New To Me St2

Hello fellow Ducati inmates,
I have previosuly owned a couple of mid 90's 900ss's. One new in 1996, which was writen of a few years later and one I bought a few years ago. Unfortunetely I discovered that the ergo's had become wearisome with age. Mine, not its. I found I still loved the whole Duc experience.

On a whim I have just bought a well priced low mileage 2002 ST2. The previous owner had it MOT'd the previous month with new oil, filter and battery but it had been stored outside under a bike cover during his ownership. He has had it for 3 years and 2400 miles.

Funny how time makes us forget the full picture. When it arrived off the van, my wife came out to coo over it, it looked great. Better than I expected. So I decided to start it. Turned the key, lights on. Pressed the starter. Nothing. Key off and on. No sound of the pump priming. After a short puzzled pause....oh yes....I remember, the sidestand is down. I went to put it on the centre stand. Nope. It is seized in the up position. So sitting on the bike with the sidestand up I turned the key. Yep, dash lights on, acompanied by the sound of the pump priming. Big smiles. Pressed the starter.........click, click...and the lights on the dash started discoing and the speedo and tacho needles picked up the beat and started dancing all around the dials. The starter moter did not budge. Alarmed I turned it off. After a few moments I tried again and with the same result. We both started laughing.

It's good to be back.

I put it in my workshop and stripped the right fairing, charged the battery and next day it started first time.

It's in great condition and I am looking forward to reconditioning it over the winter.

All the best,
Mark