| Not particularly rare as such. The rare bit would be that a 2003 bike would usually have more than 900 miles on it.
It's an SSie so it has twin front discs and an injected engine, so all the bits that you might want.
The downside is that if it's only done 900 miles in 3 years, it's almost certainly been stood still for extended periods. That means that unless it's been up on paddock stands the weight of the bike may have left flat spots on the tyres - summat to check, and then there's the cam belts.
Let me tell you about cam belts. They're a toothed rubber belt, reinforced with kevlar and obviously connect the crankshaft to the camshafts. There are two of them, one for each cylinder. Because space is at a premium on a bike, the pulleys that the belts have to wrap around are smaller than they would be on a car and if left standing for extended periods the belts tend to mould themselves around the pulleys and memorise the shape that they've been standing in - which means that you can get lumps and bumps in belts that have stood on a dormant bike.
People think that Ducati cambelts snap of their own accord, but they don't. What happens is that if the belts have developed lumps and bumps through standing inert, they can jump a tooth or two. When that happens the valve timing goes up the swanee and the valves smash into the piston - the belt just happens to break when it can't mash the valve into the piston any harder.
The belt life is 12,000 miles or every two years whichever comes sooner. These figures are on the conservative side, but for a 3 year old bike that's been standing - even with low mileage (especially with low mileage) they'll need doing. The bike will need to have been serviced each year as well so check the service history. Budget for around £300 to get a belt change service and haggle on the price if it ain't been done  |