Maybe someone on here might be local to you and happy to have a look with you at one. Aside from that, I normally apply the same rules as I do when I buy any car/bike. I HPI check it to see if anything is recorded. I make note of engine/frame numbers and make sure they are correct and also that they havent been tampered with. I get the last mot details and check online - all mot`s since 2005 will be shown so you can see what advisories were given and check that the mileage all matches up nicely. On the bike itself, I check carefully around it for any damage, check the nose cone, check if any of the levels / bar weights / pegs / mirrors have scrapes on them where someone may have replaced the bodywork after an accident, but not those items. Ducati will tell you what model of 916 it should be if you email them the frame number. Id familiarise yourself with the various models if needbe so you know if the one your looking at is correct. Loads of people modify their 916`s, common place is fitting a single seat unit on a biposto, or swapping the rear shock for an ohlins on a non-ohlins model. Id look out for any extras or non standard bits and factor what they are worth into the price. Check the service history. Personally I dont care if its been main dealer serviced or not as long as either a decent bike shop or an experienced owner has serviced the bike correctly and has kept details / receipts as to what was done & when. The big scary thing for some owners is the belt service which should be every 2 years or 12,000 miles. Ducati charge an arm & a leg to do this so some owners put it off. One ducati I looked at, the owner said the belt had been changed 2000 miles ago. Fine I thought, until I checked exactly when that was by looking at MOT`s.... it was over 6 years ago! Depending upon how confident you are with spanners, you can do the belt service yourself as well as the routine oil / filters etc. They are fairly straight forward bikes to work on and by doing so you will save a fortune. It is difficult to listen to a 916 and listen for any knocks/rattles as they are noisy bikes anyway, especially if its got an aftermarket exhaust on it. So unless you know how they should sound you wont really notice anything wrong. I always look for oil leaks, condition of chain & bike in general as things like that can help give you a picture of how an owner has looked after the bike. And usually a good chat with the owner can also help give you a gut feeling as to what the bike is like and how they have treated it. An owner with a folder full of receipts etc is always a good sign. The bike should come with its owners manual, service book and 2 keys. Very often owners loose/keep these when they sell on bikes. There are plenty of bikes for sale atm, so feel free to walk & shop around if your not happy. Id also consider the 748 & 996. Good luck.
