[Jeff Higgins]

I'll second the endorsement for Ducati of Seattle. Wonderful people that either have, or can get, everything you need. Within Ducati circles, they are actually known as one of the best - if not the best - dealers in the land. Their name comes up time and time again on the Ducati forums when folks are looking for a reliable mail-order parts supplier, regardless of where they live. They ship far and wide across the U.S. and, I would imagine, Canada.

Don't let maintenance on a Duc concern you in the least. Compared to my 911, it is far cheaper and easier. Everything is much more accessible. Belts can be done in less than an hour with no special tools. The dirty little secret about the valves is they almost never require re-shimming once the motor is thoroughly broken in. Most guys check them at the suggested intervals and find they never need to adjust them.

The basic motor/chassis on these bikes are well known to be about as bullet-proof and reliable as any bike ever made. The electrical components, however, exhibit that typical Italian/English "quality" - or lack thereof. Fortunately, the cures for their electrical shortcomings are cheap and readily available. As a 1994 that is still on the road, it is likely they have been addressed by now anyway.

Probably my best endorsement for this basic platform is my experience with my own bike. It's a 1993 900 Super Sport that I have now owned for just about one year. I have put 14,000+ miles on it in this last year, with absolutely no issues of any kind. It now has over 43,000 miles on it. My friend ("cneilsen" here on Pelican) has a dead stock, all original '92 900 SS with over 50,000 miles on it. All he does is change the oil and ride the darn thing - never a mechanical issue of any kind. These are fantastic bikes, either in Ducati or Cagiva guise. I wouldn't fret in the least, or let your local mechanic put you off.