AgreedOriginally Posted by Clovis
I have been riding since May 2007 -- until April, I had owned 5 bikes, exclusively Yamahas.
(2007 R1, 2007 FZ6, 2006 FJR, 2009 FZ1, 2008 FJR) and bike #6 is a 2010 Ducati Multistrada S - Electronic Ohlins suspension w/ the Ohlins semi-active suspension module.
The Yamahas are all great bikes -- relatively inexpensive, the best service intervals and great all-rounders.
The Ducati on the other hand feels very much like a premium sport bike. The look, the handling, the sound, the power. To put it in car terms it's like upgrading from a Corvette to a Ferrari.
But the Ducati should be better - it's double the cost of the Yamaha bikes... even used at 5 years the Ducati was the most expensive bike I've purchased - was even more than my 07 R1 brand new out the door. The used Ducati cost exactly double what I paid for my used 09 FZ1.
But, Ducati comes at a price of expensive maintenance. Last weekend, a few of us were out for a ride and we noticed I was puddling fork oil -- so to have the seals redone means a trip to Denver and $280 (better than Fey Myers who quoted $413 in labor and $120-170 in parts.) Then there's the 15K mile service which runs $900 to $1500 depending on which shop you take it to. An annual expense some years.
But that's the price which comes with having a red bike with the word "Ducati" emblazened on it.
I think my next bike will be a 2015 Multistrada, a couple years down the road.
Clovis
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