MAINTENANCE HISTORY
This is probably the most important single factor. Most Monsters need a service every 6,000 miles and a log book full of dealer stamps is ideally what you’re looking for. Stamps from other, authorised garages shouldn’t be considered a bad thing but watch out for no stamps, missing stamps or stamps from unauthorised garages.
DESMODROMIC VALVES
Tuning these correctly isn’t easy, it’s a serious skill and should only really be done by a dealer or authorised mechanic. That said, if you’ve bought yourself an older 2-valve Monster and you want to work on it yourself, there’s no reason you can’t, just be careful. Once you get the hang of it you’ll be considered a master by your Ducati riding brethren, but if you screw it up the engine can be irreversibly damaged.
PERFORMANCE MODIFICATIONS
When buying a bike be very cautious about one with after-market modifications all over it. These bikes tend to get ridden hard, maintained by people with more confidence than talent and the performance parts themselves can be detrimental if not installed properly.
CAM BELTS
These are vital on any Desmodromic engine and they need to be replaced at every major service, if you buy a bike with an incomplete logbook and you don’t know when the belts were last changed, get them changed immediately.
ELECTRICS
This is a point of contention with many Ducatista, some claim that leaving a bike in the rain or letting it get wet will lead to faulty electrics. I’ve never experienced this but I’ve met many people who have. Before you buy a bike make sure the electrics are working 100% correctly, fixing them later can be a major task.
EXHAUST SMOKE
Smoke in the exhaust can be a sign of worn valve guides or piston rings that need replacing, be careful buying a smoker, they can rapidly turn into the most expensive cheap motorcycle you’ll ever buy.