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I recently came up on a deal that has made me think about swapping out my sv650 for a Ducati scrambler café racer. My sv650 has about 25k on it and kbb says it’s worth about 2k. I bought it used, I haven’t put a whole lot of miles on it, but it has been pretty reliable so far, and I haven’t had a major issues. I bought it second hand, it was my first bike, I have dropped it once or twice, but it is in really good condition, and I have had frame sliders on it since I bought it (thank you guys for the recommendation on what to get!). Recently though, I saw a 2017 scrambler café racer that was dropped, it has a lot of scrapes on the exhaust, paint damage on the tank/engine cover, and a few dents. Something that if you wanted a perfect looking bike might annoy you, but I don’t care about too much. There was some damage to the right handlebar (already fixed), the tach (needs new glass, I can probably do this myself), and the signals (I can do this myself). The thing is it’s a 2017 with 2k miles on it for $3.5k. There’s no other body/frame damage, and it supposedly runs/drives fine (I will have to verify). I am in NYC so most of my driving will be in shorter spurts, I like how the SV handles for the most part, I do not want a stiffer super sporty suspension, but I am also not looking for cruiser type of ride, that is too soft. It looks like the power/weight are about the same on both bikes so I am not worried about that being crazy different. I really like the look of the café racer. I kinda like that the bike is damaged because it A) lowers the price, but mostly B) makes me feel less bad about my bike being in the city and eventually being mistreated if I go somewhere and someone decides to knock it over because they had a bad day or something. What I am asking is: 1. What are the general opinions on Ducati’s? 2. Outside of the fact that I love the way the bike looks am I going to regret this purchase from a reliability standpoint? 3. I know that parts are more expensive, how is the general maintenance on Ducati bikes, will I need to constantly adjust valves or something else? I don’t mind keeping up with a maintenance schedule, as along as it is within reason. 4. Any other thoughts/ things I should note? 5. Is it super uncomfortable to ride compared to the SV? 6. If a can’t schedule a ride with the owner can I get one from a dealership to see what a scrambler rides like? I have never been on one. If it helps so far I have ridden: 1. A friends GSX-R 600 - the suspension was too harsh for me to want to daily, plus the riding position and the way the power was kinda non existent low down but then crazy towards the top end. It was not something I would enjoy on the street/doesn’t fit how I would like to ride 2. A friends Moto Guzzi V7 – Cool looking bike, I was super afraid to drop it so I took it very easy, and I did like it. The weight of the bike was a little off to me, but that might be because I am a newb, I could probably get used to it. 3. A friends Vulcan 750 - Nice enough, but I am not into cruisers 4. Two or three other bikes, that I don’t remember, but were not at all similar to a scrambler. Some 250cc stuff, and another racing bike. EDIT: Spelling EDIT 2: I should also mention I am on the shorter side, in order to fit the SV decently I wound up buying a second seat and cutting some foam out. At 5'6" I was on my tippy toes when stopped, this helped a bit, IDK if it's a consideration, but it seems like I am about 2-4" too short for most bikes. I don't think it should be a huge concern with the Ducati, but I am guessing I will have to do something similar. MasterOSkillio fucked around with this message at 20:52 on Oct 26, 2020 |
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Oct 26, 2020 20:33
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| # ? Apr 25, 2024 19:00 |
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MasterOSkillio posted:1. What are the general opinions on Ducati’s? 1. they rule. the scrambler is their coolest bike outside of the hypermotard imho 2. that depends on what shape the bike is in. photos would help greatly. you’re several thousand miles away from needing a first major service which is good, but how do you feel about the owner? did they do the first oil change at 1000mi or whatever ducati recommends? 3. first major service (desmo) bills 4.5hr at the dealership I believe. at least that’s what I am pretty sure I was quoted when I was looking at multis before I bought my SAR, so multiply that by whatever your local dealer bills and you can have a rough estimate of what you’ll pay for a major service if you do not do your own work. the youtube university can teach you everything you need to know for the major service if you own a service manual and have turned a wrench a few times in your life 4. show us some photos. any extraneous electrical poo poo and I would not touch it with a ten foot pole. nothing is worse than seeing some fog lights and then getting errors later on when the dipshit PO used a scotchlock to power them 5. I do not find cafe racers particularly comfortable and I am not old. do you like the cafe racer position? if so then you’ll enjoy it. it’s not horrible, just not my preference 6. some ducati dealers do demo weekends. I can almost guarantee they’ll have a demo scrambler. a regular scrambler will obviously feel different due to your handlebar position, but the seat height and general feel should let you know if you actually dig it that’s a lot of personal questions. really, I’d just sit on one and see if you like it. find a dealer doing demos, and if you enjoy it, you can always buy a tipped over one some other time, but photos of the bike you’re interested in would help a lot
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Oct 27, 2020 02:36
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MasterOSkillio posted:
do it do it do it do it do it 1. do it 2. They're Italian. That being said, I've heard the Scramblers are among the more reliable Ducatis/Italian vehicles/motorcycles 3. Like noted above, the initial service was something like $350 for me, which included plugging it into a computer and doing software things. But they said it would be good for 7k miles (other than tires, chain lube, etc.) 4. do it do it do it do it 5. I've never ridden an SV, but I have a screw in my leg that is right in line with my hamstring, causing noticeable pain when I bend my leg too far, or for too long. I have not had any problems on my Scrambler, and put about 120 miles on a rental in one day to ensure I wouldn't have issues. 6. Obviously YMMV but check Eagle Rider. They have Scramblers around me, and that's exactly what I did - rented it for a weekend through Eagle, then bought one immediately after returning the rental. It's very much a bike for shorter people. I'm 5'9 and have no problem at all, but couldn't in good conscious recommend it to anyone over, say, 5'11. A buddy of mine is 6'2 and it's like being crammed into an overhead compartment for him. At 5'6 I wouldn't expect you have any problems. Frankly I think you'd find it perfect. If you check my post history I'm a big Harley Davidson fan, so my pool of experience is kind of limited, but I bought a Scrambler because it's much more of a motorcycle than my HD. That said, it's on almost the complete opposite end of the spectrum. You can get on the highway with it and get up to speed on an 800 no problem, but I wouldn't really recommend it. For NYC it's probably perfect. But it's also incredibly light (again - in comparison) so it's probably pretty steal-able. I'd make sure you can bolt it to the ground or stow it in a garage or something. 2k miles on these bikes is basically brand new. In summary: do it do it do it do it do it
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Oct 27, 2020 14:16
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It will not be as reliable as your sv650. Not because the scramblers are necessarily unreliable, it’s just that “more reliable than an sv650” is an extremely high bar to cross for any bike, Ducati or otherwise
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Oct 27, 2020 14:18
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I'm contemplating a Ducati Monster 796 2013. It's done 10,531 miles. £4,495 is the out the door price. How is the Monster 796 to maintain and service? Any thoughts about the ride and comfort?
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Oct 27, 2020 16:18
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Steakandchips posted:I'm contemplating a Ducati Monster 796 2013. It's done 10,531 miles. £4,495 is the out the door price. I rode one while my friend rode my Honda VTR, it was in the city, in the summer and it was unbearable, once we got outside, it felt ...in a word.. delicious. I’d say it’s like if Ferrari made a Mustang competitor: affordable, full of character and full of occasion but like most things with occasion, I’d never have one as a daily rider. I can still feel my thigh hot when I think about that day.
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Oct 27, 2020 17:49
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right arm posted:1. they rule. the scrambler is their coolest bike outside of the hypermotard imho This is pretty good advice, I think I will contact the dealership that is close to me and see if I can setup a ride in the very near future. Strife posted:
I am actually super hyped about this too, I am trying pretty hard not to get too attached to the idea of picking up this bike. Jim Silly-Balls posted:It will not be as reliable as your sv650. Not because the scramblers are necessarily unreliable, it's just that more reliable than an sv650 is an extremely high bar to cross for any bike, Ducati or otherwise Thanks! that is a really good to way to put that. I feel a bit better about this.
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Oct 27, 2020 18:05
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MasterOSkillio posted:This is pretty good advice, I think I will contact the dealership that is close to me and see if I can setup a ride in the very near future. yeah even if they're not doing demos I'm sure they'll let ya swing a leg over one. pretty sure they're their best selling model (the scrambler, not the cafe subtype) so they ought to have one on the floor if they're not stupid if you like how it feels sitting on it I can almost guarantee you'll love how it rides. you obviously know that v twins rule so I think chances are good you'd love a scrambler since they are far cooler than any suzuki just get a feel for the owner of the downed bike and if he doesn't seem like a dipshit then you'll probably be fine. it's hard to truly gently caress up a bike in 2000mi
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Oct 27, 2020 19:01
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UPDATE: I checked back in with the guy to see if I could get some pictures of the damage to post them here, and someone already bought it sight unseen! drat, I knew it was a good deal. I feel kinda dumb for waiting a weekend from when I heard about it saw it on Friday. I wanted to look into the background of the bike and see if I could source replacement parts. Now I wish that I had impulse bought it. I have seen a few on the street and really like the look. Either way I called my local dealer to see if I can ride my SV in and maybe sit on one for real, and hopefully get a test ride. Thanks for all the help guys! EDIT: spelling MasterOSkillio fucked around with this message at 21:37 on Oct 27, 2020 |
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Oct 27, 2020 19:47
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right arm posted:I think chances are good you'd love a scrambler since they are far cooler than any suzuki  *starts spreadsheet*
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Oct 27, 2020 21:03
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Lol when I called the dealer they said they didn't have any demo bikes because since COVID started people in NYC are avoiding the trains and buying bikes like crazy. So no rides in the near future, he said I was more then welcome to come in and sit on one though. :/ I told him to keep my number on file just encase a demo bike becomes available. I guess I will make it a point to stop by when I am on my bike in Manhattan on an errand again. Maybe it might be wroth it to see if there's a rental place that has one, to see what the bike rides like just to be absolutely sure I will like it. That way if I catch wind of another crazy deal again I can confidently jump on it.
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Oct 27, 2020 21:42
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Don't feel bad. You could have just as easily jumped on the deal and it was a nightmare bike. It could still be a nightmare bike that you just saved yourself from. I impulse bought a ducati monster once because it was a screaming deal and pretty much instantly regretted it. Nice bike, just not for me. In the meantime you still have a sweet Suzuki to ride! And next year the economy is gonna implode and you can trade food rations for all those bikes everyone impulse bought this year.
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Oct 27, 2020 22:13
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Coydog posted:Don't feel bad. You could have just as easily jumped on the deal and it was a nightmare bike. It could still be a nightmare bike that you just saved yourself from. I impulse bought a ducati monster once because it was a screaming deal and pretty much instantly regretted it. Nice bike, just not for me. Yeah, you're right, it's just a very familiar deal in my eyes. In 2014 I got my 2008 naked SV650 for $2k, the previous owner just wanted it gone ASAP, he had a parking space in Manhattan, he wanted a more powerful bike and needed to get rid of it. I worked around the block and was the first one there with my friend who knew enough to ok the deal. It was in decent shape, fairly clean with only a few small scuffs, a cracked tach (which I fixed), bad radiator fan (fixed), and a dent in the tank (not fixed). It was an awesome deal for a bike that has been good to me for years. I can't really complain. I have to say though, the 2017 Ducati scrambler café racer with the gold wheels, and twin exhaust is super sexy and for 3.5k? I can't help that I was starting to feel hyped about it. I do like how the SV handles, and I even kinda like how the naked bike looks from the front (the rear and the trunk I often thought looked to racey on the naked for no reason). I think that the retro, while still at the same time kind of future look of the Ducati cafe racer really stands out and draws me to it. It also doesn't hurt that there us an added bonus that everyone keeps saying I will love how it handles as well. I a hoping to be able to get to ride an Icon or scrambler and see how I like them, it doesn't seem like it will happen soon. Who knows maybe I'll get lucky and see another deal, because yeah you're right as the economy implodes there's no way I am buying a 10-15k new scrambler!
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Oct 28, 2020 02:23
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right arm posted:3. first major service (desmo) bills 4.5hr at the dealership I believe. Desmo service ran into the four bill territory ($1k+) for a Multi, at least here in the midwest. I don't remember the # of hours quoted but they weren't charging $250/hr plus parts and supplies. Not sure if the costs would be similar for a Scrambler, but dealer Desmo services are typically pricey compared to required standard maintenance costs for most any other bike. You might find an indy mechanic like Slavvy who can do the work and won't ask for your first born child in exchange
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Oct 28, 2020 03:56
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Jazzzzz posted:You might find an indy mechanic like Slavvy who can do the work and won't ask for your first born child in exchange I thought it was that and his eternal hatred of KTM that sustained him?
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Dec 24, 2020 14:39
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| # ? Apr 25, 2024 19:00 |
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Haven't tried the scrambler, just the monster 796. But imho the suzukis are more exciting to ride. You might like the Ducati better, and the scrambler is another bike after all, but don't buy it without having tried it. There will be a day again when you can test ride them!
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Dec 26, 2020 00:09
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