Ducati pre-purchase inspections
Let us look at it before you buy it
Ray Petty Meccanica will inspect a used Ducati or classic Italian motorcycle for you before you buy it, at its workshop in Greenwich, London, free of charge. We check the history, the condition and how it runs, then tell you plainly whether it's a good buy and what it's likely to need.
Look past the shine
A clean Ducati in a good photo can hide a lot: missed Desmo services, belts years out of date, a crash repair, tired electrics. Any of those can cost more than the haggling saved. We'd rather you didn't have a bad first experience and miss out on owning a good Ducati, so before you hand over your hard-earned cash, let us look.
What we check
- Paperwork: service history, invoices for Desmo services and belt changes, MOT history, and that the frame and engine numbers match the documents
- Starting and running: how it starts from cold, idle, warning lights and fault codes
- Engine: noises, leaks, oil condition, signs of overheating
- Electrics: charging, battery, lights, switchgear and any non-standard wiring
- Chassis: frame, forks, suspension, steering head and wheel bearings
- Signs of a crash or a poor repair: bodywork, bars, levers, pegs and frame
- Brakes, tyres and chain: condition and age
- Originality on classics: correct parts, finishes and numbers
- What it will need soon, and roughly what that will cost
What riders say about RPM
“Ray took the time to answer 2 calls from me, one before buying a 1977 Moto Guzzi Le Mans Mk1 and the other after purchasing it. [...] FREE advice and turning away business are rare traits these days.”
How it works
- Call us before you commit.Tell us the bike, the asking price and where it is.
- We look at the bike.
- You get a straight answer.What's good, what's wrong, what it's likely to need and whether we'd buy it at that price.
Modern Ducatis
We read the fault memory and service data with Ducati diagnostic software, and check the service intervals have been kept.
Classic Ducatis
Bevels, belt twins and the 916 family: we know what to look for on each and what the right parts look like.
Other Italian bikes
Moto Guzzi, MV Agusta, Laverda and Benelli too. See Italian motorcycles.
Pre-purchase questions
Is a pre-purchase inspection worth it on a used Ducati?
Yes. Missed Desmo services and overdue cam belts are expensive to put right, and they don't show in photos. A check before you buy either gives you confidence or saves you from a costly mistake.
How much does it cost?
Nothing. We'd rather you bought a good bike.
What should I check myself before calling you?
Ask for the service history and receipts, check the MOT history online, run an HPI-type check for finance and theft, and ask when the belts and valves were last done. Our guide to buying a used Ducati goes through it, and Ducati servicing explains what's due when.
Can you inspect a classic or a non-Ducati?
Yes: classic Ducatis, and Moto Guzzi, MV Agusta, Laverda and Benelli motorcycles.
Work featured in
4.9 on Google from more than 240 reviews
We'd love to hear from you
Call, email or call in to the workshop in Greenwich.
Saturday: 10am to 5pm
Sunday and Monday: closed