I am currently looking into buying either an MV Agusta or a Ducati motorcycle, and I am unsure of their reliability as I have no experience with either brand. Can anybody tell me if they have had any good or bad experiences with either brand. Please don't waste my time telling me to buy a Japanese crotch rocket, nothing personal, but everybody and their brother rides a Jap bike, and I want something unique.
2006-09-13 11:11:13 · 14 answers · asked by atvman_400 5 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Motorcycles
G_man you schmuck you own a 996s. Damn you dont even know what bikes you own. Buying a Ducati apparently makes you brain dead as well.
2006-09-16 20:34:08 · answer #1 · answered by moolie_wfo 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It really depends more on the model and if you're going with a new or used one.
The newer Ducati Monster lineup is darned-near bullet-proof. They do still have a short service interval compared to the Japanese models, mainly because of the desmodromic valvetrain design. If you do the maintenance when you're supposed to, they're a very long-lived machine.
The Agusta Brutale has a good record, and seems to be about as trouble free as the Monster - but there's fewer of them out there, so it's tougher to spot trends.
The race models from both companies are a different story. Ducati, MV and Aprilia are the very few companies that actually allow the average joe to purchase a full-on race bike and slap a license plate on it. The downside? The bikes are really designed to be raced one season, then thrown away. If you ride alot of miles, you will be spending mucho lira on keeping that Italian stallion happy.
I would never purchase a used Italian bike - unless I really knew that the maintenance had been done at the proper intervals. No matter how gentle the rider treated the bike, if a Ducati doesn't get its 6,000 mile valve adjustment - it gets ugly.
If you tour, Ducati dealerships are a little easier to find. If you plan on spending most of your time riding local roads, then that's not as much of an issue.
We own 3 Ducatis currently, have owned one F4 and numerous other Italian bikes over the years - we also have multiple modern and vintage jap & brit bikes.
I love the Ducs, and will always ride my Monster over anything else in the stable. My wallet cringes every time it goes in for a tune up, but it's never had even one problem out on the road - we do long tours, short scoots, everything in-between.
Short and sweet answer?
For reliability, joy, and fun, buy a new Monster.
For excitement, sheer sex-appeal, and absolutely neck swapping head turning sweetness, go with an Agusta.
2006-09-14 20:28:35 · answer #2 · answered by ducatisti 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I own a Ducati 996R and have owned Ducati's for many years, and I have never had any problems with them. But I also own Japanese bikes and never have problems with them either. I will tell you that everything for the Ducati cost a lot more than the others,so keep that in mined. If you can not afford to service the bike the way it is supposed to be, then I would go with the Japanese bikes.
2006-09-15 19:22:54 · answer #3 · answered by g_man 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My Brother recently bought a Ducati Monster. It was a toss up between that and the MV Agusta. He'd have been happy either way, and eventually just told his wife to pick one. He's very knowlegable about Italian bikes, also owns 2 '70s Laverdas and he told me that at gunpoint, he'd have chosen the Duke over the MV.
2006-09-13 23:27:14 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I owned a '96 900sscr for 5 years. The bike rode and handled great. It was horrible for maintenance though. Starter solenoid slipped it's mount once shorted to the frame and cooked the battery leaving me stranded. I put a small luggage rack on the back without any modifications to the bike itself. It weighed 30lbs loaded at most. It cracked the frame after 300 miles. Valve adjustments are a beech and 3/4. 5 years after I bought it I was rear-ended while coming to a stop at an intersection in broad daylight. I had minor injuries only. Bike had bent frame and rear wheel and both exhausts broken. Insurance totaled it for $7,800. Only $800 less than I paid for it brand new in '96.
2006-09-16 02:01:38 · answer #5 · answered by Ron Allen 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I had a Martix Reloaded Ducati 998. I loved the bike to death. The one thing I did like, was the ride. It felt like my R1, just riding on top of the bike. One thing with these bikes is, it will take a while to get the suspension adjusted to the way you like it. I did have a lot of problems with the electrical stuff. Some days it would start on one try and others it would take 5-6 times to get it started.
2006-09-13 18:40:22 · answer #6 · answered by ajponu 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'd go with the Ducati Monster. It is a hella fierce bike! I have had nothing but good experiences with the Monster.
2006-09-13 18:20:02 · answer #7 · answered by Demon Doll 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you truly want something unique. I have a one owner 1975 850 Norton Commando in like new condition(less than 7000 miles) that I'd like to sell.
2006-09-17 12:12:15 · answer #8 · answered by Daniel H 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Once had a Ducatti with desmodromic valve system. It was great while it ran , then it was hard to fix. Italian bikes are like British bikes , run great look great then kaboom. Go Japanese .
2006-09-13 18:16:38 · answer #9 · answered by samssculptures 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Either one is a "hot" bike, but you had better be rich or a good mechanic to keep the maintenance up so it runs properly.
2006-09-13 18:15:47 · answer #10 · answered by gary o 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋