New guy with a simple question!

I guess I should start with a little introduction. My name is Andy and I'm 21 years old and live in South Florida.

Anyway, onto business! So, I just got licensed to operate a motorcycle and I was thinking of getting a Ducati. But I'm 21, I don't have that kind of money! So I was wondering, is it cost-effective to buy a wrecked one and rebuild it bit by bit? If so, where can I even find a wrecked Duc?

Thanks in advance!
 
I'm probably not the best one to be giving advice on something like this given that I'm far from the most mechanically inclined guy on here, but I would suspect that unless you know what you are doing this could cost you a fortune...

I'm sure you will get more useful comments from others...

To be honest though, I'm getting the vibe that you can't afford to purchase and maintain a Duc in general. Start with a Honda or something and progress man...My 2 cents

Good luck

Cheers
 
An 848 isn't exactly out of my league. But I just don't want to have a brand new bike as my first bike, cause I'm bound to have to lay it down and whatnot. Also, the rebuilding aspect is what I'm really looking forward to. I've always been kind of a "hands on" type of person.
 
Zombie,

A brand new Ducati Superbike is not a good starter bike. The reasons for this are so obvious that I won't bother to elaborate. If you like Ducatis, buy a used Monster, a 900ss, or a 907ie. Any of those bikes would make a much better starter bike, and, (trust me when I tell you!), any one of them will give you plenty of, "hands-on," experience.

Just my opinion.

Elton
 
Thanks for the advice, I know a superbike wouldn't be a great idea as a starter bike, but they're just so damn sexy! I have been looking at the Monster, but also some of the Japanese bikes. Mainly the Yamaha R6 and the Honda 600RR, but between those two which is the best choice?
 
Zombie,

Again, I don't think any sportbike is a wise choice for a first bike.

As for the two bikes you listed, I think they're essentially fungible. They're both well-designed, reliable, competent sportbikes. All those Japanese sportbikes look the same to me, and bore me to tears, but that's just my opinion. If I had to pick between the two bikes you listed, I'd pick the Honda. If you're gonna go with Japanese reliability, you might as well go with the paragon of Japanese reliability. That would be Honda. Yawn.

Oh, one other thing: If you're looking for "hands-on," experience, you won't get any of that with the Yamaha or the Honda. Those bikes never break!

Elton
 
Can't go wrong with either of those two Japanese bikes, get some hong kong farings off of Ebay and same with the parts. With a duc you have to be prepared to wait for months sometimes to get a used part because the number of them out there is so much lower. You can often pay as much for scrap Ducati parts as you will for new japanese parts, it's that whole limited supply huge demand thing. Another thing is "wrecked" Ducati's are usually scooped up quickly as track bikes, also driving up the resale.
 
Before I got into the Ducatis I was actually looking at the Honda. Everyone kept telling me they were probably the best choice out of the Japanese lot. And they kept mentioned something about the Honda being the only one with a steering damper. Is that true?
 
A steering damper is just another part you can add onto just about any sport bike if you're inclined. I think Honda is the only one using that rotary contraption, I know the ZX 10 comes with a pretty sweet looking Ohlins this year.
 
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