Ducati Purchase Advice Please???

There's a lot to be said for thrashing a smaller bike around the roads rather than riding well within the potential of a larger machine. Wouldn't want one as my only machine, but that doesn's appear to be an issue. Yet another way of having fun on a bike... .
Must have been something wrong with that particular Laverda, IIRC they handled pretty well - to the extent that it was a toss up between a Pantah and the Monjuic when I was looking for my first 'proper' bike. A very secondhand 500SL came up first and it's been Ducati all the way, never ridden another Laverda since. Though I did cycle round the old Monjuic circuit last time I was in Barcelona...

 

You might get a very early one in budget but you really want the RC8R. Good ones are about 10K. If I was a rich man I'd have one as a track bike.

 

It wasn't just me who had a problem with the Laverda 500 - it tried to throw everyone up the road

 

Yeah but £5000 is my budget - might stretch to £6000?

 

Thanks but I'm having an extended run next week on an RC 8 so I will decide after that

 

I like the look of this RC 8 and its sensible miles plus it's got a couple of sensible mods.Also going to have a quick squirt on an RC 390 - will know if it's for me pretty quickly I think but at £3999 brand spanking new I've gotta at least consider it? Saw this low miler (2nd pic) for just £2999 and that's before I put my size 11's on seller

 

I just spotted this 2008 RC 8 on Gumtree - more miles than I want @ 12,900 and 2 owners but looks cheap at £5200? I'm no sports bike expert so can someone tell me if a new chain and sprockets @ just under 12,000 miles is about right? Or does it point towards having been ragged and spent a lot of time with the front wheel skyward???

 

I forgot - it's got K n N filters which I know what they are about! But also a "Power commander V" with map switch? What's all that about?

 

Doesn't the original RC8 (1150 cc, 2008 version) have a reputation for snatchy fuelling - hence the PowerCommander V? And a gearbox full of false neutrals (which were all sorted under warranty/recall). 2009 on RC8R (1200cc) meant to be better.
Very much liking the look of that little KTM...

 

Yes they do have snatchy throttles. Not worth faffing about with a PC. Its cheaper and far more effective to bin the emissions control plumbing and get a custom map. Alternatively, the Akropovitch maps for their decat systems tend to be very effective on all KTMs. Certainly far better than the Termi maps with Ducatis.
I believe the 2011 model had a fully revised gearbox, the same gearbox fitted to the 1190 Adventures which have no problems. (The same gearbox in fact that is fitted to the 1290 SDR, and I know first hand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with those).
Some reviewers also felt that the early RC8s had very grabby (fierce) brakes. Not sure why, possibly down to KTMs own master cylinder.
Personally, if I was after an RC8R as a serious road bike I'd go for a 2011 onwards and avoid Power Commanders. Better to get a stock bike and get it uncorked properly with a custom map from a dyno shop with experience of setting up these bikes.

 

Yeah that makes sense cos the earlier models all seem to have a power commander and I've seen "gearbox recall modification carried out" in quite a few RC8 advert descriptions

 

Original budget was £5,000 - admittedly a bit hopeful and maybe even miserly? I'm gonna go to £6,000 but that's it! I knew I would get an honest answer on here and from bikers who know not think they know?

 

Yeah - that RC 390 looks a great bit of fun at a nats cock under £4,000 brand new with full main dealer backup and factory warranty - but a car trader with 42+ years trading behind him can't help but be drawn to the 2015 I posted @ sub 3 bags? Might try a mid 2's offer at risk of gettin told to foxtrot Oscar?