My DVT is now on 14,000 miles just clicked over today as I am now back on the bike. I have been off the bike for 5 months due to a back injury, missed all the good summer weather and 2 trips as well!
I did 17k in 11-12 months of riding on mine. Then it went bang. Thinking about it, I wouldn't see this thread as a challenge. Put them away, don't ride them [emoji15] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I'm looking at dumping my FJR1300 for a DVT or late GT but this thread doesn't inspire me with confidence, there's not many bikes in the classifieds that have big miles either, so it's unknown territory. Keep it under 20K is what I'm reading from all this, then shunt it on.
There are enough out there with over 20k. Bar in mind its only a year of so old really (DVT) so relatively speaking unlikely many will have even hit 10k
Still not convinced Bradders, before I part with my hard earned Green Queens I'd like to see a few more bikes with higher than 15,000 miles on them without the mains poking out the sump. I love 'em though so will still probably get one any-hoo....
My 2010 has just a tad under 40,000 on it now. Apart from the cylinder heads being replaced under warranty at 21,000 it has had no other issues. Currently the rear shock is showing wear in the bottom spherical bearing but at 40k miles I'd expect to see some wear in the suspension. Of more concern is that the bolt is seized into the swinging arm
Derek, you're talking my language mate, had two FJRs so know all about rear suspension greasing and how important it is. I don't want to come across as a sceptic, it's the bike I want but most posts seem to be about reliability issues. The other two Dukes in my garage have been fantastic TBH bar the odd little niggle. If I get one, it's got to be right as the wife is going to kill me otherwise.
I was in the same boat as you. It was the one I wanted and I wanted a twin spark because I'd started to hear about reliability issues on the early models. Convinced by the wife and my silly head, we went with an early model with 12 months warranty. The rest is a well documented history on this forum and a well earned name of the faultistrada. I'm convinced the early models have serious issues and I'm not the only one. I'm also willing to give the benefit of the doubt with regards to the later models being sorted. I wish I'd gone with one but I didn't. One thing I can't forgive is that for 6 years they've had the same fuel sender issue. C'mon ducati, sort yourselves out. Buy the newest you can and I'm sure you'll be fine. Pay that bit extra for the needy and get that extra piece of mind. Also, if you get it on finance and it goes wrong, you can back it to the finance company [emoji6][emoji106] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Yeah JH I read your thread with some alarm, the other bike I'm considering is a 1290 SA. I can't call my older Dukes at all as I posted earlier, my FJR on the other hand has clonking forks, errant eleccies and a crap finish and it's not even twelve months old or done 4000 miles yet. Dealer and Yamaha aren't interested in sorting the issues out and keep telling me it's all in my head but my mates identical bike doesn't behave like mine. I was apparently "whinging" when I posted on the FJ forum my troubles too. So perhaps I'll be reet at home with one...LOLs
Head over to a GS site, issues galore. Ducati still make cutting edge stuff, which can sometimes come at a cash cost and a PITA one too. Part of the ownership experience a bit
Everybody rides a GS, they're a bit "me too" and are powered by half a Beetle engine or a third of a Porsche engine depending on your PoV.
Ride them all and then decide. My dad test rode the Enduro, 1290 SA, GS and the XR. Ended up buying the GS as it was so much better than the others. He was actually dead against the GS as it was the bike everyone rides and he thought it would be boring. After the test ride he said he now understands all the hype. The 1290 SA was a close second. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Just replace my suspension bolt was seized and jhs racing in Bristol drilled it out and replaced it took them a while but they did it all so may be worth giving them a call
I got it out. A fair task though. Nothing would shift it and, as I thought it would the hex rounded out. So I used an airsaw to cut through the bolt either side of the shock eye. It took ages but I got there eventually. With the shock out of the way I could see that the bolt head butts straight against the shock bearing and is meant to be a sliding fit inside the swinging arm entry hole. I fitted a drift against the head on the outside and belted it with a 4lb lump hammer. On the second bash it moved, on the 3rd bash it fell out the other side into the shock housing cavity. With that out of the way I then had to think how I was going to get the threaded piece out and was thinking welding a washer to it. In fact I decided to try to weld a bolt to it and thought I'd drill a hole in the protruding end to set the bolt into before welding. So I starting drilling with an 8mm bit. When I put a bit of pressure on the drill the remains of the bolt screwed further in! Hurrah, it was loose. I reversed the drill and pushed again and it screwed right out. Thank feck I have a new bolt and top-hat bushes on order from Harry at Ducati Glasgow. The bearing was a bit trickier to find. Mine is the Sachs shock with manual adjustment. It is a GE12PW plain spherical bearing measuring 12mm ID x 26mm OD x 16mm inner width x 12mm outer width. I could find bearings at 12 x 26 but with an inner width of 15mm and an outer of only 9mm. All for less than a tenner. I eventually found the correct bearing with the same dimensions from www.splatshop.co.uk, intended for a Gas Gas shock. A bit pricier though at £21.95 +VAT. At least it will all be sorted now and I'll be making sure that bolt never seizes in again.
So 'me too' that the trip we are planning next year will be two DVTs, a yet to be decided bike and 1 GS. Common you see? To be fair to both makes, I had a twin spark MTS. Did 15k, that included two euro trips, Scotland trip, and a fair few Sunday blasts. 1st issue was sitting in the queue for the ferry at Newcastle with engine running and the temperature guage just rising and rising. Spent a week away switching the engine off when coming up to traffic lights etc as the fan wasnt cutting in. No fun in Northern Italy! It 'fixed' it self (??) when we started the return leg in Austria (wtf? but working is working) Heated grips packed in. Replaced under warranty. Next years euro trip, and the gear change got worse and worse. Turned out to be leaking air in to clutch fluid and an easy fix when home. I didnt want to start messing about with it in France, so rode around it as best could. Add in crap finish of all bolts, downpipes, exhaust and a very rusty chain, despite cleaning etc. Not great. Spent £650 on front suspension, sorted the dive on the brakes but at the expense of ride quality. Never sorted the high speed weave (visible to other riders on a track day!) At 15k traded in for a nearly new S1000r sport. Put 5k fault free miles including Spain trip on that superb bike. Missus decided she was interested in going on back again. Bought a 4k miles 14 plate R1200gs te. Now at 13k, a year later after one Germany long weekend fully loaded with Mrs, two Scotland lads weekend tours (fast) and a Pyrenees trip. Not a single issue. Handles like on rails even when luggaged up (with Roadsmart 3s) and have way more confidence in this bike in the corners than the MTS gave. Down sides, a bit heavy and gear change bit lumpy at low revs. Other wise a brilliant bike that performs in a way you just wouldnt expect. the suspension on the GS is worthy of praise too, esa. A combination of settings that actually work. No diving on the brakes in a way the average MTS owner could only dream of, yet still have compliant suspension. Truly remarkable. Best to take all forum issues also with a pinch of salt tbh. Plenty issues with 'some' GSers. None with others. But out of 3 MTS I know of, all 3 have had faults, ranging from dash unit failure, to engine grumbles. I would have another MTS on the proviso that it had full 2 year warranty, so therefore, new and afford to replace after 2 years, and have a spare bike! Probably the biggest tell tale though, is not thinking the BM must be 'traded in before the miles rack up', BUT that is exactly what I would think with the Ducati.
My Dad had a GS a few years ago and it was crap, flaking paint, duff leccies and a snapped drive shaft. His mates K1300GT was no better with cams made of mature Cheddar and coils that created a spark outside the combustion chamber and spontaneously combusted the whole 'kin contraption. He's (my Dad) been riding 55 years and owns six bikes, of which one is an R90S the other is a K100RS16V, he reckons the modern stuff isn't a patch on the older and BMW are just trading on their name and customer good will. It appears bike from most manufactures are at an impasse as far as reliability and technology are concerned. They need to get it right or pull back some, my own FJR AE has had it's fair share of issues and it's not twelve months old. Back to the Bee-Em though, it's just not my thing mate, I can go on the continent or oop north and see literally hundreds of them, none of which will ever see dirt, farting down the motorway with born agains on board that have no idea how to ride taking up a whole lane with their fat assed panniers, not my thing at all. Ducati have never been known for longevity or reliability, BMW on the other hand have and for me have yet to prove the modern stuff is reliable. BTW 1998 ST2 and 2004 ST3 here, the ST2 was a gift to me from my Dad some years ago and it's been in the family from new, done 40.000miles and bar a change in battery leads has been very reliable doing touring trips two up fully laden with 'er in doors hair straighteners packed in the panniers. So I guess it's you pays your money, you takes your chance with the modern stuff, whoever makes it.
IMO none of the modern stuff has the quality and reliability it should have. Makes it a dilemma when looking at any bike, more so once in to £15k region, they really should be right! GS replacement is going to be difficult. Another GS, 1290 GT or a Multi. Does the multi still come with an instant rust exhaust system? I know the KTM is good quality, so is the GS. Difficult to spend so much on the Duke and have such tat for a standard exhaust tbh. Add in the fart on to adjust the bloody chain (mine was hanging by Italy) and it makes it an up hill battle against the shaft drive GS for real tours. Anyhow, hope I dont slow too many down with my fat assed panniers (^^^ ). Judging by the last trip though it shouldnt be a major isssue, as long as the guy that had the 2011 PP is not holding me up again.
