Saab9-3

I am new to motorcycles and I am thinking about getting one this summer. I like the looks of the Duc monster and the 620 has a nice price and not too much power (60hp). I would use it 99% of the time in the suburbs and around small towns and country roads- no interstate use. I also dont think I will thrash it around curves. I have a moped and I am very cautious around corners for fear of sand. Am I a good candidate for the Duc, or should I look for something else?

integrate

I say go for it.

xviper

I am only speaking from second hand info so please take it with a grain of salt. Is this a newer Duc? I have been told by another S2000 owner here in Calgary who had a Duc that these bikes are somewhat finicky in terms of mechanical problems and upkeep. If you want a day to day driver with little or no "fussing", a Duc might not be for you. I have not heard that these bikes are "drive 'em and forget about 'em" type of machines. Whereas a Honda, on the other hand ....................................

Penforhire

Isn't that one officially the new 620 "i.e." model? Go for it. Just don't get the chrome Monster. Those things hurt my eyes.

xviper has a good point if you plan on riding many thousands of miles per year. Also, how far away is your local Duc dealer? It is a real hassle if you live too far from a dealer (just for the usual parts & service). Same question if you go cross-country. There sure are a lot of Honda dealers...

WFO Racer

Buy any bike you like ,just remember the throttle works both ways. I don't buy into getting a slower bike to learn on and then get something faster. But the key point is get proper training ( racing school or at the very least MSF course). Always remember even a low hp or small bike can go at least 100mph. Lastly if you do something stupid and crash it's you that hurts. Good luck.

Bones mend ,chicks dig scars, pain is temporary, glory is forever.

WFO

Chill em

Hi Saab9-3

I don't want to be biast but I would highly recommend to you the SV650S as your first big bike.

Its a great bike (apparently 1 of Europe's top sellers), lots of V-Twin instantaneous tourque, 0 to 60 in 3.5 seconds. However, a word of warning, you will not stop smiling when you ride it, especially if you change the exhaust, it'll literally sound like a Ducati. (That is at a fraction of the cost). I think Ducati's in general are a lot more reliable then they used to be, however regular servicing remains a must & can be very expensive. I don't know what the monster is like but the 916/ 996/998 is very very costly!!!

If you're interested, the following websites will be of use to you:

www.sv650.org (UK website)

&

www.svrider.com (US website)

Hopefully, as with the S2000 website, people's comments will help you in choosing which bike to go 4. (Sorry, don't know any duke websites although I'm sure there must be quite a few!)

All the best & take it easy, the founder of the SV650.org (I am sad to say) died only last week on a road he knew very well!

Ride safe

D.

Da Hapa

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Chill em
[B]Hi Saab9-3

I don't want to be biast but I would highly recommend to you the SV650S as your first big bike.

OnTheGo

The Duc will have a bit more of prestige factor than the SV, if that sort of thing is important to you. The Monster series of Ducati are built to a lower standard state of tune than the Duc race replicas, so they tend to require less maintainance. However, bang for the, it's hard to beat the SV for cost, value, and fun factor. They seem to be solidly reliable to boot.
My wife has one with a Akropovic exhaust installed, sounds so sweet!So fun to ride!
You could be happy with either! Good luck

Saab9-3

Im not sure how much an SV is, but the Duc is in the $5000 range.

xviper

I think an equivalent vintage of SV will be quite a bit less money.