[peter mcwilliams]

Go in with your eyes open ,,Ducati's are a little more maintenance intensive than the japanese machines,,parts are on the high side,,it really helps if you're handy with tools,,( ie belt changes,oil changes,,ect) that will aid in keeping overall operation costs down,,,i've owned several and never had one "break",,the performance is stellar,,,really hard to believe how much smooth linear power they get out of the engines,,,the sportster pales in comparison,,there really is no comparison in performance to what you listed as your previous bike list,,,you will enter a whole different realm

 

[peter mcwilliams]

They actuate the cams,,, yes they are timing belts,,, inspection is the key and using high quality replacements,, and not all that difficult to change

 

[peter mcwilliams]

I ride a dual sport myself and had a dr650,,,not a bad bike,,,switched to a dr350 and am much happier with it,,,it's a better bike,,,the Ducati's are a little more maintenance intensive but the rewards are great,,,they are a great brand,,,fast and they handle like a dream,,,