[amamet]

looking at a 2012 pikes peak with 4k miles on it. what should I look for in examining the bike?
thanks
allen

 

[LaRossa]

Rear brake, tank swelling, recall records....
It's a fantastic bike, 8k imo is a good price given the mileage

 

[amamet]

What about the rear brake? where do I look for tank swelling
Thx

Rear brake, tank swelling, recall records....
It's a fantastic bike, 8k imo is a good price given the mileage

 

[LaRossa]

Those years had spongy rear brake and lack of stopping power unless constantly bled even though i never had issues with that.
Also the ethanol would make the tank swell up to the point that some panels bolted to it would crack at the mounting screws, again, i personally never had that issue but i didn't keep mine more than 3yrs.
I'm sure others that did have issues will chime in soon enough, make sure the fork seals are not leaking.

 

[AXSPwr]

Look for cracking on all visible hoses. Check age of the tires, there is a code on the sidewall you can reference from the MFG to determine tire age. If they're more than 3 years old, doesn't necessarily mean you need to replace them, just don't ride it like you stole it with old tires.

IIRC that generation of Multi used the safety return cable throttle by wire system, where the throttle was opened via servo, but the closing was still manually actuated. Check the single cable for abnormal wear or lack of lubrication.

Pull the dust covers down on the fork tubes and bounce the suspension a few times, look for oil on the tubes, fork seals degrade over time.

Insist on seeing the bike start from cold. This is always good advice with a used bike purchase. A little bit of smoke from the exhaust on a cold start isn't a terrible sign, if it stops quickly. Shouldn't last more than 30 seconds or so, if it does you'll need a mechanic to tell you why, can be many causes, some serious, others not.

The '10-12 Multis were somewhat known for electrical gremlins. Not all of them had problems, but if one did, you might imagine it not being ridden much. Not much way to test for that beyond a long test ride, which I would insist upon, given the age, mileage, and price.

 

[LaRossa]

Left side of the engine, stator cover should have the engraved number of that motorcycle as all the pikes peakes imported in the U.S.

 

[dadridesagain]

best bike ever. 42K miles in 2 years on mine. if I hadn't beaten her up so much I'd still have her. sigh.

 

[amamet]

in what way was she too beaten up? ive been out of the modern Ducati game for a while. last one was a '93 888 that I had too many issue with from work done by a well known Pennsylvania shop. Ive had my '74 750gt for the last 17 years. so yeah, no modern bikes for a while so I don't know what to look for
thx
allen

 

[TallOne]

It's less model specific issues and more age related degradation in this case. That bike was def not ridden enough to hydrate and maintain seals, major and minor. Brakes are sure to be needing a rebuild. All hoses (depending on storage conditions) should junked if you're a serious commuter or road trip person.

That said, taking it to a qualified independent shop or dealer for ECU check/update and general condition report would be good insurance. The great enduring irony of used bike buying is the (false) assumption that low miles = better condition. Quite the opposite. Rotted parts, battery sulphation, cracked tires, dry seals in crucial areas, all diminish value. A well maintained and regularly ridden bike has WAY more charm than a "garage find" IMO.

All the above advice is sound and helpful, but looking at a more well-used bike that REQUIRED maintenance, as opposed to this apparent garage queen, would be better in the long run. Bikes, even temperamental Ducatis, are far more resilient than some would lead you to believe. Could be a winner though, so get a check out and do the deferred maintenance.

 

[LaRossa]

Going by what you're saying my 06 999s is one step away from a junkyard, i bought it with 2k miles 2 years ago and all i did was change the belt and valves and it turns out the belt was in as new conditon, you're scaring the poor bastid, those are very good bikes and i'll go as far as saying my '12 pp had more brass than my 16dvt.
Cheers!

 

[TallOne]

Going by what you're saying my 06 999s is one step away from a junkyard, i bought it with 2k miles 2 years ago and all i did was change the belt and valves and it turns out the belt was in as new conditon, you're scaring the poor bastid, those are very good bikes and i'll go as far as saying my '12 pp had more brass than my 16dvt.
Cheers!

You may be right, but as I said it really depends on storage conditions like heat. ozone (from urban gasses), and occasional start ups. Likely good? Yes, these are modern machines. Possible issues? Yes, people are lame and store things improperly all the time.

In any case, OEM fluid, anywhere in that bike, should be changed out by maintenance schedule alone. Belts by age. Lots to do there which is why the price reflects the reality. Finish sometimes reflects internal conditions but not always. Buyer beware IMO

 

[dadridesagain]

in what way was she too beaten up? ive been out of the modern Ducati game for a while. last one was a '93 888 that I had too many issue with from work done by a well known Pennsylvania shop. Ive had my '74 750gt for the last 17 years. so yeah, no modern bikes for a while so I don't know what to look for
thx
allen

mostly cosmetic, I dropped her on the track once so had a bunged up tank and termi exhaust (ouch), and rode her year round in New England and barely washed her, plus there was this weird dash issue where you'd toggle through the modes and there was an extra blank screen to toggle through, techs couldn't figure it out and didn't affect operation but was bothersome. Anyway, after needing another set of fork seals decided it was time to trade her in. Mechanically she was perfect.

 

[MTScott2]

My 11 has 11,000.oo Kms. I have regularly siphoned the gas and refill with Shell Gold. I changed the oil too many times. The old oil gets reused in My Toro 20 hp. Garden tractor.
Greatest bike ever. I had the lowerleg replaced and new fork seals, belts replaced. If your bikes fix it or eff it.