2004 Ducati 999s
Summary:
It is the crappiest horrible fickle bike that will suck your finances and your passion
Faults:
The electrics went out at less than a 1000kms.
The clutch started slipping at less than 1500kms.
The bike died a number of times.
The bike would not start.
The bike stalled suddenly and nearly threw me off the handlebars, even though I was revving it.
General Comments:
It is really horrible and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. Puts you off riding. Some Ducatis are good and some are bad, but it's not worth the risk as there is a 50 percent chance you'll get a lemon, and then there is nothing Ducati will do for you. It is money down the drain.
Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 21st July, 2006
14th Aug 2007, 01:17
I have an 04 999s and I love the bike to pieces. Whether I am carving the roads or washing it before I pull it into my living room, the bike sparks the passion inside me like a beautiful piece of art should.
It has 6000 miles on it and in this time, I have had the dash replaced and the exhaust tab re-welded on the frame, both covered by Ducati 3 months after the factory warranty expired. I believe the exhaust tab broke off due to having my termi's installed incorrectly. My plan now is to hold onto the bike until 999's become hip again. :)
- Ride it like you stole it!
21st Sep 2008, 16:25
I'm sorry to hear you had such bad luck. My first time Ducati experience with my 749 has been an incredible one. Yes Ducs are much more finicky than the generally maintenance free and reliable Japanese rockets. That though is a big part of the passion. We've got to pay to play :). Testastretta engines are typically quite reliable too.
5th Dec 2012, 05:53
999's are one of the nicer Ducati's ever built. Ride a nice S model and tell me it rides badly, and I'll tell you that you know nothing about motorcycles. They didn't win Superbikes for so many years without being an amazing platform to begin with. Ducati clutches last 20000klms no dramas if worked hard, even a dry one.
18th Feb 2007, 15:02
Hello.
I could not be happier with my 04' 999S. The bike performs perfectly and I have not had any problems at all except for a badly routed gas tank hose that was an easy fix. The handling, speed, reliability, quality are all superb. There are lemons in every brand of motorcycle, a friend of mine once bought a brand new Honda VFR only to be stranded within the first 50 miles of ownership. Apparently the VFR had a problem with the regulator, anything is posible with mechanical items. Keep the good side up...
Cheers.