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Buying advice from db7 owners?

 
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Lotus Elise



Joined: 15 Jun 2011
Posts: 22
Location: Cardiff

PostPosted: Mon Sep 17, 2012 2:13 am    Post subject: Buying advice from db7 owners? Reply with quote

Dear db7 owners here on the list, after selling my db2 for a Lotus (which I will keep), I finally can effort a Bimota again. I see a couple of db7's for very reasonable prices, and I would like to get some advice on issues to look at. I have heard that the fuel gauge has issues, but is obviously difficult to check without riding the tank close to empty. I assume the engine should be without problems. I plan to bring it to a Ducati store to have the engine checked for abuse, but otherwise I will rely on my own judgement.

Are there any regions of the fairing that get marks etc.? Any issues I should look for with suspension? Electrical issues to look for? I hope the seller will allow me to take of the fairing, or I most likely will walk away. But how difficult is it to take of the fairing, and where to look underneath? Any advice very welcome. (I am not at total greenhorn when it comes to cars, engines bikes, but I believe only the owners of a specific model knows exactly what to look for. I can provide all these informations for a db2sr or a Lotus SC if someone needs them...)

Many thanks in adavance, Christian
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mv05 exy



Joined: 24 Jan 2012
Posts: 48
Location: Chelmsford, Essex

PostPosted: Tue Sep 18, 2012 10:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Christian, good to hear you are hoping to get one of these. they are superb bikes when set up correctly.

Where to start....
Things to look out for. Dependant on which year you get will depend on the starter motor that it has. Early bikes 08 & some 09, had a weak starter motor that wasnt up to the job. Theres no easy way to check which one you have, its a case of pulling the left side of the engine off to look at the part number. the good ones have the number 27040101A
When you view a bike, ask them not to have it warmed up, you want to see it start from cold, and check the side of the engine to make sure it is cold. It should start after 4 or five cycles, if not less. They always sound like they are about to die but thats not necesaarily a problem. just as long as it turns over strong. Worst case scenario is the sprag clutch goes - your then looking at £500 to replace all the necessary bits.

What do you think a reasonable price is?

Fuel gauge - it is a problem, it goes down to quick. im getting about 90miles from a tank if i behave, if i dont then a lot less - but then i think that mines over fueling anyway which is a problem i need to sort.

have the engine checked over, usual valves and compression test and perhaps a gas analysis test done.

The fairing doesnt take any abuse in any particular parts, the usual bits get chips, that is the lower front to the left and right of the forks. Its easy to remove....sort of. They are all allen bolts, about 15 in total, however the 'V' shape in front of the engine is supposed to 'slide' in to one of the other fairing parts, thats not an easy task really but do able and gets easy with practice.

Check the rear swingarm on the right for marks from boots. ive put a little clear plastic over mine as my boots were rubbing on the paint, the paint isnt the thickest so would go through very easily.

The brakes are awesome.

Suspension is set up to stiff from the factory, getting it professional changed is a must for you personally. its easy to change if you know what your doing and the shock is a good shock when set up properly. but dont be put off if you test ride it and hate it. its needs setting up. It has a steering damper on it, this should be set at max, its a light bike and shakes it head and the sight of a pebble.

Its a bitch in traffic but doesnt over heat, its well vented and can cope with slow journeys, but the clutch is a slag. as any ducati dry clutch is going to be.

Exhaust. its big, not the best looking but it does a good job. Take it off, as i did, and the bike losses back pressure and its hard to start. you dont want to do anything that makes this bike harder to start. Mine is back on now.
there are other options but the OEM does a good job.

for such a light bike its goes through tyres pretty quick - but that might just be me, i dont ride it slowly and i have michelin pure cups on, they are like plastacine when hot and the grippiest road tyre that ive had yet.

Now for the gripes.
i NEED to check my fueling/map. i dont think its right, never have done. BUT, i cant source a cable, or the CD for the software and its a Walbro ECU which is not the same as the ducati one. Walbro have been bought by another company and i cant seem to get a cable for it anywhere other than the US for $500. I dont have MUG written on my head!

My Kill switch doesnt work, my headlight doesnt work constantly so if your riding in the dark in the country side, you might think your at a Disco, your not, its just your head light flashing on and off.

My horn doesnt work - well actually thats a lie, it does work but it sounds like a Snail farting.

If its alarmed, which is unlikely, get an optimate for it. in fact get an optimate anyway. the battery takes a pounding when starting it and im not sure these Italians have figured out how to wire a motorbike yet, it doesnt seem like the bike charges the battery fully when riding.

All these little problems make the bike far from perfect. HOWEVER, when you ride this thing, you will forget the Horn, the Kill Switch, the Headlights, and not being able to start it when you fill up for fuel next, everything will make sense, its a proper weapon that eats anything ive come across. I've had a rolling drag race with a new R1 from about 70 - 150 and I embarrased the R1. its not a hugely powerful bike, buts its so light its ridiculous.

Check your insurance. I had a pain getting it insured because at the time it was the only one in the UK that was registed on the VOSA register - bear in mind this was only 9 months ago! the insurance isnt cheap and no one wanted to touch it. and thats with 5 years no claims.

Dont think ive missed anything out but if you have any questions, let me know.
Rich
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My worry is when i die, my wife will sell my stuff for the price I told her i paid for it.
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Lotus Elise



Joined: 15 Jun 2011
Posts: 22
Location: Cardiff

PostPosted: Tue Sep 18, 2012 8:19 pm    Post subject: Thanks Rich for this great and detailed answer! Reply with quote

It's kind of funny that after all these years electric problems are still dominating, like on my db2 in the good old days. I remember that a few years ago I talked to Dan von Epps at the London bike exposition,
and lying on the floor underneath a Tesi 3D I said to him: "these are exactly the crappy connectors you used on my db2 in 1993. They are totally useless if exposed to rain". He said he knew. By the time Ducati had long moved to
high quality sealed connectors.

I will follow your advice and see how the bike starts from cold.

Very reasonable prices are 12.000 Euro with 5000km. I have also seen 18.000 Euro for a DB8SP with 500km on the clock. Sounds reasonable too.
I got a good price for my db2 although I now see db2's sold at far higher
prices. From my perspective, the Bimota has to be substantially cheaper
than a Panigale S or I would go for the Ducati. I adore the artisanal quality
of a Bimota, but I am not a collector. I plan to drive the bike a few thousand kilometers a year. A new Ducati would offer dealer support.

I can imagine that running the engine rich (of fuel) is smoothening out the
engine behaviour. In fact, that was exactly how the db2sr was set up. In the rain, the spark plugs would get black until the engine dies off. New spark plugs was the only rescue in this case.

I will check the swingarm for marks.

Suspension setup is the first thing I will do. My weight is 65kg, so I usually start by changing springs. Can you recommend someone to have it set up for me? I am planning to take it to Bursi, as he had a db7 running in the Italian Championship. However, I recall he changed to all Oehlins during the year.

The exhaust is really ugly and big. However, I might just live with it unless a
professional, smaller and quiet solution shows up. Noise is an issue in Austria and Germany, and I have absolutely no interest to give the police an argument against me. The good news is that insurance in Austria is very easy. It goes by ccm and HP and your age, has nothing to do with the brand of the bike.
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mv05 exy



Joined: 24 Jan 2012
Posts: 48
Location: Chelmsford, Essex

PostPosted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 9:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I doubt Italian bikes will ever be perfect - but thats why we love them, they all have their little quirks.

€12,000 is very reasonable. I paid over that in GBP for mine, but then i guess you pay a premium for having one of only a couple in the country. I wouldnt be bothered to import one myself.

There is a website called Subito that you may already be aware of, its like Ebay but in Italian, there are always DB7's on there for sale.

There is also a company called Superbike Mugello, find them on Facebook, they have lots of pictures of different exhaust options. All of them ugly.

So are you based in Austria? Or Cardiff?
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My worry is when i die, my wife will sell my stuff for the price I told her i paid for it.
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Lotus Elise



Joined: 15 Jun 2011
Posts: 22
Location: Cardiff

PostPosted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 7:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So are you based in Austria? Or Cardiff?

Sao Paulo (at this moment of time) !!
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Pompey



Joined: 31 Jul 2008
Posts: 2311
Location: Marlborough

PostPosted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 7:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ahhh, love Sau Paulo, Manhatten on acid! I was working there a few months back. Did you spot the prisons on the way in from the outer int. airport?
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Pomps
Bimota's Db2, Db5 ,Ducati's 851' 92, 888' 93, Honda blade' 93, Triumph speed triple' 07, kawasaki zxr 750 k1
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Lotus Elise



Joined: 15 Jun 2011
Posts: 22
Location: Cardiff

PostPosted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 11:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, I know the prison. I will stay until next August, and it is the second time I am based in SP for a whole year (well, I have a busy flight schedule usually, so I will be on and off from my base). Rolling Eyes
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djt77



Joined: 27 Feb 2008
Posts: 413
Location: Perth, Western Australia

PostPosted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 4:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not really much more I can add that Richard hasn't already covered. I never had any issues with my first one although some of the early models did have issues with the tacho.

If given choice of the 1199 or DB7 I would with the DB7, especially with the recalls on the 1199. On the road I would think the DB7 is much better machine, more suited to the road rather than the track, still less weight than the 1199 as well.

Bursi will be good port of call with the DB7 for set up etc.

With regards to the fairings, easy to take on/off if after a few times but be careful first time you take off.

Good luck and at 12,000 euro is a good deal.
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Lotus Elise



Joined: 15 Jun 2011
Posts: 22
Location: Cardiff

PostPosted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 1:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Anyone has real life numbers of the weight of a db7 or db8 (SP) or even a 1199 ? I doubt very much that they are lighter than a db2 (as the numbers seem to claim), but maybe time has moved on. Then I have to add that
my db2 had magnesium wheels and some other weight reductions. I try
very hard to stay at 65kg, and so weight really counts for me. I recently
have driven the VFR of my brother, and it really is far too heavy for me.
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