Usually, with Italian-made vehicles, one would expect nothing but excellence and quality build — think Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini, and, of course, Ducati would be the first name to come to mind for motorcycles. Ducati was founded in 1926, and with nearly a century of manufacturing, the company is a symbol of excellence in the motorcycle industry. Ducati has a reputation for having a high price tag.
Pump the brakes on that idea, though. Not all Ducati motorcycles are perfect, like the Ducati Monster 796, made between 2010 and 2013. As the name suggests, this monster will cause most owners a series of headaches and hit their bank accounts hard with the constant costs to maintain and repair.
Issues include electrical problems, such as wires not being connected properly, which can result in melted or broken wires. The AC to DC conversion to charge the battery results in a faulty regulator rectifier. Hydraulic fluid leaks from wear and tear in rubber seals, causing issues with the clutch slave cylinder. And myriad migraines from oil leaks, head gasket failure, awkward seating, a lot of vibration, and how often maintenance is required – 12,000 miles or every 2 years for a belt change and 6,000 miles for valve maintenance.
It is also worth noting that some 2012 models were recalled twice for friction material on the backing plate of the rear brake pads detaching and potential fuel leakage from micro-cracking in the fuel lines due to raw materials not drying enough.
