You can’t blame a girl just for looking - and it’s not as if I don’t love my ZZR1100 - but how come a Ducati ST whatever, with low miles and not more than six or seven years old seems to come in at the £2,000 mark? It does seem extraordinarily reasonable?
Are they a bit toss?
Do they cost a fortune to run?
Getting back on my kwaka after days on a Multistrada 1000 was lovely - it felt so solid and comforting. Is the ST all flimsy-whimsy too?
You need to use them daily - they have a reputation for flaky electrics but if you run them daily and keep them clean and lubed they are cracking bikes - I had an ST2 and did love the engine - Side stand is a pain - not only does it flick up but loaded the bike can topple - which isn’t good.
Main thing is - as with all dukes - is to ensure the belts are changed and according to Ducati Proteam in Wimbledon this is every 2 years regardless of mileage
As with anybike of a certain age if will need more bits and Ducati bits can be pricey but those engines sound lovely and go well so it’s a lot of bike for the money - just be sure of the bike and check it carefully.
I bought a 2002 Ducati ST4 with 4000 miles on the clock in 2005 (one previous owner, FSH etc)… & as much as I loved the bike, I was very pleased to see it go.
I looked after it fastidiously… but in a year it cost me a fortune in servicing. As I was using it around town every day (as well as touring), I went thro x2 clutch plates & baskets (they are dry clutches & don’t last), head bearings, wheel bearings, bent RH opening rocker (go figure! a common fault on Ducs apparently - had to wait a month for this part to arrive from Italy too), batteries, electric micro switches, belts & more etc etc…
In fact when I sold it with 12000 on the clock the brake discs were on their way out too! :w00t:
But don’t let me put you off, they are great bikes if you can afford them (& perhaps only do 4000 miles a year on them or something like that)!
Thanks guys.
I think that may answer the question as to why they are relatively inexpensive.
I wasn’t thinking of getting one … well, alright, maybe as a second bike as I like big sports tourers and two grand did seem pretty reasonable considering … but it sounds like it wouldn’t really stand up to the daily pounding my ZZR takes - and I certainly don’t fancy the bills.
I paid 2200 for my St4 about 2 1/2 years ago. I do confess to being totally biased and absolutely loooooooooovve Ducatis and have had a few over the last 25 years. You will find tales of expensive bike repairs but that is true of any bike so be wary of any anecdotal evidence.
They are a bit of an adiction so tread carefully! Lots of bikers try lots of bikes, I would say a significant number who taste they joy of a Ducati dont leave!
Have a look at the ducati.ms forum on the ST bit as there a loads of threads from people who have had far more bikes then me and of a variety of flavours who say they believe the ST is the best sports tourer ever made, etc etc. It depends on what your particular unique requirements for a bike are. Every one is different so for example a BMW R11100 lover could not live it cause its ’ always a bit too eager’ (too much sport not enough of the tourer).
I guess the price reflects supply and demand. More people seems to want those newer boxer twins so their second hand prices are painfully high (not very good value in my opinion- but you pays your money and takes your choice).
I think they are a bargain and well worth looking at. The engines will complete high millages with just regular oil and belt changes. (talk of 45K 60K is common on the ducati.ms forum.The desmo clearances stay the same for far longer than the ones of old (don’t ask how I know, I have an old bevel ducati as well). The dry clutch is a double edge sword in ducatis DNA. They do rattle with an odd noise and bash them selves into the scrap bin sooner than is reasonible. However, clutch plate material is not swimming around your engine all the time increasing the wear rate of its components.
I have now done 12K on it and apart from oil/filer/belts I changed clutch/basket /plates/indicator relay/one shim/ one dodgy rocker-see forums and thats about it.
Just try it you might like it!
Best regards
Keith
Usually it’s a 2 13mm spanners job , nut on stem , and lock nut ,so you can set the place you want it to go tight at . So tight does not mean mirror pointing in the wrong direction .
sorry, what?
Pretty much what John said - I loved the Ducati ST4s. In the end, I found a Moto Guzzi CARC shaft drive just less of a headache and just as much fun for touring (in between the breakdowns admiring the hard shoulder of course).
The old Ducatis are great if you have a garage and are quite handy. If you don’t have a garage and aren’t handy, it’s just not the right kind of lifestyle bike imho. This is where Moto Guzzi really kick Italian ass - no tedious chain to deal with 
