Older Ducati Sportbikes (Feedback?)

[BlitzkriegWulf]

I've looked around on CL and the general internet comparing prices of older Ducati street bikes, and (as far as I can tell), most 996S, 998S/Matrix, and 999S motorcycles with 3,000-10,000 miles all cost between $7,500 and $9,500.

Just curious of the perception some of these bikes have ten or fifteen years later.. Seems like the service intervals are all pretty constant at 6/12K miles, so getting a 999 over a 996 won't make maintenance any less in frequency.

Besides some turning their nose up at the 999's headlights (I honestly don't think they're too bad..), is the general perception that these bikes are pretty reliable when maintained?

Since the prices are (Relatively) similar, is there reason to pick up an older bike like the 996 over a newer bike like the 999?

How's the fit for someone who's 6'8?


Thanks for the feedback

 

[Son-of-Ricardo]

Look up 916-996 motors and "flaking rocker arms". The 998 & 999 with the Testastretta "narrow head" motor won't have this issue. Could potentially be and expensive issue down the road...

 

[MikeGyver]

Any reason for the mileage range you are using for your search? I wouldn't turn my nose up at a 20,000 mile bike with good service records.

If you don't have a preference between body styles I would go with a 999. More reliable and more powerful engine and will be slightly more reliable given there is no possibility of getting the bad batch of rockers.

 

[Frame Maker]

916/748/996 bikes have started to go back up in value as they are now considered to be "collectible" by some folks... if you care about such things in the long term.

 

[BlitzkriegWulf]

Look up 916-996 motors and "flaking rocker arms". The 998 & 999 with the Testastretta "narrow head" motor won't have this issue. Could potentially be and expensive issue down the road...

I'll be the first to admit, I haven't done a ton of research. I tend to think the internet skews things a bit since not many people go to the internet to brag about how awesome something is after the fact... Typically magazines/journalists do reviews on new bikes before they have these issues, and the people who come to the internet are usually the ones who have issues... doesn't give a good perspective of how many lemons there are for every no-issue bike.

I'll look into the flaking rocker arms though

 

[R3DS!X]

So weird, I had a dream that i bought a 999s last night. I had purchased it but hadn't received it but was stoked to ride it. CSB

 

[BlitzkriegWulf]

Any reason for the mileage range you are using for your search? I wouldn't turn my nose up at a 20,000 mile bike with good service records.

If you don't have a preference between body styles I would go with a 999. More reliable and more powerful engine and will be slightly more reliable given there is no possibility of getting the bad batch of rockers.

Being young and stupid... I generally have a few criteria for buying a vehicle...

1) I want to buy it from an old fart (No offence!). Yes, I know there are a lot of older guys who like to rip things around on the track, but there are a lot who buy them as the "Mid-life crisis" at 50, and now that they're 65 and they either aren't interested in them or wish to have money tied up with other assets, I would imagine the chances are better of finding/buying a bike that hasn't been abused. The other reason is most old people I have interacted with are honest and haven't hidden anything. Also, most have dumped a few thousand into the bike in higher-end parts, if you're patient enough to wait for those bikes to appear on the market, since they're few and far in between.

2) partly tying into the above, low mileage, or buying a bike directly after a service (that has records) I think is more favorable, as less "Wear and tear" is on the bike. It might be trivial and more of a psychological thing, who knows.

3) Not really sure about how they take abuse. A lot of japanese bikes will take a lot of abuse. Ducati's... I don't know? If I buy a bike that has 3K miles that was babied the first thousand and canyoned/raced the next 2K, it'll probably do another what, 30K miles without too many issues? Whereas if I buy a bike that has 30K miles and even with good service records, there's probably only so many more miles before a rebuild is in order.

I've thought off and on about a 999S ('05/'06 seem to be the better model years?). Only ones I have really liked are the Black/Red w/ white stripe, but for one reason or another, they always command a premium, particularly the gloss black ones. I also really like the cluster on them.

Edit: something like this: https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/mcy/6076439838.html , but with the white stripe on the tail. Don't mind if it's mono or biposto.

916/748/996 bikes have started to go back up in value as they are now considered to be "collectible" by some folks... if you care about such things in the long term.

The only ones I would buy for collectible value are ones I cant afford (Like an R, SPS, or Matrix)

 

[ScottRNelson]

It's been a few years since I've looked at Ducati Superbike prices, but I remember being surprised that a 916 was going for less than an 888. When the 916 came out in 1994, sales of the 1994 888 just died, so they shipped more than half of the 200 that had come to the USA back to Europe and turned them into a different model. The 1994 888 SPO Ltd is now one of the more collectible of the regular superbikes because there aren't very many of them. The SP2, SP3, SP4, and SP5 models are the valuable ones or the 916 SPS. The 851 and 888 models had no rocker arm issues.

I would avoid the 998 because they had cooling issues. All of the ones before that had these nice big vents in the sides to help extract air from the radiators. The 998 looked like a similar shape, but with much smaller fairing vents around the edges.

If you're okay with the 999 looks, it may be a better bike overall.

I've owned four Ducatis and they've been as reliable as any other brand that I've owned. My current Honda has spent the most time dead, waiting for me to fix some major thing or other on it. But now that everything is fixed, it's been totally solid for a few years.

I'll own another Ducati one of these days. It's just not the type of bike that I happen to need right now.

 

[BlitzkriegWulf]

I would avoid the 998 because they had cooling issues. All of the ones before that had these nice big vents in the sides to help extract air from the radiators. The 998 looked like a similar shape, but with much smaller fairing vents around the edges.

If you're okay with the 999 looks, it may be a better bike overall.

So... to put all this together:
Avoid the 916 and 996 because of flaking rocker arms (or, the potential to end up with a lemon).
Avoid the 998 unless you will always be moving for airflow.
999's seem to be OK; opt for a later year one?

I've owned four Ducatis and they've been as reliable as any other brand that I've owned. My current Honda has spent the most time dead, waiting for me to fix some major thing or other on it. But now that everything is fixed, it's been totally solid for a few years.

I'll own another Ducati one of these days. It's just not the type of bike that I happen to need right now.

Hearing that Ducati is as reliable as others is nice, I've heard (perhaps from those with bad experiences, or those who just wanted to get attention?) that the valves were supposed to be a PITA, since they had to be done frequently (Edit: Just found a manual... Every 6K isn't too bad, particularly for as many miles as I'd be riding a year).

Not really sure what to believe, just trying to get some insight as to what direction I should go, before investing more time researching if it's a bike I'd truly be interested in getting.

 

[NSR500]

Testa or Desmo it's still a Ducati and maintenance is generally more frequent and expensive compared to a Japanese bike.
The Testas can have a slightly better maintenance interval compared to the Desmos and the costs between the two for scheduled maintenance is between $50 - $70. The most evolved Tamburini model is the 998, so if you like that look it does have a Testa motor in it so don't let the cooling issue bother you. There are things you can do with the thermostat and temperature switch to help some of that.
As far as the flaking rockers go, I don't worry about it. Just stay on top of your maintenance and if/when it happens, just deal with these guys: http://emsduc.com/
Lastly, ergonomics...
I'm 5'11' with a 32" inseam and have no issues on both bikes. Between the two, my 749 is more comfortable than my 996 for bumming around town. I can only describe the feeling like sitting in the bike rather than on top of the bike.

If you're still undecided just do the only logical thing the internet would suggest... Get Both!

 

[BlitzkriegWulf]

Testa or Desmo it's still a Ducati and maintenance is generally more frequent and expensive compared to a Japanese bike.
The Testas can have a slightly better maintenance interval compared to the Desmos and the costs between the two for scheduled maintenance is between $50 - $70. The most evolved Tamburini model is the 998, so if you like that look it does have a Testa motor in it so don't let the cooling issue bother you. There are things you can do with the thermostat and temperature switch to help some of that.
As far as the flaking rockers go, I don't worry about it. Just stay on top of your maintenance and if/when it happens, just deal with these guys: http://emsduc.com/
Lastly, ergonomics...
I'm 5'11' with a 32" inseam and have no issues on both bikes. Between the two, my 749 is more comfortable than my 996 for bumming around town. I can only describe the feeling like sitting in the bike rather than on top of the bike.

If you're still undecided just do the only logical thing the internet would suggest... Get Both!

Huh, if the scheduled(minor) maintenances are less than $100, that's far cheaper than I thought they would be. Then again, I am not too worried about maintenance intervals; I am home for summer and I'll probably only get about 2-3K miles of riding in before I go back to school in Montana.

As far as ergonomics go.. I fit OK on big sport tourers and dualsports. Still waiting to see how I fit on the Duc my dad/I bought in February. I've stood next to 600's and 1000's... They look like childrens toys, and not very comfortable to be folded up on. I figured since the bikes were older, perhaps they were a little roomier.

If my wallet could support both, perhaps.... But I think I am already $7K in the hole for a 1100S HM that was one hell of a deal... Fresh rebuild by John French down in LA, probably $4-5K in additional parts, all original parts included.. That said, I'm nervous about taking such a nice bike to a community college for classes over summer. Doesn't take much to knock over or throw a 170 kilo bike into the back of a van and run off.... I'll probably just have to take the car, because the bay area is full of reasons of why we cannot have nice things :|

 

[NSR500]

Huh, if the scheduled(minor) maintenances are less than $100, that's far cheaper than I thought they would be. Then again, I am not too worried about maintenance intervals; I am home for summer and I'll probably only get about 2-3K miles of riding in before I go back to school in Montana.

As far as ergonomics go.. I fit OK on big sport tourers and dualsports. Still waiting to see how I fit on the Duc my dad/I bought in February. I've stood next to 600's and 1000's... They look like childrens toys, and not very comfortable to be folded up on. I figured since the bikes were older, perhaps they were a little roomier.

If my wallet could support both, perhaps.... But I think I am already $7K in the hole for a 1100S HM that was one hell of a deal... Fresh rebuild by John French down in LA, probably $4-5K in additional parts, all original parts included.. That said, I'm nervous about taking such a nice bike to a community college for classes over summer. Doesn't take much to knock over or throw a 170 kilo bike into the back of a van and run off.

Let me word it a little different and share an example. The "Price difference" between the Desmo and Testa bikes is between $50 - $70.

Here's a list from a local shop as an example.

Advanced Cycle Services Shop Labor Rate : $90.00*

Ducati Service:

Model Hours Price
MTS1200 7 hours $630*
1198 | 1098 | 999 | 848 | 749 | ST4 | ST3 6 hours $540.00*
748 | 916 | 996 | S4 5.5 hours $495.00*
Early Monster M620-M1000 | SportClassic 4 hours $360.00*
900SS | 750SS 4 hours $360.00*
ST2 | Early MTS 620-1100 | Hyper 1100 4.5 hours $405.00*
M696 | M796 | M1100 4.5 hours $405.00*

 

[BlitzkriegWulf]

Let me word it a little different and share an example. The "Price difference" between the Desmo and Testa bikes is between $50 - $70.

Here's a list from a local shop as an example.

OOOOOOH.... :facepalm


Yeah, I was thinking a maintenance for less than $100 was too good to be true.. Not sure what I was thinking...

 

[NSR500]

OOOOOOH.... :facepalm


Yeah, I was thinking a maintenance for less than $100 was too good to be true.. Not sure what I was thinking...

LOL! It's probably my English composition. :ride

 

[bpw]

Check out the twin engine Aprilias as well. Arguably better bikes and generally quite a bit cheaper.

 

[NorCal_SV650S]

I would get whatever bike you find you like. The 999 was considered much more comfortable, but you also don't get the single side swing arm.

Too me the 996/998 is the sweet spot, and find a S nut maybe not an R, but I always wanted the Matrix Green one.

Are you also discounting the entire 700 series?

 

[berth]

Check out the twin engine Aprilias as well. Arguably better bikes and generally quite a bit cheaper.

Speaking of english, I'm visualizing an Aprillia with, you know, twin -- two engines.

You know, like a Beechcraft...

 

[BlitzkriegWulf]

Check out the twin engine Aprilias as well. Arguably better bikes and generally quite a bit cheaper.

Seen a few Mille R's (pre-'03) for a pretty good deal. Saw a Tuono Factory up in Redding a year or two back that was either the deal of a lifetime or a total scam. Interested in Aprilias, yes, but the good deals seem even fewer and further in between than Ducati's. I'm not looking for a 15 year old bike to mod up, I'm looking for a 10-15 year old bike that ideally has $5-10K of parts on it and has been someones pride & joy.

Same guy who sold us the 1100S HM also had two twin Aprilia Tuono Factory's (2004? Whenever the "Factory" became the high-spec model). On top of the bike likely being what, $10K out the door, he likely had another $15K of parts into the bike. At the time he was asking ~$10-11K, but we weren't ready for a $18K double-purchase.

I would get whatever bike you find you like. The 999 was considered much more comfortable, but you also don't get the single side swing arm.

Too me the 996/998 is the sweet spot, and find a S nut maybe not an R, but I always wanted the Matrix Green one.

Are you also discounting the entire 700 series?

Single sided swingarms are cool, but there is always the possibility of this... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zeF0cB6rBM

Was never really sure what the "big difference" was between the 996 and 998. Minor displacement change, very similar power outputs, one revved a bit higher than the other... The only ironic thing I remember about them is that the Ducati in "Matrix" was a Ducati 996, but production ended, forcing Ducati to make the "Matrix Edition" on the 998 model year.

As far as the 700 series (I presume you mean 748, 749?), I won't discount them entirely, but from a paper-statistics standpoint, they appear to be the same weight, same size, likely the same (or similar) maintenance costs as their bigger counterparts. I looked at these for a year and a half starting about two years ago, and most all of the ones that came up for sale were high mileage (Which might not be such a bad thing, you guys are telling me?), had really gaudy modifications (I don't mind nice or high end, but I'm not a fan of the gold-chrome paint and chrome levers, etc.), and had salvaged titles.

You mentioned it again and I think I see why you mention it; the 700's are typically what, 3-4K less than their equivalent counterparts? And, yes, I'm likely not going to be needing the extra 30 or so HP the 999 offers.

Not sure what the posting rules are around here, but the two bikes that had my interest were a '01 748 with track fairings (& only 3K miles), and a '06 749 with ~27K miles. Was a little disappointed they weren't the "S" versions, though.
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/mcy/6074751634.html
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/mcy/6082807334.html
Edit: Anything special about the "Dark Edition", minus the paint color?

 

[NSR500]

This one looks like a good bike if the maintenance is complete like the owner states.

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/mcy/6081615329.html

If you go the Ape route, this bike is clean:

http://bayarearidersforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=509751

All that it needs is cosmetic.

 

[strictlyJDM]

One thing to note...it being a "big" twin, people think it makes gobs of mid range torque like most twins but the 4Vs love to rev and most its power sits up higher in its rev range.

I wouldnt get this bike because you want a fast sport bike either, any modern 600 will make a fool out of this bike. Its definitely a "classic".

But, this damn chassis gives some of the best feed back ive ever felt on a bike.