[ej]

Hello,
I had run into a thread on STN which has a wonderful ride report on a guy & his wife that took a trip to Alaska via Utah on his MTS and she rode a Z1000. http://www.sport-touring.net/forums/index.php/topic,20832.0.html canyonchaser here on this forum wrote the ride report.
This ride report kind of opened my eyes to Ducati. I have never owned one in my 30 year riding history. I always kind of felt too cramped on them. I'm 6' 4" 210 lbs. I have always loved the Ducs in general but wasn't moved to consider purchasing one. After reading this guys adventure on a MTS it kind of opened my eyes. I'm going to take a ride on one in the near future & see how the ergos work for me. I currently ride a R1200RT and love it for 2 up riding with my wife. My riding consists of 150-200 mile runs in the mountains here on the east coast. Maybe 1 or 2 long distant rides a year.

A couple of quick questions; the bike I'm looking at is a demo with 900 miles and I'm concerned with how it was ridden during the crucial time in a bikes life. No real answer here, a bit of a crap shoot. The owner of the shop states he was the only one to ride it and takes a MTS for a demo every year. He states 23 months of the warranty is still left. Second question is with my height, how effective is the windshield going to be? From what I've read, it sounds like I'm going to get wind blast & buffet on my torso & helmet? This may be a deal breaker for me?

Please fire away with your thoughts! I could really use some input here and feel like I'm really going out on a limb...
Thanks for taking the time to read my post.
Eric

[Scrambles]

Hey canyonchaser, you've got a fan!

[jeffpm]

I'll take a stab at your questions.

I wouldn't be concerned about the bike being a demo unit too much. The average Ducati rider (and Ducati demo rider) tend to be a little more mature and aren't going to go crazy and beat the heck out of a bike. That being said, it should come with a FULL warranty for the same length of time a new bike has. If it doesn't, then they are selling you a used bike not a demo. Ducati also sells extended warranties, its called the Ducati Red program. Worth considering.

As far as the wind blast, yes your head will be in the wind. At 5'11" the when riding the wind begins at my upper chest. But I really don't get any buffeting. I wear a full-faced helmet and have no issues with this. Others have problems with buffeting, but that hasn't been the case for me. Taller windscreens are available, but you may need to fabricate some brackets to support the higher ones. If you're looking for complete wind protection then the MTS most likely is not the bike for you. I'd encourage you to take a demo ride and see for yourself. Everyone is different and you really need to try it out.

I'm sure some other members who are taller will throw their comments in too. Good luck! How do you like the RT?

[jmhinkle]

My opinion at 5'11" but a long torso and 31" inseam. The ergos are the best I have ever experienced and I have no need to change anything. I even bought the DP gel seat just because the stock is kind of slippery, but haven't changed it because I do love the stock comfort. As far as wind buffeting and blast, I have run my bike up to 90mph and thought nothing about it at all. I think the design is extremely functional. There is no buffeting at all for me and the only blast I notice is when passing a semi. I am coming off a Buell Ulysses though and that I felt like I was getting my head ripped off at anything over 65mph. Like jeffpm mentioned though if you are looking for complete wind protection, this isn't the bike for you. I do believe that the MTS offers some of the best wind protection for a naked bike though. I wouldn't worry about the demo mileage either, but I would make sure the 600 mile service was done or is included.

[Dannnn]

I was in the same boat. I bought my '07 as a demo with 850 miles on it. Typically I prefer my high dollar toys to be virgins. But I thought about a few things that sold me on the demo;

Price: $1600 off MSRP was $1100 better than any deal I could get from 4 dealers on a 0 mile '08. It fit the budget my wife would accept.

Features: It was the exact Red 1100S model I was looking for.

Warranty: Full 2 yrs from the moment I rode it off the lot.

History: I was told the majority of miles were from the owner using the bike as a daily driver for a while.

I also told myself that these things are made to last a while. If the bike had ever been down or required any major service I'd have thought twice but if you buy a used bike you're not getting any better guarantee that it was treated 100% perfectly it's whole life. As for break-in, some people baby it while others quote people who say to push it through the whole RPM range.

I'd question why the warranty is activated. There should be a full 24 months from the time you take possession or is it considered a used bike? If it's used I'd confirm the history to know exactly what's up.

As for the wind I've found the gear I wear makes a huge difference. Loose fitting parka type jacket gets buffeted like crazy while my leather Vanson cuts the wind like a knife through butter. The comparison to a naked bike with a fairing is accurate. No leg protection and the wind whistles though your helmet vents as you check over your shoulder. I don't have a long trip planned 'til March but it hasn't been too bad so far.

After my first 1000 miles I love it!

[jmhinkle]

"I'd question why the warranty is activated. There should be a full 24 months from the time you take possession or is it considered a used bike? If it's used I'd confirm the history to know exactly what's up."

Good point. I missed the 23 months thing in the first post. That means it has been registered and is not really a demo. Question that big time. I actually got the demo discount on a new bike because they wanted to get rid of their two remaining '07's. I think Ducati requires over 750 miles for the demo discount, but what the dealer does with paper work is thier own business as long as I get the benefits.

[ej]

[wdietz186]

EJ, Just to give you a choice check out Ducpond Motosports in Winchester. They have a 05 S in red with about 600mi. It looks to be in perfect shape with a top case and carbon hugger. I considered it myself but I decided on the black 07. Ducpond is a great place to deal with and very helpful.

[ej]

wdietz186, thanks for the heads up. I will take a look at that bike! More than likely, they will be my servicing dealer for what ever I Buy. Anyone have any luck with Coleman Powersports in Falls Church, VA with regards to sales or service? They actually are my closest dealer but are difficult to work with imo.

[ej]

Ok, here's the lowdown on the demo/23 mo. warranty issue. The bike was registered with Ducati for tiered sales promo the dealer was trying to reach. So he registered a new bike to meet his goal. The bike has only 10 miles on it & 23 months warranty, thus he heavily discounted the price. I'm in! I put a deposit on it and just need to work out the time to go get it. I'm having heated hand grips, hand guards and a tank bag installed all oem. I'll post some pics when I pick it up.

Two questions though:
1. I have a TomTom rider installed on trade and will take off to sell. I'm not sure what it will be worth used? Or should I just trade it with it for like a 100-150 buck bump on the trade?
2. Trade has a fairly new Givi V46 (6 mos. old), will that top case work with the MST? It is colored in basic black on the top of it. If I leave it on, 100 bump on the trade.

For the extra 250ish bump on the trade I think I would be better selling these.

[Dannnn]

I think you'd be able to unload the TomTom without much trouble. The Givi needs a new rack for the multi so you can still use the box.

[ej]

I was going to pick up my new bike tomorrow... till the weather changed and it's going to snow 1-2" Maybe next weekend...

[mxwinky]

Awesome! Congrats on the new ride. I hope the weather clears up so you can ride it home. You'll love it. The Givi will fit, but as noted above you have to get the MTS-specific rack. It's a nice bag that I'd consider keeping. I love it on my S. Either way, enjoy the new ride.