Hello!
Since I saw the monster Ducati drive past it was love at first sight!
I've been cursing looking at a few forums to learn more about Ducatis.
I am soon going to do Q-ride to get my RE licence,
I have been looking at a few Ducati LAMs bikes,
M400, M600, M620, M659.
In Queensland you have to have your RE for one year then do another course for your R.
So do you recommend purchasing a cheaper bike to save money for a better performance bike (769, 1100) when I get my R licence? or buy a mint LAMS bike to keep for a while?
:)
...buy a lambie, then when your time is 'up', de-restrict it. voila! (welcome to the severely addicted mate) [clap]
620 is the best compromise on the list, very easily de-restricted and then restricted again.
Wanna buy a yellow one? [laugh]
It's a hard decision for others to make, some of us here did start on a LAMS bike then move on after a year or two. Some have got a 620 and not moved on cause it's enough bike.
The 620 did enjoy very good value for many years, I'm not sure what they go for now after the 659 has hit the market.
Whatever you do you'll have a ;D on your dial for a long time.
Welcome.
Monsters are the most satisfying streetbike.
Thanks for the feedback guys!
Looking into the 620, is there anything I should know before I buy a 620? Service, belts, faults?
Also what would you call alot of KM's for a bike? Iv seen a few bikes with 80,000. That still fine?
4 months ago I bought an 02 620ie with 39000 on the dial. Bought it unrestricted for 5500.
Was able to have rego adjusted to suit LAMS.
Had all major service items done (timing belts, valve set etc) with paperwork.
I initially considered it to be high k's (and I still would) however I wouldn't hesitate again in purchasing a bike with similar k's so long as it had clear maintenance history :)
Quote from: JamesM on April 23, 2012, 09:20:09 PM
Also what would you call alot of KM's for a bike? Iv seen a few bikes with 80,000. That still fine?
80k is high in the scheme of things and will hurt resale so pay accordingly
but its only 20k till its a new bike again ;)
high kays ensure service history
What J5 said - more about resale... there are good examples of duc 2v motors far surpassing that (and much more) provided it is well maintained. Also J5 makes another good point; probably worth noting that most high mileage examples (that I know of) were owned by one person, hence they had the motor from new...
Welcome!
A Ducati would be one of the finest (if not the finest) ways to start your riding!
Get the largest that's allowed I reckon. You'll keep it for longer than one with hardly enough power to pull a skin off a custard!
Grab one with the lowest kays you can get, with the best service history, and the absolute most you can stretch your cash for. Don't be in a hurry, but learn about the model you want, so you know what a good deal looks like. Go to a second hand bike shop and ride a few.
Just remember to leave some cash aside for good quality, well fitting gear. Remember to try the gear whilst sitting on a bike, to see how it really fits.
All the best with it.
GK
My opinion and what I did was buy a cheap LAMS bike (Suzuki GS500). Chances are you will drop your bike when learning. Save your money and then upgrade to a decent sized Monster.
Quote from: Twizted on April 24, 2012, 01:46:12 AM
My opinion and what I did was buy a cheap LAMS bike (Suzuki GS500). Chances are you will drop your bike when learning. Save your money and then upgrade to a decent sized Monster.
+1 on the GS slapper type option.
And when the time does come to get your monster, look out for imports. Lots have a history that can be difficult to check, and that makes them targets for ODO wind backs.
Agree on the cheap LAMS bike. Ideally you want something twenty years old and dreadfully unreliable, so you'll learn how to fix your bike as well.
My daughter did her P's course recently on a Honda Spada, which is a little older than she is and is possibly the very best 250 ever made. Bloody awesome bike, the Spada. I seriously want one myself.
You can pick them up for 2500ish, which gives you plenty of dough to buy good gear.
My wife had a ZZR250. She loved it. Never dropped it.
I don't know if they are LAMs but the thing was pretty gutless so it probably is.
I'm sure that the good old ZZR 250 would well and truly still be a LAMS bike.
I remember riding one and my older brothers Suzuki Across which was equally as gutless but made a lot of noise going nowhere.
Quote from: Rowdy on April 24, 2012, 02:42:00 AM
My wife had a ZZR250. She loved it. Never dropped it.
I don't know if they are LAMs but the thing was pretty gutless so it probably is.
sure are lams, all 250's bar the GP 2 strokers
Quote from: mattyvas on April 24, 2012, 02:48:26 AM
I'm sure that the good old ZZR 250 would well and truly still be a LAMS bike.
I remember riding one and my older brothers Suzuki Across which was equally as gutless but made a lot of noise going nowhere.
yeh but they are great at maccas drive thrus in your singlet , adidas trackie dacks and sneakers ;)
That's also the usual Gixer/R1 clobber. I've seen it so many times out here.
Quote from: mattyvas on April 24, 2012, 03:34:45 AM
That's also the usual Gixer/R1 clobber. I've seen it so many times out here.
inner city/east subs yuppies ;)
my housemate took on a gix750 and i give him crap about trackiedaks and sneakers all the time ;)
but to his credit did a 550k weekend ride last week with dirt sections and camping out oberon
along with a TDM and hardly able
Quote from: mattyvas on April 24, 2012, 02:48:26 AM
...my older brothers Suzuki Across which was equally as gutless but made a lot of noise going nowhere.
Ow. That was harsh. I liked my across. It had a boot, so you could take it through the drive through at maccas.
Quote from: JamesM on April 23, 2012, 09:20:09 PM
Looking into the 620, is there anything I should know before I buy a 620? Service, belts, faults?
Of course check the service history ... belts are meant to be replaced every two years regardless of mileage/kilometreage. Fluids should be changed regularly too (tyres maybe as well) most other things are distance related.
But you should note that not all 620s were LAMS approved ... yes some have been de-restricted, but others were never intended to meet LAMS. The earlier ones had bigger (4 piston brakes, 320 dia discs) and steel tanks - oh and a 5 speed 'box. This changed over time to the smaller brakes (2 piston, 300 dia), plastic tank and 6 speed APTC ('slipper') 'box. Middle age 620s could come with a combination of the two.
Good luck and welcome.
Quote from: Betty on April 24, 2012, 01:03:14 PM
But you should note that not all 620s were LAMS approved ... yes some have been de-restricted, but others were never intended to meet LAMS.
easiest way to determine this is to look at the rego sticker
it will say LAMS down the bottom of the sticker
if it doesnt then you cant ride it
Quote from: J5 on April 24, 2012, 02:18:16 PM
easiest way to determine this is to look at the rego sticker
it will say LAMS down the bottom of the sticker
if it doesnt then you cant ride it
Quick trip to a blue slipper and then to the rta and it's LAMS.. no questions asked :)
I saved about 2k off the price of a similar km 620ie that was already lams
Quote from: kyle on April 24, 2012, 02:28:52 PM
Quick trip to a blue slipper and then to the rta and it's LAMS.. no questions asked :)
I saved about 2k off the price of a similar km 620ie that was already lams
thats provided the blue slip guy puts the restricted power figure down on the blueslip
if he puts the full power figure down then it wont pop out lams
I found this to be true when i blue slipped a VFR400 and had the RVF400 figures put on the slip by people
that werent quite knowledgeable including the RTA officer , and it popped up LAMS
Thanks for the reply guys!
I am thinking 620 that is already LAMS. But I will see after I do Q-Ride.
Iv been youtubing my head off cant wait to hope on a bike :D
Quote from: GK on April 24, 2012, 01:45:17 AM
Just remember to leave some cash aside for good quality, well fitting gear. Remember to try the gear whilst sitting on a bike, to see how it really fits.
What type of gear do you recommend spending a good amount of money on?
Good gear is the best you can afford without killing the budget, that'll still do a good job.
Dririder make some really good gear and you can certainly spend big money going upwards from there.
GK
Quote from: JamesM on April 25, 2012, 02:07:01 AM
What type of gear do you recommend spending a good amount of money on?
The best gear is the gear you're wearing. It'll do you no good whatsoever if it's at home.
So look for comfort and gear you just like and want to wear.
I like leather - especially jackets and gloves. They just last nicely. Draggin jeans are really good gear too. They work well and are comfy.
I usually don't wear specific motorcycle boots unless I'm out for the day. Round town I generally wear doc martens. Good sturdy boots that cover your ankles are the go.
Quote from: JamesM on April 25, 2012, 02:07:01 AM
What type of gear do you recommend spending a good amount of money on?
A decent helmet that is comfortable and fits you correctly. Shark make Shoei quality helmets that won't cost you a Shoei price.
Where are you located in QLD?
Thanks for the feedback guys! I will look into it
Quote from: Twizted on April 25, 2012, 04:57:31 AM
A decent helmet that is comfortable and fits you correctly. Shark make Shoei quality helmets that won't cost you a Shoei price.
Where are you located in QLD?
Located in Brisbane, there many brisbane people here?
If you are looking to buy cheap gear, you can use lace up work boots, heavy denim jeans and a secondhand jacket. Just don't use a second hand helmet. Try a few on and buy an economical one to start with. It won't last forever (neither will an expensive one). Then look at upgrading the helmet after a year or two. I've had three HJC'c and they were fine. Lasted about two years each. Then I bought a Shoei because it was on special. That was ok. Had it for about five or six years. I now have an Arai and it suits me best. Helmets are a personal preference sort of thing.
Lots of bike shops in Brisbane to choose from. I've found a couple of shops in Ipswich that are really helpful and worth the drive too.
Keep us updated on your progress.
I am near Brissy.
Just one thing to note too. If you are thinking of buying a helmet online such as eBay. Don't buy them from over seas and make sure it has the Australian Standards AS 1698 sticker on it otherwise it is classed as illegal. The shops in Moss Street have bargains from time to time. You will need a budget of close to $1000 to get a decent jacket, helmet and gloves. You may even be able to sneak a pair of boots in as well.
where do you live? there's some real dodgy shops and some good ones. I would suggest shopping around especially for your helmet, this is the one item you should definitely buy new and to be fair, you should get some advice from someone at a shop on how it fits, try on a few different brands too, they all fit slightly different, just set your budget and stick to it, the shop will always try and steer you up the price range but if a cheaper one fits the best then it will be more comfortable for longer, a flashy brand name isn't everything.
As for a jacket you can buy a 2nd hand one from someone like hiside leathers or maybe a new one from a local guy who has his own brand "ricondi" very nice and priced well, he does gloves too, don't ride without them!
once you have figured out your size you can buy anything from anywhere (except a helmet) if you get my meaning. If you're a fashion victim then choose your bike then get gear to match, or buy in black, nothing worse than buying nice gear in blue when the best bike for sale turns out to be yellow, or red.
One big thing to remember, a bike is a luxury item, not a necessity and times are still a bit tough, don't buy with your heart, if it's a shop that has the bike you want then haggle, be ruthless, don't mention gear, screw them for the best price, once you know that it's not getting any better try for a helmet to be thrown in, or a jacket but at the very least some gloves, and sort your own insurance, shops make a fat 20% on policies they sell and you can do better yourself.
same with the shop warranty you can buy, waste of money, don't bother with it.
good luck.
paul.
I'm another Brisbane-ite (south side) and my 2 cents would be if your new to bikes to try a road trail bike if you know someone to ride with of course as I believe this is the best way to learn how to handle a bike during slides, lock ups, wheelies and generally just falling over! A lot of fun can be had and the skills you learn are invaluable and could save your life! You can get some great bikes on the lams scheme in Queensland and there are lots of state forests and national parks around within a short ride from Brisbane. OK there not much chop on the road but as mentioned there is a fair chance you will drop your bike at some point and these things are generally designed to fall over.
If that doesnt take your fancy then I would go cheaper lams bike option as posted by others (GS500, 4 stroke 250's, Zephyr 550 etc.) Being lams bikes they hold their value well but as always do your homework on maintenance and history!
Oh and book in for a defensive riding course and research a good Q-ride provider as their not all the same!
Cheers,
Scott
Thanks for the feedback much appreciated!
So what I recall is:
- Must shop around for a new good quality helmet
- Fitting jackets and gloves (doesn't matter of brand)
- Haggle price down no matter what
- Low kms - Service history
- Dont exceed budget
Ducati 600, 620 or GS500, 4 stroke 250's, Zephyr 550
I really want a 620 but there are not many LAMS.
There are a few 600 1994-2000.
Is it wrong to be afraid to drive an older bike because something might go wrong? as the 620 is 2002-2005
Whats the overall difference between 400-600-620?
Would you recommend buying from a dealer or private seller?
I guess with dealer you can get insurance, But if I buy from a private seller I might have to fork out some cash if something goes wrong.
By the way im from Brisbane East Side. I know a few places on the northside in Virginia and Geebung (drove past)
Won't get warranty on a bike that old from a dealer anyway. So will have to fork out regardless.
Make sure service history is in order. Mine was serviced at the dealer who sold it so a quick phone call and I could get every detail about its past.
Better off shopping elsewhere yourself for insurance, always an incentive for a dealer to sell insurance..
There should be plenty of lams 620's out there! I'll sell you mine of I must!
Wouldn't be too worried/stressed about buying private, you'll find you will probably get a better deal anyway
Also consider buying interstate too, for the right bike it would definitely be worth it.
kyle is right, don't get suckered with the three year warranty the dealers will offer, it's not worth shit! better off spending that money on a better bike, i wouldn't bother with the 400 monster, the carbed 600's are getting on a bit but you can still find good ones that have been looked after, in the southern states carb icing can be an issue but it's not a common problem up here. An injected bike will cost more but they're a little more reliable and refined. The service history is nice but if the bike presents well and is cheap enough a full service pretty much gives it a fresh start.
Being a lams bike you will need to look it over properly, chances are it's been dropped, nothing wrong with that if it's been repaired right and disclosed, ask the seller straight up, then look for yourself, bar ends, fork lowers, pegs, levers, mufflers, all easily scarred and not always replaced. look too at the swing arm, the mufflers run close and the swing arm may have scratches/gouges/dents etc. Whether you accept these marks or not is up to you but if they're there it should be reflected in the asking price, don't be trusting and don't rush, and i know it's hard but don't buy with your heart, have someone with you who can look with you and be objective.
I got a GS500 you can test ride once you get your R's if you like. If you are a bigger guy this is a good bike for you to try out. I may even sell it for the right price as it basically sits in the garage now and only gets ridden on the odd occasion since I have had the Monster.
Here is a good LAMS bike. Cheapish and looks like a Monster -
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Honda-VTR250-Priced-Sell-/160791647211?pt=AU_Motorcycles&hash=item256fedd3eb (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Honda-VTR250-Priced-Sell-/160791647211?pt=AU_Motorcycles&hash=item256fedd3eb)
Quote from: kyle on April 28, 2012, 11:28:58 PM
There should be plenty of lams 620's out there! I'll sell you mine of I must!
Maybe If I cant find a decent one [thumbsup]
Quote from: Twizted on April 29, 2012, 12:53:25 AM
I got a GS500 you can test ride once you get your R's if you like. If you are a bigger guy this is a good bike for you to try out. I may even sell it for the right price as it basically sits in the garage now and only gets ridden on the odd occasion since I have had the Monster.
I have been doing some research and Im locked on the Ducati brand! I may know someone... I will ask, what year and colour?
If you know the person selling it, maybe ask if they're ok with you borrowing it for a day first to get it inspected and get Bevan or Speedys to look over it.
I get Speedys to look after my S4R and can vouch for them, Scott and Tim are good guys that know their bikes (and I've used some shockers too). Bevan has a great following in Brisbane so I wouldn't hesitate taking a bike to him either.
Just a thought.
Quote from: Rowdy on April 30, 2012, 10:47:05 AM
If you know the person selling it, maybe ask if they're ok with you borrowing it for a day first to get it inspected and get Bevan or Speedys to look over it.
I get Speedys to look after my S4R and can vouch for them, Scott and Tim are good guys that know their bikes (and I've used some shockers too). Bevan has a great following in Brisbane so I wouldn't hesitate taking a bike to him either.
Just a thought.
Thanks Rowdy I will keep that in mind.
I Just did my first day of Q-ride, good fun on the 250. Will be doing the second day next week.
I will probably ring up a few Ducati mechanics and ask if they know of any 620's after I get my licence.
If not then I may need to ask someone from Brisbane to come and help check out a bike. [Dolph]
Quote from: JamesM on April 30, 2012, 06:25:56 AM
I have been doing some research and Im locked on the Ducati brand! I may know someone... I will ask, what year and colour?
It is a 2004
(http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff62/icecreamhands/DSC00397.jpg?t=1335875641)
Nice bike :) I spoke to my mate and he said his going to buy a brand new bike :-\