only got it as her husband had the 750ss & a mike hailwood replica. Too heavy, too cumbersome. The brakes were too sharp and the cluctch too heavy. She was lucky that she hardly rode it, otherwise she would of found out how hard the trellis frame and aircooled engine were to heep clean.

Plus, my supercity was faster!
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"because one stroke isnt enough and four strokes waste two"

[Gazdaman]

my mum had a monster 600, and a friend of mine had a 900SS, the 900SS is a beauty of a bike, no-where near a first bike, maybe a fourth.

When my mum sold the monster the new owner had it restricted to 33bhp, and the garage cocked up and along the line they holed a piston.

the monster is very small, too small for me, and had such a crampt riding position. Fairly quick though. If you like monsters, take a look at a cagiva planet as a monster looking 125.

Gaz

[coolcatshaft]

I got my full licence in July and got a monster 620 for my first bike and i love it to bits.

absolutely gorgeous to look at and gets attention from everyone wherever i go.

not a bad first bike as long as you keep your wits about you. yes those twin brembo's need only a gentle touch to bring you to a stop, the 2004-05 bikes have a slipper clutch which has a much lighter action than older models. both power and braking are very progressive, and if you buy new and follow the running in procedure its a good way of finding your feet on it.

i've had no reliability issues with mine in the 1000 or so miles i've done. it does come with a 2 year warranty and 2 year AA cover. sure it needs to be kept clean, but a bike like that deserves a little extra effort once in a while.

it was my first big bike straight after DAS but then i grew up in india so been riding since i was 12!!!

i wouldn't recommend you jump on it after little or no experience. if you have some experience on at least a 400 then i cant recommend it enough. it is sex on wheels!

the riding position is a bit awkward, but you soon get used to it. the looks of the bike and the sound of that air-cooled L-twin are as good as it gets!

also if you do have some 500-600 experience and are looking for a slightly bigger bike, check out the new S2R. i'm thinking of trading in my 620 for it next year...

p.s. ducati servicing is not that expensive as long as you dont mind ringing around a few places and haggling a bit. ducati coventry quoted me 350 for my first service, eventually riverside ducati in northampton did it for £140 including picking up the bike and dropping it off when done... so GO FOR IT!!!!
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[Kickstart]

Hi

The 600SS is dog slow for what it is. Basically it weighs the same and is the same size as the 900SS which has over 50% more power.

My experience of Ducati parts prices is limited to buying the odd bit which is shared with a Cagiva. On that basis I would say they are not bad, and not really any worse than, say, Yamaha.

Servicing at a dealer would be expensive, but not really that bad. They are simple bikes and fairly simple to service. Yes they need the valves checking, but there are only 4 valves (8 shims though) and they are quite easy to do (compare that to taking the cams out and shimming up a 20 valve Yamaha, having had to remove the radiator first). OK the belts need changing but they are quite easy to get at and the belts are cheap.

The 600 Monster does make a good first bike and they are very low. Power is not great, but then probably pretty much ideal for someone with limited experience. Insurance wise they are the same group as an unfaired Bandit.

All the best

Keith
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[CBRPETER]

how would they shape up against a sports 600, like a cbr, or a gsxr, and is it quicker than a sports 250?
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[dainesefreak]

[Kickstart]