Real world cost of ownership - XX9 bikes

[Reus]

Lets say I am to purchase a low mileage (less than 5000, newer than 05) XX9 bike within the next 3 to 4 months. To those of you who actually own a bike like this, what is your real world cost of ownership per year approx.? excluding insurance costs, those vary so much from rider to rider and state to state.

[B_Cebrian]

I wrote this after 20K and two years with my 749. It's now been almost 5 years and 33K miles (work has taken a big bite out of my riding time in my last few years.) The link at the bottom is from my last major service I did at 24K.

The other day on my way to work I looked down and saw the digits “20000” on the odometer readout of my bike. Come the 13th of next month it will be 2 years since I took delivery of my 2003 749 biposto form Redline Motorsports of Yorktown, Virginia. I though it was time I sat down and wrote up my experiences with the modern Ducati Superbike. It’s been the most involving experience of my motorcycling career since my first new motorcycle back in 1982. It hasn’t been all a bed of roses either.

In late 2003 I finally had paid off my truck and had permission to buy a new bike from the home COMMANDER. I had been doing a lot of research on the current crop of middleweight sport bikes, (my last bike, a Harley, had bored me to death) and had narrowed it down to two bikes. The 749 and the Honda 600RR. The rational buy was the Honda, fast, sleek and powerful plus that Honda reliability rep. Unfortunately or fortunately depending on your point of view I sat on the 749. The rest was history, Ducati had its 2.9% promotion going on and my dealer gave it to me at $13K out the door. I rode it home on 13 Dec 2003 singing in my helmet the whole 50 miles home.

The next week was an exercise in frustration. First I use the factory break in procedures so I couldn’t go over 4k then 6k plus that whole snow thing that popped up the day after I put her in the garage. So it took me a while to get the first 600 miles on her. The first night I had her in the garage I used a video cam from my laptop to take a few snap shots of the new bike to send to my friends. Unfortunately the bike came out looking, not hot Ducati Red but PINK. In my haze of happiness I sent them out anyway. My wife then started calling the new bike by that evil name “PINK”, I’ve made the compromise with the wife and she was christened “Rosa”.

The first bump in the rode was that the financing was screwed up between the dealer and the finance company and the first payment was due much earlier than was originally promised. Not really a problem but it did upset me that the dealer told me one thing and the reality was something different. The finance company was really great and the problem was solved in a single phone call. I called the owner of the dealership and he apologized and I got same day turn around on my 600-mile service. It cost me $325. I had my first taste of what the cost of ownership was really going to be.

From there on it was a love relationship for the bike and me. Learning where the power band was. Learning where the roads to ride were. I did my own 3000-mile oil change. I ordered and read cover-to-cover LT Snyder’s service manual. Winter was still full on and I was freezing on my commute to work. I used the bike every day that it wasn’t snowing, raining, or above 35 degrees. My wife found a heavy working mans coverall at a local sporting goods shop that you see road crews wear. It was an extra large and fit over my uniform, and uniform jacket. That and a pair of snowmobile gloves and I’m good down to where ice is a concern. I sewed a Ducati patch I got off e-bay on the back to offset its dirt brown color to give it some motorcycle character.

My 6000 mile service was done at 6500 miles. The dealer sent his truck to pick up my bike for the service and to correct something that had been an issue since delivery. The locator pin for the left switchgear had been broken in shipping and it moved around. That would be replaced at the same time. I didn’t see my bike again for 22 days. This was my first experience with the first come first serve and wait for it policy that seems to permeate almost all Ducati dealers. For the first time I was regretting my purchase of my 749. Mostly for the long delays. On top of that they delivered the bike to me by in transit hey broke the pin in the new switchgear. When I called the dealer he said he had ordered the new part. I rode the bike up to him and they changed it out in about an hour while I waited. The bike did run very good when I got it back. A soon as I was on my bike I forgot all about the wait. (My dealer does very good work)

At about 7000 miles the recall for the oil cooler came out. I called my dealer and he didn’t know anything about it. About 4 days later he called me and told my bike was one that was affected by the recall and he’d call me as soon as he had the parts. The change out took a week. I never had any problem with the original one but why take the chance.

I did the 9000 services and still rode the bike every day, weekend rides and the lot. At 11K miles the stock battery quit. The dealer wanted $90 for an aftermarket. I found one on line for 54$ shipped and became an advocate of using a battery tender. I installed the new battery with the permanent plug run up under the frame work and zip tied where I can plug it in when I park at night and un plug in the morning before work or a ride. Unless you look for it you can’t see it. No more battery problems. Finally the time for the 12 K service came up this past August and at the same time I developed a coolant leak on the upper left hose. I called the Ducati road service line for the first time and my dealer sent his truck. I had the 12K done plus the warranty work. This time it took more than 4 weeks and over a $1000. I was glad that it was my last time using them for routine service. They always do great work but not having my bike for a month for a routine service is excessive and very customer unfriendly.

I did the 15K and the 18K services myself with the help of the Desmo Times manual and website. Plus borrowing a few tools from another .MS member. The bike developed a brake problem on the front that is a-bit weird as it seems to want to be bleed but I can’t get any more air out of the system, despite using almost a full quart of fluid and using all bleed points and banjo bolts. So now the bike is back with the Ducati dealer for him to try and figure it out or maybe a master cylinder replacement. (2 ½ weeks and counting). This is my first real problem with the bike and it’s not really much of a problem.

After 2000 miles and 23 months I have come to a few conclusions about Ducati Superbike ownership. 1. Have a nice well of money if you need your dealer to do any work for you. 2. Doing it yourself is not nearly as hard as many people make it out to be and it is significantly less expensive. 3. Turn in is heavier than the jap bikes but much more stable at speed in the turns than the jap bikes.. 4. Yes you will walk out to the garage to just sit and look at it. 5. Pirelli Diablo Dragon Super Corsa tires are Nirvana. 6. HH brake pads will hurt our nuts on the first application if you are not ready for them. 7. clean your clutch steel plates with a Scotts bright pad every 5K miles. 8. A PCIII, an aftermarket exhaust, and a +3 rear sprocket are necessary to do this engine justice. 9. Being stuck in traffic on this bike is preparation for your time in Hell. 10. Yes you can use a superbike for everything from commuting to track days she will just keep on running reliably and well.

Finshed my 24K maintainance. (long)

[rodericb]

My under 5000km xx9 has cost me about $1.70 per kilometre so far. But that's because I had the thing serviced, changed the belts and the tyres as soon as I got it.

No one here is going to have the same cost per annum for their bike. It depends on the km's covered, the types of tyres used, if any shims have had to be changed and how many, whether it's an R or not, belts are recommended to be changed every two years etcetera. Probably give an estimate on the KM's you'll cover and if you'll do any of the maintenance yourself. xx9's don't have the set service schedule like the 848/1098 and the cost to keep them on the road can be quite variable.

[kaos]

(if your going to have it dealer serviced,and ride 6,000 miles per year i'd budget a 1300 -1500 a year.(not including gas)

[desmo2]

The 6,000 mile service was $800.

The only other related expense has been tires, oil & filters, and gas.

[DMCTRUBY]

This is my 2nd 999 (05 base and now 05 999s). Both have been rock solid. No issues other then clutch bleed to fix stalling. As stated, if you have the dealer do basic service (oil change and the normal checkout) that runs 200 to 300 dollars. Major service at 6,000 & 12,000 miles run 800 to $1200. You can save allot doing yourself. I use a dealer mechanic for the belt & valve check.

The brakes & clutch seem to hold up well, both are easy to do yourself, as is the oil. More expensive to maintain then a ricer, for sure, but not as much as people think.

[Ride]

I've had my 06 749S since last August. Purchased lightly used with 3950 on the clock. New battery and tender around $225. Had the 6000 service done at just over 5000 as I wanted everything in spec and spot on. Service was $1200 and was very thorough. Belt tension was way off and 5 out of 8 valves were off spec too. Replaced the belts and anything else that looked marginal. Installed a Nemesis ECU $1400. Dyno tune, new tires and a carbon fibre hugger two weekends ago $1000. Now I've got it 100% dead on. I budgeted for the extra service and like knowing there's no unknown issues with the bike now. It cost me a little more up front but now I know the bike has been gone through top to bottom and all I've got to do is wait for spring and ride the hell out of it.

[Silversled]

I've had my 2006 999S almost a year. So far my unexpected expenses have been:
- Send leaking Ohlins steering damper off to Ohlins USA for rebuild : $130
- Replace original battery: $120

I completed the 6000mi service a few months ago myself. Discounting the cost of all the tools which will be amortised over several services and Ducatis, the parts cost me from $300-$400. My local dealer charges $1200 on average for a full service.

It's been cheap to own so far but in 2009 the bike will need clutch and brake master cylinders (reservoirs are starting to seep fluid) and a new clutch basket (rattle, rattle).

[DMCTRUBY]

Yep, those Brembo clutch masters have an issue with allowing air to get in. I forgot about that exp. I tried replacing just the fluid res (you can buy that for $12), but the leak is somewhere inside the lever mechanism. I'd rather just replace it, so I'll be spending a few hundred on that soon :-) For now it's just needs a good bleed every few weeks.

Originally Posted by Silversled

I've had my 2006 999S almost a year. So far my unexpected expenses have been:
- Send leaking Ohlins steering damper off to Ohlins USA for rebuild : $130
- Replace original battery: $120

I completed the 6000mi service a few months ago myself. Discounting the cost of all the tools which will be amortised over several services and Ducatis, the parts cost me from $300-$400. My local dealer charges $1200 on average for a full service.

It's been cheap to own so far but in 2009 the bike will need clutch and brake master cylinders (reservoirs are starting to seep fluid) and a new clutch basket (rattle, rattle).

[gnuoyfj]

Had my '05 999S for 2 years now, and it has 24,000km on it. Except for fork rebuild ($130), I have done valves, clutch, belts etc. myself, so parts only costs. Not bad at all (the full upgraded clutch assembly was the most expensive thing, ~ $700). I think the original owner trashed the OEM clutch, as the new one has run sweet for 9,000 km, and the original was crap at 5,000...I was just too cheap to replace it until 15,000 km.