New to Bikes, got me an 02 620

[nicks00si]

Hey guys, name's Nick. I joined this site with hopes of stumbling across some cool parts, getting some opinions from other Ducati owners, and gaining as much knowledge as I can about my bike. I'm really new to bikes, haven't gotten my full license yet (waiting on rear brake pads). So far, I've really enjoyed the bike and love riding it around town. So, what should I know just starting out about the bike, what should I check as far as maintenance, and any other advice you could give to a beginner would be much appreciated!

It's a 2002 Ducati Monster 620 Dark

Thanks all!

[ManaloEA]

Welcome to the DMF. You will find tons of info here, and a great bunch of people who enjoy riding as much as you. Be sure to share some pics of your bike.

[Slide Panda]

Hello,

One thing you should check on is the belts. The cam drive belts on Ducs are spec'd for replacement at 12k miles OR 2 years of service. On an older bike, it's common for the belts to be over that age limit. As you might expect, having an engine component crap out is bad. So if you're not sure of the age of the belts, you should put a new set on pronto. IF you are able to DIY it's about $80 for a pair of belts.

Other stuff
- Flush the hydraulics - brakes and clutch. They taje DOT 4 or 5.1 fluid. 5.1 NOT 5
- new fork oil would be good.
- Potentially a service on the shock. BUT! The shocks on a 620 are pretty damn basic. You might do some research on models with nicer shocks and cross fit. Pick up a nicer shock, get it checked out and swap in. Generally one can find a nicer, used, shock for under $100 and it's about $100 for a service.
- How old are the tires? Manufactures recommend that be replaced at 5 years of age. They get stiff and have reduced traction as they get old.
- A splash of fuel system cleaner never hurts.

Hmm, of course the general look over. And if you have more questions - we have plenty of answers