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Found New Noncurrent 999s, Seeking Advice

8K views 76 replies 26 participants last post by  jahjah 
#1 ·
Hello everyone. It's 2017, and I have come across a brand new non-current 999s for sale. I must say it's my favorite Ducati model and I am very tempted to buy it. But before I do that I need to do some research and if anyone can provide experience or advice with the following questions, I would really appreciate it...

1. What problems can I expect from a new bike that has been sitting this long(10 yrs!)?

2. Can I expect a warranty?

3. What should I ask the dealer about the bike?(i.e. replace fluids?, tires?, belts? etc.)

4. Can I expect this thing to last?(because I plan on keeping it forever; wanted one ever since i was in high school).

Thanks for any replies or advice. And sorry in advance if this topic has been discussed at length. I tried searching what to look for when buy new-non current bikes, but couldn't find anything.
 
#2 ·
You can't have your cake and eat it as well. If you ride it like it should be it, or anything else, won't last. 2000km a year and it will outlast you. Nobody can say how long it will last or what will brake. If it's bought through a dealer then you need to talk to them about if it will have warranty. What anyone here will tell you is pure speculation. If it's been left in its crate and away from humility and salt then and no battery fitted then I can't see that anything can have deteriorated. Change belts and tires and fluids and all should be good.
 
#4 ·
Plus 1 re. everything "x" just said... replace everything that has any type of rubber as a component, e.g. tires, belts, etc. and once you start riding on a regular basis keep an eye on the forks and rear damper for any leaking seals. You're not going to get any kind of warranty from Ducati, but as X pointed out, if you are purchasing this from a dealer you may be able to arrange something with them. Other than that, ride well, and take comfort in the knowledge that via this forum you have access to a wealth of experience with regard to setup, maintenance and repair.

Congrats on what is most definitely a rare find.
Thanks for the replies! As far as replacing all fluids, does that extend to the forks as well? Otherwise all I can think of is oil, brake fluid, and coolant.

I'll be making a call to the dealer this afternoon and will post what they say.
 
#3 ·
Plus 1 re. everything "x" just said... replace everything that has any type of rubber as a component, e.g. tires, belts, etc. and once you start riding on a regular basis keep an eye on the forks and rear damper for any leaking seals. You're not going to get any kind of warranty from Ducati, but as X pointed out, if you are purchasing this from a dealer you may be able to arrange something with them. Other than that, ride well, and take comfort in the knowledge that via this forum you have access to a wealth of experience with regard to setup, maintenance and repair.

Congrats on what is most definitely a rare find.
 
#5 ·
Hello everyone. It's 2017, and I have come across a brand new non-current 999s for sale. I must say it's my favorite Ducati model and I am very tempted to buy it. But before I do that I need to do some research and if anyone can provide experience or advice with the following questions, I would really appreciate it...
Dunbar Euro sports? I know he had a couple crated and stashed for a while..
Make sure you make it clear you're going to ride it, they should do belts, oil, coolant brake fl. and fork seals are known to go from sitting dry for so long. Would not hold my breath for a warranty much better than a 10/10 warranty..
10 feet or 10 minutes :grin2:
 
#6 ·
Thanks for the tips.

No, its a dealership in St. Louis MO(Donelson Cycles). They have a 2007 Team USA 999S for sale. They're close(~20 miles) to where I live, which makes it even tougher to not go out and buy it.

Haven't called yet but will see what they can offer as far as any warranty. Should the lack of one significantly affect price?
 
#11 ·
Although it hasn't been ridden, it still has a history that would be good to understand. If it's truly sat on MSO at the dealer since new they may have some options in terms of what they could do to freshen it up and/or offer a warranty. Oftentimes bikes like this are ones that were bought by a private collector and then find their way back to a dealer that originally sold it...in those cases the dealer likely has less ability to freshen up the bike and/or offer the warranty without an incremental cost (but that in turn impacts the value of the bike itself). If it was in the hands of a private individual, it might be good to see if you can understand how many times it exchanged hands, was it kept in a environmentally controlled space or was it in the back of a barn since new, etc.

+1 to what everyone else said...if you plan to ride it new tires, oil, coolant, brake/clutch fluid, fork seals, new battery, etc. If it was sitting that whole time with fuel in the tank it might be worth considering replacing the fuel filter and the internal fuel tank lines.

Take care of it and will last a long, long time.
 
#14 ·
That is a Parts Unlimited 2007 999s, possibly the last new one in the world. They have had it since 2007. They also have several other non-current Ducatis like Monsters and Hypermotards and a couple 1199 Panigales (one red '14 and one '14 S in flat black last time I was there).

I would not assume you will get some great deal on the PU 999s, they retailed for $17k+, unclear how much they will come down on the bike, $14k is my guess. Go through their museum while you are there, they have the last brand-new never-titled '91 851 SP3 in North America. That bike sat in their window for years unsold at $22k, eventually they moved it to museum. Front CF fender turned green, the epoxy used did not have UV stabilizer and when it spends thousands of hours facing south in a plate glass window you can see what happens.

As for warranty, not sure why there would not be warranty on the 999s. It has never been titled and is being sold by a Ducati dealer. It is two years IIRC from the date of purchase.

As for having them replace all the rubber parts on their dime, good luck. I suspect they will tell you pound sand. You might get a discounted belt change and a set of tires at their cost but do not hold your breath.

2007 Ducati Superbike 999sTeam USA for sale in Saint Ann, MO | Donelson Cycles-St. Ann 800-325-4144
 
#16 ·
It's good to know that I might get a price lower than the one they have advertised.

If you are in that market with that kind of budget maybe consider an "R"?

Not mine, but pretty darn nice:
https://orlando.craigslist.org/mcy/6046281851.html

t_bare
The fact that this is a new bike is whats doing it. It's like...my dream bike, 10 years later and new! The planets have aligned for me, lol.
 
#17 ·
Fwiw, I recently purchased a 749R with 275 original miles. The bike had been prepped and stored properly.

To bring it back to life, all of the fluids, including forks and shock, were replaced. Specific to the fork and shock, the seals were cracked and the fluid was bad. The belts and tires were also replaced. I replaced the clutch/brake reservoirs and rubber hoses to be safe. Wheel and chassis bearings were checked to ensure that the grease had not hardened. The tank was checked for rust petrol sludge.

I'd suggest keeping in mind that just because the bike has been stored since new, doesn't mean that the bike is "new". Your safety depends on ensuring that all systems operate properly.
 
#18 ·
I just talked to a dealer rep, and they said they drained all of the fluids out of it and its been that way since 2007. would that eliminate the fear of rust petrol sludge, and rubber hose wear?

im getting closer and closer to buying this thing...i hope!
 
#22 ·
By the time you are done, $17k + the cost of renewing everything, you will be close to the cost of the 2014 1199S they have. Mosey on back to the east wing of the dealership where they have the used bikes and keep the two noncurrent Panigales. Not a fan at all of satin black, but that Pani is sinister and awesome. $20k ($5k off) I think these days.
 
#23 ·
Not the same bike and not entirely the same situation, but late last summer I bought a 900SSie from a dealer that had been sitting at the dealer room for more than 7 years. It had under 6000 miles on the clock and was like new. All original tires, chain, sprockets etc. still on. It had been stored inside the shop in normal but stable room temp. It had its 6000 mile service back seven years ago before put away.

The dealer would not budge on price and did not want to change belts or anything. He was a previous authorised Ducati dealer and believed that the max 2 year belt change was overrated and because the belts had been changed at the 6000 mile service and hence was new, and because they had turned the motor once in a while, in his opinion the belts were fine.

Well, if I wanted the bike I just had to take it or leave it. This was a 2002 900SSie Senna, which is a special model year with some goodie parts on it, and not many of those existed in such a mint condition, so I just had to fork out the money.

I did get 6 months 100% warranty so I assumed the dealer was not going to sell me something that was not well kept and stored, otherwise it would be expensive for the dealer.

OK, So I bought the bike (took it for a long test ride and checked the bike for leaks before and after, all was good and the bike ran perfect) and then rode it for about 1600 miles before putting it away for the winter. I bought in the late summer, and riding season is short here in Denmark.

But when I got the bike home, I immediately changed the belts and oil and oil filter. Then I just simply took it for some long rides and I let it warm up before and was very gentle with it. Wanted everything to settle in nice and easy. Always checking for leaks in case seals etc. had gone bad.

But it ran fine with no leaks or any other mishaps. Before putting it away for the winter I took it for a good long ride, changed the oil and filter and parked it on stands inside. Now the new season is nearing and during the winter I have changed tires, all fluids, fork oil, chain and sprockets (wanted different gearing), spark plugs and only needs a valve check to complete things.

I hope it will start and stay good. My main concern is oil leaks due to seals that have gone bad due to a long dormant period.

Also to see what a long 7 years dormant period followed by a short period of running then winter dormant for 6 months and then start again will affect the bike.

I guess with bikes that have been sitting for a long time, whether new or low miles, there is always an element of uncertainty. What has not stood the tide of time well? Unfortunately seals and rubber parts are the most proned to go first if not stored in adequate and stable temps. And maybe even then.

Even though it adds to the cost of the bike, I guess there is no other way than changing all the things suggested and then ride it gently the first miles and see if anything developes so it can be detected and remedied quickly.

OK, long story short, I would change all filters and fluids, tires and spark plugs. And then just deal with issues as/ if they occur.

Guess there is nothing more to do, if the dealer does not want to do some of it or provide some warranty on the bike.

If it is your dream bike and they are rare in such new condition, you really only need to look at your financial and mechanical capacities to assess whether you are able to do those things and deal with possible issues later on.
 
#24 ·
The challenge with this bike is that the best audience is probably a collector who's looking for a zero mile bike. This bike fits that bill perfectly and there's not many to choose from, so a collector who's after one would likely be willing to pay a premium (depends on whether that person is out there at this very moment, and depends on how eager the dealer is to sell it). In your scenario you'd need to pay a premium (presumably) for a zero mile bike, but because you want to ride it you then need to invest heavily in refreshing all of the pertinent bits...and then once you put a few thousand miles on it the bike will be worth the market price that any other low mileage, pristine bike would be worth - - which may be quite a bit less than what you would have wrapped up in it. Food for thought, but if you love the 999 you likely could find a low mileage, pristine R model (with an exhaust upgrade, which these days is a bit hard/expensive to find...especially the 57 mm system) for an investment that would be south of the total investment for a zero mile bike that comes with a price premium, needs refreshing, and about 7 minutes into owning it you'll be longing for an exhaust upgrade as well.

But...if it's at the top of your want list and wouldn't be a bike you're looking to turn around and sell soon, do it for the love of it rather than what the economics tell you. I've done that before and can't say that I've ever regretted it :)
 
#25 ·
thanks, salkin, for providing your personal experience buying a sitting a model.

xlr8r, its definitely at the top of my list and I plan on keeping it forever.

forgot to mention the dealer said it would come with a standard 2 year Ducati warranty. So if anything fails I'd be covered. but I should still get the rubber parts replaced before taking it right? (ive only had the dealer give me a quote on tires)

should I lean even more towards buying it, since it comes with a warranty?
 
#26 ·
I didn't doubt it would come with a warranty. The warranty starts when a new bike is titled. This is why you see dealer demo rides with miles on it come with a new warranty when its sold.

What I am unsure about is if rubber parts will be warrantied. ie: fork seals, belts etc. Those are parts designed to wear. Hoses that leak should be covered though.

fwiw, I like the 999 series bike too but for $17k I have other bikes higher up on the list, especially if you are planning on riding it. This is more of a personal thing though.
 
#29 ·
I asked the rep if those things(fork seals, belts, etc.) would be covered and they said that all rubber components, except tires, would be covered. i believe him, but haven't read the fine print in an actual Ducati warranty. im assuming they're all the same so i can read up on it?
 
#27 ·
I think you've already made up your mind :).

I can certainly understand the appeal of this bike. Personally, even though I plan to ride the snot out of them, I seek out very low mileage bikes. Whether the bike is 5, 10, or 20 years old, I like the idea of having a near-new bike. I accept that I'll pay a premium that I'll never recover. But in my mind these are toys, not investments.

If you're of a like mind, buy it and enjoy it. It'll likely be a while before you see another.
 
#28 ·
If you are actually going to ride your bike regularly, dont buy this one.

Its WAY overpriced for a street ridden bike.

Find one used and well cared for- you can find them for less than $9k.

Look at this search on Cycletrader: https://www.cycletrader.com/Ducati-...&modelkeyword=1&sort=featured:asc&radius=150&

2006 999r for under $8k. 2006 999s for $7.5k.

$17k is just ridiculous, in my opinion.

Ive got a 999s, and think its a fantastic bike...but $17k? Crazy.

Again, just my opinion.
 
#33 ·
im going to add, ive only talked to one salesperson...so im hoping I can negotiate something lower...I figure asking over the phone wont show that im a serious buyer, so ill see what can happen this afternoon or tomorrow in person.

thanks for all the new input.

stupid feelings overpowering common sense, lol.
 
#37 ·
I'd pay $17K for that exact bike. It doesn't strike me as crazy, since it's new.

nike_air go for it man! Don't let nay-sayers bring you doubt. It's a sick bike. I love my 999s, it's truly amazing to ride and yeah, maybe it's not as performant as a panigale but no one buys a 999 today because they can't afford a panigale. They buy a 999 because they WANT a 999. And the only thing that could be better than the one you find is to find a crated 999R with zero miles.

I would definitely change all the rubber items as the others said. The coolant hoses as well... put some samcos on that baby!

hope it works out for you, post some pics, and enjoy!

Cheers,
D.
 
#40 ·
since it's new.
It's new NOW but as soon as he rides it off the lot, it's just another 10 year old bike. If you're gonna keep it in the crate, put it in a museum, or hang it on your living room wall, then you're preserving the value. If you're going to ride it, then the very thing that makes it valuable (it's brand newness) is going to vaporize.

This isn't commentary on whether a 999 is a better bike than an (actual) new Panigale or whatever, it's just a fact. Buying this bike, and then riding it, is pretty much equivalent to buying a super nice clean low-mile 999 for, say, $10k and then lighting $7k on fire. Or maybe more like $8k or $9k by the time you service this bike and get it road-worthy.

If you really really want to do this, then go ahead. But there are lots of great clean low mile 999's out there just begging to be ridden, and I'm sure you can think of something fun to do with the rest of your money.
 
#38 ·
I kind of agree with some of the above people, for a rider. For a museum, this would be a real find. I'd think it a bit of a shame, actually, to take such a pristine and unusual example, and muss it up. For myself, if I wanted such a thing, I'd be specifically avoiding any examples like this, because I know I'd take it right out, and ride the hell out of it, and it would look scruffy af in pretty short order. I'm thinking about getting a 998 at some point, and when I do, I'll be looking for ridden examples with visible wear, because it would be silly for me to spend money on a fancy shiny example if I'm not going to keep it that way. YMMV.

PhilB
 
#42 ·
I enjoyed hanging out there, dug the museum, and bought a fair bit of accessories and gear there, while I was working in St. Louis last year. I considered one of their used bikes -- a very tidy 2008 Moto-Guzzi Norge -- but I still have several other contenders to test before I actually pull the trigger on a sport-tourer.

But Donelson's is known for not bargaining on bikes, pretty much ever. Which is *why* they have quite a few "leftovers" there, some for several years. If the price on the tag makes you happy, you're good to go. If not, don't expect to get much out of trying to haggle.

PhilB
 
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#43 ·
I don't think $17k is unreasonable, if you want it and can afford it then I say buy it and ride it - that's what bikes are for. I see no point in keeping a pristine bike in a collection in the living room, who are you keeping them nice for? - someone like me that will ride the shit out of it after I buy it from your estate. :D

I keep my bikes in the best condition possible but I buy them to ride and as such am not precious about them looking new. The same with keeping them stock, if I find a mod that improves the bike then I'll do it. In fact I've done many mods to all my bikes that 'improve' them but probably kill the second-hand value, do I care? not one bit. I bought them for me to ride and enjoy and I'll worry (or not) about value/originality etc. when the day comes to get rid of them but they'll owe me nothing by then anyway.

You're only here once and not for a long time so get the bike you want if you can and enjoy it... :yeah:
 
#44 ·
good points brought up by everyone.

i definitely see where this is impractical, but i also see the fulfillment of having something you really want...

i don't have time to visit the dealer today, but i will tomorrow. then after that i'll take a while and think about it...its been there for 10 years already, i dont see it leaving anytime soon.

ill take pics of it though, at least that will be free lol.
 
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