New Biker Yet To Buy First Bike Confused ??

[rockbob]

Can anybody help i assume you all own ducatis i take my test on 15th march looking for first bike been to see all jap sewing machine look alikes tried for size can't tell them apart !! but i have fell in love or should that be lust!! with monster 620ie everybody i speak to jap bike owners !! say unreliable and bloody exspensive to service. please can somebody give me some advise being a short arse the bike is the best seat size and weight i have seen i have almost convinced myself need a bit of reassurance i.e what are the costs compared to the rest??
:confused:

[Will]

Can anybody help i assume you all own ducatis i take my test on 15th march looking for first bike been to see all jap sewing machine look alikes tried for size can't tell them apart !! but i have fell in love or should that be lust!! with monster 620ie everybody i speak to jap bike owners !! say unreliable and bloody exspensive to service. please can somebody give me some advise being a short arse the bike is the best seat size and weight i have seen i have almost convinced myself need a bit of reassurance i.e what are the costs compared to the rest??
:confused:

I have had a Monster 620i.e for about 2.5 years and have covered 18,500 miles since new (thats at least double the average for a motorcycle).

The bike has been totally reliable, it has not had a single electrical or mechanical fault in all that time.

I have stuck to the letter of the service schedule and have alway used an authorised Ducati dealer - yes they are expensive to service compared to other bikes - but if looked after they are at least as reliable as any other make.

The only problem that I have had was some 'flakey' paint on the engine cases - this was fixed under warranty and Ducati UK were extremely helpful in sorting out the problem.

If you do get a Monster then soon enough all your mates will be green with envy with all the attention you will get, from bikers and non-bikers alike because Ducatis are just soooooo coool.

[Banshee]

An SV650 every time :rolleyes:

[nik_the_brief]

There are many threads on here replying to exactly the same question. We may be biased in favour of Ducati Monsters (in fact that's certainly the case) but that's because we're right!

Buy one, you'll not regret it - the reliability issues you hear about all come from non Duc owning morons with no experience of actually owning one and hail back to the bad old days when they WERE unreliable!

Servicing is not that bad, for the air cooled models like the 620ie, and you can do virtually all of it yourself if you even know one end of a spanner (allen key) from the other. Being naked there's no expense in having a mechanic strip off all that superfluous plastic even if you do get someone else to do the job for you.

Parts are comparable (if not more reasonable at times) to buy than the equivalent jap bits.

They have soul, style and everybody loves them (even if they won't admit it!).

You'll also find they have the best one make/model owners club you'll find online. Fantastic for advice, general banter and good deals on parts (just ask NattyBoy!)

[singletrack]

You have to decide what you want.
A lovely Italian Masterpiece or
A piece of nasty Japanese Pop Art
Only you can decide. :D

[tony_unn]

It is easy to decide once you have had both, ask anyone who has changed from Jap to Italian or even multi's to twins and you see that 99% never go back.

I have a 620s and I would say that it is superb, reliable, smart and quick enough for me.

A 600 multi is quicker than a 600 twin, that is a fact, but you can only go fast so many times, what many people have found, myself included is that you can park a Ducati in a crowd of jap multis and it will be you who does all of the talking.

If you like the look of something, try it and then buy it.

[Chappers]

I bought my Monster 600 Dark back in September and didn't pass my test til January :eek:

I rode her once in a carpark before I passed and I loved it :D I'm still yet to get out on her this year but my clutch is currently being done along with some other bits :(

I've always wanted a sporty looking Jap bike but PeteS4 convinced me to have a Monnie and there is no way I'd swap it unless I was upgrading to an S4R :)

Like you I'm a short arse so the 600 fits me brilliantly, although I did want a 620 originally but this bike was such a bargain I had to have it there and then :bunny:

Ducati Insurance and Churchill Insurance were the cheapest (£575.00 fully comp), so I didn't think that was bad considering Bennetts quoted me over £1000.00 :mad:

So to conclude my sermon...go for it, just buy it!!!

[slob]

I love V-twins in general and have had Japanese, American and Italian. I can safely say I love my Ducati and the only reason I'd get rid of it in the near future is to make room for another Ducati. Life's too short not to follow your heart!

[Scotty]

if your going with the 620, as in the new generation of monsters, i wouldn't worrie about reliability, and if you are paranoid get AA cover (though the AA are crap)

and to be honnest if you had to regulary repare the beast you would end up knowing a load more about it

id try em all and see what ya like best

'but you knew that already'

[celt]

its not the fastest, its not the most reliable, and its not the cheapest but if you want a bike that is sexy, sounds mindblowing (aftermarket can needed after you hear one) and has mid range and handles then buy a 620ie cause you'll love it.
you already dont like the jap stuff so go with your heart and buy a monster :D

[NattyBoy]

Isnt it funny its all the riceburner owning know alls (whove never probably even sat on a duke) who always say dukes are unreliable..? Ive done 10,000+ miles on 'em and theyve hardly missed a beat.

Servicing is a little pricey..but only if you buy new and your forced through the dealer route. After 2 years, you can go independent, half your costs, and double the quality of service - and like nik said much of it you can do yourself on an aircooled.

Buy it..love it..get complete strangers asking you questions about it and throwing admiring glances at it..and never look back.

Its a lifestyle thing too..I cant be sure but I doubt that youd get the sort of passion you see on this forum on an SV/GSXR/R1 website..theyd all be too busy part exchanging there bikes for the next years model to outdo each other..!!!

Fact is it doesnt matter ive youve got a £750 400 monster, or a tricked up fifteen grand S4R....we all have complete respect and interest for each others bikes..(apart from spacemonkey, Paranoid Dave and Yerbury who keep banging on about my radiator and plumbing..) :lol: :lol:

Look forward to checking out your new italian stallion !!!

Cheers
Nat

[Pedro]

It's all about soul, jap bikes are without a doubt well engineered, reliable and very capable, But they lack personality and soul - Dukes are built with passion.

I have a very early 900 registered in August 93, frame number 1015 of 140,000+ now made and bought it on the spur of the moment 2 years ago, px'ing my ZX6 Kwacker. It was the first one I looked at and I've not regretted a single minute of it. No major reliability issues and a huge amount of fun to ride.

Buy with your heart, not your head and you'll not be sorry.

Oh, and this forum is pretty good too, just watch out for Natty "Six Fingers" who'll be able to relieve of your hard earned for nice shiney bits to bolt to your new pride and joy....:D

Ped

[MrsJel]

I've had jap bikes 400 & 600 - they all started first time, did about 10,000 miles a year, cheap to run, but there was no feel / soul about them. They started me off riding bigger bikes, so no complaints there.

BUT bought a Duc - it starts second time, servicing costs are higher (serves me right for buying new), tank range is a lot less than I was used to - BUT I LOVE IT!!!

[A Yerbury]

have a chat with keith brent, he is in a similar situation and I suspect u have much in common.

[Paranoid Dave]

My beloved Kylie has +12k on clock and any problems she's had in the past have been my fault for the way I've treated her. But like a naughty puppy she always forgives and forgets. Would I part with her - not a chance! Dunno if anyone would buy one with that many personal mods on it, but at least it don't have a bloody great radiator stuck on the front of it. ;)

a little tale... Two firiends of mine both own suzuki's. He had a Busa and she has an SV650. He loved the 'power' or what he thought was power, one day he rode her SV, far less power but a twin. He said "I like the way that pulls round bends - I'm used to feeling power with head down, arse up and nailing the throttle" Next day he blagged a go on a TL1000 for sale and traded his beloved busa (his second one at that) the same afternoon.
The moral to this dull story is size is not everything, neither is top speed or any other stat you will read in a mag. A twin is fantastic and a bike you love is better than any magasine review winner and if you get one I'm sure you're mates will want to try it out. Just make sure you have a camera ready for their expressions when they get back! :D

[froggy]

:twisted: life is too short for living without a monster. 'nuff said....

[MikeG]

I bought an M600 3 1/2 years ago new. Its now done 40k miles. I use it every day for a 30 mile each way commute. It is used every day in ALL weathers, It looks like a 10 year old bike and is absolutely filthy. It gets serviced when I can afford it but most work can be done easilly yourself. I leave the shims and belts to the Dealer. Change the oil often and carry spare plugs and bulbs. It has only failed to start twice. Once was the relay under the seat and the other was a dodgy sidestand switch. Would I buy another? Dead right I would.
Go for it. Faster on the twistys than a lot of Japs would believe, and they do look good.

[Phoenix]

I bought an M600 3 1/2 years ago new. Its now done 40k miles. I use it every day for a 30 mile each way commute. It is used every day in ALL weathers, It looks like a 10 year old bike and is absolutely filthy. It gets serviced when I can afford it but most work can be done easilly yourself. I leave the shims and belts to the Dealer. Change the oil often and carry spare plugs and bulbs. It has only failed to start twice. Once was the relay under the seat and the other was a dodgy sidestand switch. Would I buy another? Dead right I would.
Go for it. Faster on the twistys than a lot of Japs would believe, and they do look good.

Now theres a recommendation if ever I saw one. :)

[DesmoDog]

This is my second monnie, I used to ride when I was young and then never bothered until I saw a 600, booked for the advanced test that afternoon and bought my first as soon as I passed. I sold the last one for money reasons, pined like mad and bought one of the older bikes (a 98) last year. It has its problems, but IMO they are down to poor treatment rather than crap build. Like everyone else has said already, you really do get a lot of attention and it's just a fantastic bike to ride. I haven't stopped grinning. Go for it! We'll see you soon.