well title says it all really, done 40k miles on my hornet but she’s given up on me, and its too much money to get her sorted, my friend is selling his monster, and is doing me a pretty good deal considering, its an 07 plate with about 12k miles, but i reckon i do 10k miles around the city a year, just wondering if any ducatti owners could vouch or slate their reliability, and how much servicing is required on them, was up for buying it till i chatted with my local garage who usually give me sound advice, but told me not to get it based on the mileage i do… just looking for opinions really, its a nice convenient sale for me, but don’t want to be lumbered with something thats going to be in and out of the garage every few months, might as well pay £600 to get the hornet back on the road otherwise… 
thanks for reading…
40K and its already given up! Aren’t they supposed to be bulletproof?
You could get Ricky to fix your Hornet, that might save some cash. I think Ducati miles are like dog years. 1 normal mile = 4 Ducati miles so that would mean the moster has 48K on it, even more than your Hornet.
considering you do 10k miles in a city environment per year, I think you’re better off forking out the 600 beans to fix the hornet.
Just out of curiosity what on earth is costing you 600 beans to fix a hornet?
sorry, i’ve done 40k on it, its done about 55, but yeah they supposedly should go on for ever, the oil and coolant has mixed, believe its down to an o ring leaking, although head gasket was my first thought, (going by what garage told me) and the downpipes are so corroded to take them off has f***ed em, but they need to come off to repair the engine, so its new set of them downpipes, plus the repair etc, and its a 12 year old bike, as much as i love it, i’ve had a lot of faults with it lately, and its come to the point i’m spending more than the value of it to keep it going, i don’t know, has to be a point where you stop throwing money at the thing… or do you guys reckon its worth the repair?
I’ve never been a ducati man. Well I like looking at them but thats about it. Don’t think I’d ever own one.
I think you should just sell that for spares and repairs then consider a newish bike.
yeah that is my plan, know a few people who might buy the hornet cheapish, just easier to buy a mates bike, than go trawling round bike show rooms with a limited budget… but if the monsters going to cost a lot in upkeep, then I will have to go down that route…
I don’t know how much your getting that ducati for but I can’t imagine it being around 3K. I’d rather have this if I had your requirements (maybe a diff colour) http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HONDA-HORNET-CB600F-2007-57-/300658120494?pt=UK_Motorcycles&hash=item46009ed72e#ht_500wt_1202
yeah he’s doing it a little cheaper than that as i’m a friend, probably max budget is 2.5k even thats pushing it though, just need a reliable 600 to keep me mobile around town for the next year or so, live just far out enough that a 125 would be a nuisance… I dunno, appreciate the advice, might ride down my local bike shop, see what bikes they got, been a good 4 years since i’ve even considered buying a bike… another friend has an sv been sitting in a warm garage for the last 2 years, an 03 plate, but in new condition, might give him a bell see what he wants for it… 
appreciate the replies, should post on this place more, but erm, i’m more often than not too busy riding 
as good Jaime will say
‘a ducati always has an AA van that follows them’ :laugh:
£ 600 is not that bad, fix it
if you want to get rid of it, have a word with triple_steve. he takes breaking bikes and resurrects them
Why is the Monster for sale?
You need a reliable 600 and are thinking of buying a 695 Monster? I think that’s the perfect example of an oxymoron.
Don’t get me wrong. I love Ducati but as a reliable day to day bike I just don’t know.
Maybe the problem with Ducati is that most don’t get used as day to day bikes?
I just don’t know about them being unreliable, I know the bad reputation, but by that logic my honda should have been the most reliable bike out there, but… in retrospect my hornet has cost me a lot of time and money over the last few years, and things are still going wrong with it, my friends monster, has never missed a beat, nor another friends aprillia, spoke to a ducati mechanic yesterday who said the only real problem with em is the belts, but as long they’re done every other service they’re fine, just a bit pricey to replace. I’m going to give it a test ride around town at the weekend, if I fall for it probably will take it off him, otherwise i’ll be looking on autotrader for a slightly newer hornet or sv i think… If i get the monster, I’ll be back to praise or slate it I’m sure
I have my second Ducati and can’t say that they are not reliable. The reputation isn’t the best, but if you ask in a Ducati Forum you will hear a lot about bikes running since years without any issues.
The only thing I agree is to control from time to time the screws and bolts, the two cylinder engine has more vibration than a four.
If you like the way it performs, buy it.
Carsten
Maybe C.J. has the answer.
Years back, the old BMW airhead horizontal twins had a rep. for lasting for ever. They sort of did, but that didn’t mean you could ignore them. They needed a ten/twenty minute check over every weekend and proper look over every month.
Perhaps if we stuck to the service book guidance…?
if you are thinking of breaking the bike then post info on hornetsnest you should get some interest.