Ducati Monster Forum

Here's the list of local shops in our area.

I've added a poll to this thread as well, so you can give kudos for good service at these shops. You can vote more than once... every time you leave a shop happy and satisfied, just give them a point here on the poll, and if you want, leave a writeup. Lets keep this thread on topic to shop/dealership experiances only, kinda like the other thread on the other board.

Please don't spam the poll.

BATTLEY CYCLES
7830 Air Park Road
Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States 20879
Tel.: 301-948-4581
Fax: 301-948-7510
www.battley.com (http://www.battley.com)
Closed Sun
Mon - Fri 9-7
Sat 9-5

Brooks Cycle Centre (Jason Brooks)
Tel.: 571-438-1378
BrooksCycleCentre@yahoo.com
Hours by appointment only


COLEMAN POWERSPORTS FALLS CHURCH
435 South Washington Street
Falls Church, Virginia, United States 22046
Tel.: 703-237-3400
Fax: 703-534-0646
www.wherethepoweris.com (http://www.wherethepoweris.com)
Closed Sun
Mon - Fri 10-7
Sat 10-5


COLEMAN POWERSPORTS WOODBRIDGE
14105 Telegraph Road
Woodbridge, Virginia, United States 22192
Tel.: 703-497-1500
Fax: 703-497-1512
www.wherethepoweris.com (http://www.wherethepoweris.com)
Closed Sun
Mon - Fri 10-7
Sat 10-5


DUC POND MOTOSPORTS
663 North Loudoun Street
Winchester, Virginia, United States 22601
Tel.: 540-667-3498
www.ducpond.com (http://www.ducpond.com)
donnie@ducpond.com
Monday by appointment only
Tuesday - Thursday 9-6
Friday 9-7
Saturday 9-4

REDLINE PERFORMANCE MOTORSPORTS, INC.
7331 George Washington Memorial Hwy
Yorktown, Virginia, United States 23692
Tel.: 757-989-5000
Fax: 757-989-3591
www.redlinemotors.com (http://www.redlinemotors.com)
Closed Sun
Mon - Fri 9-6
Sat 9-4

RAM Cycles
701 E. Gude Dr.
Rockville, MD 20850
Tel: 301-279-BIKE (2453)

Tuesday - Friday 9am - 6pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm

SPEED'S CYCLE
5820 Washington Boulevard
Elkridge, Maryland, United States 21075
Tel.: 410-379-0106
Fax: 410-379-6748
[url=http://www.speedscycle.com]www.speedscycle.com (http://www.ramcycles.net[/url)
Closed Sun & Mon
Tue, Thu & Fri 10 - 6
Wed 10 - 7
Sat 10 - 4

I've had service at Speeds, DucPond and Colemans FC. I have not had a single issue with any of them. My only gripe about two of the three shops i voted for is turnaround time. I relize that it may be next to impossible for small shops to schedule the exact day they work on the bikes, but If they could, it would make my life easier.

I've had work done at both Colemans and Ducpond.

Colemans WB was quick, but a bit costly (as would be FC), even with the discount being offered to CAM folks at that time.  I also had the GM of the time checking up on the work.  So I had a good experience at the time.  Been a while since then and the GM is gone so YMMV

Colemans FC - was just a tire change.  With a call before hand, and since it was an off time, they did just let me roll in do my tire and then back out - which was cool.  Again, a bit pricier than other shops labor rate.  But FC is pretty close to me so for items like tires the additional cost is negated by time saved.  Never had any *real* work done there.  But the parts guys have been helpful and given me a few odds and ends for free and the gear/accessory staff hes been cool too, like cutting me a discount on a helmet.

Ducpond - I've had them do the most invasive work.  24K service and some head work.  After bringing the bike home from the 24k, I did notice a couple mistakes - Donnie had me bring the bike back in and went over the work a 2nd time personally and installed some frame sliders I had scrounged from ebay for no labor charge as a make good. 

Though it was a hassle taking the bike back a 2nd time, Donnie stepped up and made right on that work - So that's why I've taken my bike back there since it just had to be a pregnant dog and spring an oil leak right after I brought it home the 2nd time.  It's a haul to get there, but they have the most experience in the region, I think.

Don't forget Richmond Superbike (www.richmondsuperbike.com).   I've had my bike in there several times and they've always surpassed my expectations.  Joey and Derek are both factory trained on Ducati's and they truly understand the concept of customer service.   They also have a reasonable hourly labor rate.   If anyone is coming up on a service milestone (6K, etc.) I would suggest getting a quote from them.

Since Ian mentioned tires, I take my wheels off the bike and run them to Annapolis Motorsports for tires. The shop owner, Wes charges me 20 bucks a wheel and his tire price is as good as the interwebs and no shipping charges. He does them while I wait too. Wes does mostly metric cruiser and Jap bikes. My wife and father in law take there metric cruisers to him for servicing.

RAM Cycles has moved to a new and larger facility.

RAM Cycles
701 E. Gude Dr.
Rockville, MD 20850
Tel: 301-279-BIKE (2453)

I have had many great experiences getting my DUC worked on there.

+1 on Ram Cycles.....Alex is cool and Jeremys customer service is Excellent.

Went to Battleys today had some good fun on a couple roads that offered great opportunities to really hear my duc sing.  Even met a  [leo] at Battleys who told me which roads to avoid today!!!  [beer]

Anyway, picked up some adapters so I could finally mount my CRG Bar-End mirrors.  The guys at the parts department were really  [moto], and gave a generous discount for MAD members.  WILL RETURN!!!  Thanks guys!


(http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction-viewImage&friendID=277204073&albumID=1111040&imageID=15243111)

I just had my 18k service (first service for me) and I wanted to post the info for the shop that did the work. 

I have nothing but good things to say about the entire experience.  Great customer service, great work and great price. 

Bill at Motohaus cycles.
PH# 703-868-7496
Email desmo98@cox.net

He just moved into a new shop in Fredericksburg so give him a call if you need some work done.

I know it's been said, many times, many ways...

Merry - Get your suspension done! Just got my S2R back from DucPond where they put in stiffer springs up front and adjusted sag, etc. and my bike is even more fun. Also under my tree they put the FatDuc lamda sensor resistor thingie, which fixes the lean running Dual Spark problems.

So if you're Monster has the stock suspension, don't be a Grinch - get thee to DucPond.

I bought my 2009 M696 from Coleman (Falls Church), and I decided to get my 600 mile maintenance done there. When I showed up they were getting ready to call me about some Ducati bulletins; I assume they keep track of who buys what from them (good service IMO). I'm not sure if that's SOP...

Within 2 days they called to let me know they discovered a broken spring at the rear brake during an inspection. Long story short, they had to order that spring from Italy and my bike is hostage for a few weeks. I'm not sure how truthful they guy was, but he did say the work had been done and the bike would otherwise be ready. It's been 1 week at the time of this writing and they've been really good at setting my expectations.

So far the bill is just under $600.00. They told me to expect ~$850.00 for the next (6500 mile) maintenance. It seems high but, then again, I was warned by the salesman when I bought the bike. And I've got nothing to compare it to.

Overall I've had an excellent experience with Coleman (FC). The sales people are knowledgeable, friendly, and patient. The service people understand that you want to get in and get out. And they folks who staff accessories are always helpful. I can't imagine a better dealership - not to say there isn't one.

Another happy Ram Cycles customer.  I stopped in after work yesterday to have my rear brake cylinder swapped (it is really nice having rear brakes again), and they were great to work with.  Their customer service was excellent, the labor rate was reasonable, and they had a deep knowledge of the Ducs.  As an added bonus their couch was comfortable and they had a nice TV and great magazine selection to help pass the time.

Thanks for the heads-up! Damn. I'm curious... did you get your service done in NoVA?

The rear brake doen't have any springs.  Hope he was talking about the rear master.

I got clarification (as I've escalated this issue to Ducati USA out of frustration)... It's the rear brake pedal spring. I've confirmed that this particular spring is on back-order and it's no fault of Coleman FC.

I just noticed this weekend that that spring was broken on my 696, as well. 

I bought my bike at Coleman WB.  One of the service guys showed me the maintenance schedule and pricing for the 695 and told me to expect roughly the same.  I didn't say anything but I was thinking that the 696 was supposed to be cheaper to maintain that the previous bikes.  Between that and the really dirty feeling I had going through the purchase process, I haven't been back to WB but I did go to the FC store and was surprised at the difference between the two.  Still, I took it to Ducpond for the 600 mile service and will continue to bring it out there.

Yep, it's a defect. I waited 7 weeks for that damn spring. Once it arrived it took the mech ~5 minutes to install.

I'd call ahead and have your shop order that spring from the regional rep (if you're lucky they've got it in stock now)...this way you can keep your bike. Just make sure your rear brake light isn't being triggered. If it is, you'll have to cobble together a temporary spring.

That was actually the first thing I checked.  It hasn't really had any effect.  Any noticable effect, anyway.  But I have been meaning to call and order the spring.

 I have taken mine to and independent shop .

 Holy shit is it a runnin mothermake the beast with two backser.

 

DucPond Kudos again.
So over the last 4 weeks the ST3 needed a new starter sprague, the M900 new fork seals, and the S2R1000 a new chain. The details:
The ST3 starter acted up on my trip to the Springfield Mile, on my way back I dropped the bike off at DucPond and let them know I had a 5 year warranty which had been written by Winchester Motosports when I purchased the bike in April 2005. They contacted the warranty company and ensured me the repair would be covered, minus my $25 deductible. They got the parts, repaired the bike, and the ST3 is on the road again good as new and my cost was $25, the repair bill was $696 so the warranty, $706, has paid for itself.

On the M900, rode it to a client meeting and as I was relaxing after navigating, or is it surviving, the Beltway, I noticed some residue on the left front fork seal. Out to DucPond it went, I was somewhat concerned about what would cause the fork seal to go - but then I looked at my service records and discovered that the front end had been upgraded to the Race Tech suspension 20K miles ago, so I figure that is about right, with the roads I travel and some of the track days. Anyway the work was done pretty quickly and the cost was $250 to remove both forks, repair and replace.

On the S2R, I could feel something was not right with the drive line, checked the chain tension, it was off a little, adjusted that, still was not right. No gap between the sprocket and the chain when I tested it on the rear sprocket, check the rear wheel it was tight and no play on cush bushings. Puzzled I took it to DucPond, turns out the bushings in the chain rollers had worn out with 10,400 miles, my chains usually last 12K but with the amount of track duty the S2R has seen and the fun I have pegging the throttle coming out of the turns on the backroads, I'm not complaining. The cost was $253. As Always this was all done on the schedule promised, with a smile, no BS, just good customer service. - Gene

They are not on your poll, but I've always gotten a square deal from the guys at Richmond Superbike.

Not to sound redundant, but I think it's imporatant to keep this current based on real experience. The S2R went in for a 12K service and an idle issue discovered when I was over at Mid-ohio. Turns out one of the timing belt rollers had frozen up, Donnie said he had only seen it on two other 2V' ever, I got lucky, the belt was in very bad shape and if it had broke, well shudder the thought. Note to self, pull timing belt covers very 3K and/or at first sign of rough running/idle. Anyway, got the bike back and it is running great as usual, did some local stuff, a run over in Ohio on way to Indy GP, and all week at INDY GP. No issues or need for follow-up on anything. Bike is running great, I need a track day!

I also picked up the ST3 this Saturday from a 30K service, plus new rear tire. Did about 300 miles so far, about half in sporting mode, bike may be running better than it ever has. Did a short loop with another Duc rider west of Duc Pond shop, about 125 miles. Noticed a missing bolt on fairing at windshield and the gear shift lever needed adjusting, swung by DucPond, fixed on the spot with a smile in about 2 minutes flat.

Still a Happy Customer - Gene

I've been happy with the experiences I have had with DucPond.  It is out of the way, but worth it.

I had to find a local place to change tire after I found a nail in the rear tire.  Since I'm off to NJ Motorsports Park next weekend, I wanted to get that done quick.  Found out about NVCycleWorx in Chantilly.  Three man shop, doing work on all makes.  Worked out well. 

Mike is a Ducati master. He did my belts and valves at 12k when he worked at Speed's. Donnie's man checked them at 18k and said they were spot on and now at 35k with Mike working on my bike again, he said the he only had to adjust 1 exhaust valve. This guy is the shit. And he replaced my FUBAR'd sprag for a really good price.

A big +1 for Mike!

Just had him do the valves on my Monster and he was great. The only issue I had at first was getting in contact with him at first since he was a little slow with the emails. But other  than that  he was great to talk to, answered all my questions etc.

I took the Honda to  Crossroads Cycle  (http://crossroadscycle.blogspot.com) recently.  They're good guys over there.  I know they work on everything, and there's alot of old Triumphs in the lot.[thumbsup]  Certainly not the same kinda place as Ducpond, but I'll definitely head back for the smaller stuff and if I ever need an emergency fix and can't stomach a tow bill from DC to Winchester.

I added Mike Collins to the poll.

He used to wrench at speeds.   

He's now on the DMF now too.

Mike is good people, worked on G's 620, and will get our routine service work for the forseable future.

Mike gets my vote. Dropped the 620 off at 2:30 and Mike let me know about 7:30 that it was ready to pick up.

Does anyone have the contact information for Mike? Would love to have him do some work on Duc. Seems that every Duc mechanic in the area is booked  ???

Pm'd you with Mike's info.

Received Thx.

I have had my bike serviced at Battley.  It was nothing complicated, just a oil change and seasonal service.  They were helpful if not a little too aggressive but I am a little sensitive to the "sales pitch" service after working for over a decade in the ski industry. 

Just wondering if anyone has had their gas tank (dents/cracks) repaired/welded locally?  Any recommendations?  I've got a good dent that has a small leak.  (04 620 dark).   [roll]

Also, could I get Mike's info.  My 620 needs a good service mechanic when it comes due for service again.  [bow_down]

All of you on the forum have been a great resource. Thanks so much.

PM'd...info sent.

 [thumbsdown] [thumbsdown] [thumbsdown] Ram Cycles [thumbsdown] [thumbsdown] [thumbsdown]

As they say on Ebay: would not recommend!

Not happy with the original work they did  [bang] and then the price is higher when I go to pick up the bike [bang] [bang]. Oh, but we'll give you $30 off your next oil change. Really?!? Do you really think I'll bring my bike back there? PM me if you want the gory details.

 [thumbsdown] [thumbsdown] [thumbsdown]

2.1  Members will conduct themselves in a respectful manner. Members shall not engage in disrespectful posting, personal attacks, name-calling, flaming, baiting, inflammatory posting or language, juvenile, chauvinistic or demeaning posting, post whoring (posting with the sole purpose of increasing their overall post count), trolling, e-sniping, e-stalking, indirect attacks, and other such activities not conducive to a positive and productive environment.

If you can keep it within guidelines, I'd say post. If not, pm me please. ;)

Had them replace the tires on my 620. Rode away a happy customer. Shortly thereafter, the screw holding on the cover at the end of the swing arm backs out, cover spins around and catches a bolt on the rear rotor, bends the tension adjustment screw, make the beast with two backss up the swingarm, and cracks the slider inside. They towed it in, lost the key and denied responsibility for the damage but agree to fix it and replace the key for the cost of parts only $94 bucks. Should have done it myself because when I go to pick it up today they wanted to charge me $125 for parts. I get the owner on the phone and he's trying to feed me some song and dance about fluctuating dollars and italian parts. I hung up on him and won't be back. I also won't be recommending Ram Cycles to anyone after my experience.

Mods:[bow_down] I'm happy to remove this post if it is considered inappropriate. Just let me know.

What is it with you and loose screws?!?!  [cheeky]

I don't have anything personal against RAM but this is not the first big screw-up they have pulled recently. They didn't reassemble a rear caliper properly and it came loose, hit the wheel, dented the rim and broke the caliper. Full story here: http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=22403.0 (http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=22403.0)

Thanks for sharing, good to know what to expect :(

Wonder if there's a techs name on the ticket. Would be interesting to see if both bikes were worked on by the same person at RAM.... if so, Jim you might be able to pull a little leverage by showing they have a recent history of crap work.

Damn, that's like going to a Buell dealer.

Lars! You're alive. Hope the house is coming along well and that you'll be back out riding with us soon!

My sheet had the tech's initials and I've heard second hand of another "something not torqued" problem from him that resulted in a track day crash, but that is only rumor since I didn't see it with my own eyes. But as far as dealing with Ram, I'll cut my losses and spread the word. As I was gearing up to leave, a guy rode up on a gixxer1000 and was chatting. He hadn't been there before...and he left when I did without even going inside. I won't be taking any work there in the future. The s2r will be needing 6k service before long and will be going to Mike.

Who is this mysterious Mike guy?  Is he local (DC / NOVA)?  I need my 7500 mi service done, can someone send me his contact info? 

PM sent.

Yes, still alive!! Will be riding soon enough.

I would personally take my bike to Mike or DucPond and it will be going to see him soon for the 12k.

Just about anywhere else seems to be a waste of time

http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=26828.msg728994#msg728994 (http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=26828.msg728994#msg728994)

http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=40791.0 (http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=40791.0)

PM Sent

He did a really great job on my 695. Took it in the morning and got it back the following evening.  Cost me around $600.00 and that was with new tires mounted and balanced. 

thanks man, I actually already had it...but that's cool and much appreciated you lookin out!

whoops i can't read early in the morning it seems

Mike did my 7500 service yesterday. I have an updated phone number for him if anyone needs it. His email is the same. His real job is competing with Duc work now, but he's still doing it on the side. You'll likely need to schedule with him for either Sun or Wed, which are his current days off.

Hi Guys -

I PM'd Mike a few days ago, to try and set up an appt, but he didn't respond so I'm guessing he doesn't monitor the board closely.  Can someone PM me with his contact details (email/phone)?

Thanks!

Dave

I'm new to ducatis, but have been riding around NoVA for almost two decades now.  My favorite local shop is MFI in woodbridge.  They aren't a ducati dealer though so I guess I'll have to branch out.  They have Honda, Kawasaki, Husqvarna, Husaberg and KTM.

I've got a garage so if anyone in NoVA needs a spot to do an oil change or something let me know and you can ride over.

Well... I'm sort of building a bike... got any room?  [cheeky]

Oh really?

Mad King, depends on how much room for how long.

DRKWNG, yepper (this is a recent development).  Great folks at the shop too, its owner is a former professional racer and genuinely awesome guy.  He's the sort of guy who when he broke his knee and was out of the pro series one year still came out to the next race and pitted for us lowly C-class'ers  [bow_down]

It's cool, I'm fooling with you. ;D

As a few KTMs are on my short-list I've spent some time at MFI recently. Good vibes there and recommend CAMers go check it out.

All good things to know, as the Super Duke will be due for a service pretty soon.  And the fact that the house I'm trying to buy is in Belmont Bay, having a KTM dealer in the neighborhood is even better.

Just a heads up, MFI is having their annual open house/sale/dyno day this Saturday, copy and paste of the flyer below.  I'll be there for a bit as long as nothing crazy happens at work that requires my presence.

----------------------------
MFI's 10th Annual Spring Open House this Saturday, March 26th

All in-stock units on sale at or below dealer invoice.

20% off parts and accessories, including special orders

up to 75% off in the Clearance Tent

50% off tire changes when purchased at MFI on March 25 and 26th

Factory Reps on hand

Dyno Test and Tune

MoonBounce for the KIDS

20% off online purchases from Sat 3/25 through midnight 3/27 Use Coupon Code "20percent"

If Donnie would move (or open a second shop) near the DC area, he would have more business than he could handle.  He would quickly put Coleman's out of business.

+1 on that, I'd like to have a nearby (don't need to trailer the bike) reliable(won't make the beast with two backs up more than I would) duc mechanic.

Not Duc related, but I got an email from Clinton Cycles (the Triumph dealer) saying that they're having an open house this Saturday. 

I thought their business was being blown away by Lewinsky Mopeds.

here's the flyer for the mfi open house (no ducs  I know, but some folks here have KTMs and Japanese bikes too I think....)
(http://www.psnnewsletter.com/images/clients/374/MFI3-26_750.jpg)
(http://www.psnnewsletter.com/images/clients/374/MFI3-26-11I%5B1%5D_page002_750.jpg)

What is a "Mounbounce?"

lols, I'm sure its supposed to be moon bounce  [roll]

The add agency, powersportsnetwork, that seems to do these things (and websites) for nearly all moto dealers sucks  [thumbsdown]

Made me think of 'moonshine' ... for the kids ... hmmm yea, that's a great idea! [cheeky]

Thanks for the heads-up on this.  I went to this event a few years ago and got several things, but wasn't on their list so I would have missed it this time around but for your post.

I went down today at 10AM with my son and had a very successful visit - new off-road boots and helmet for him (oh the budget pain of having a teenager in the midst of a growth spurt), and a new Arai Vector 2 for me, all at 20 to 30% off.  It was particularly valuable in the case of my helmet - I've been struggling for a while to find the right new helmet with the proper fit.  MFI had the Arai factory rep there today and he spent nearly 30 minutes helping me.  A good gear day.

Dave

I'm glad it worked out for you.  I was there at that time too helping get stuff setup.  I ran the bike demo tent for most of the day and also filled all the balloons.  [cheeky]

wow what a great thread.. just got my bike back from Colemon (falls church) i've had 3 bad experiences there but this is the first time i've taken a duc there. decent.. Raphaellle did a pretty good job but the customer service there is still suspect in my book. by the looks of the votes DucPond seems to get the cake. might have to check them out..

Just sent an email for the 12k maint on my 748. It's a few hours away, but I figure I'll see what they say. Was planning on doing it myself but I've been slacking on getting the tools and parts. I'm probably better off just getting it done ASAP (at 13k+ right now :() then to keep procrastinating.

I don't know what their problem is.  I took a wheel to mount a new tire there a while back.  Beyond the assrape price to mount and balance, they scratched up my rim because they put on the wrong kind of weight.  It was a "clamp" type which you see on spoke wheels that have a spine in the middle of the rim.  My older 3-spoke brembo wheel has a hump there and the idiot doing the tire though it was for a balance weight.  Never mind the fact that shavings of the wheel came off when he put the weight on. 

The service manager was worthless-  they would not refund the cost even and kept saying that they couldn't guarantee against scratches -- there it was on the wall.  "Even if you do the job 100% wrong??"

It was too small to go on about and too small to sue over.  I just took my business elsewhere, permanently. 

I'll be glad when they no longer have Ducati and someone who isn't the equivalent of a ghetto Kmart steps up locally.

I'll only go to Colemans to buy Ducati parts they have in stock. As bad as service might be, they are probably the most visible shop in the DC area. I was at the Italian embassy last week and they had these in display:
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EwaFip-5tKc/TewPswp3kYI/AAAAAAAAAOM/r-bRGg7pyI8/s640/2011-06-01%25252021.26.48.jpg)

There's Ram Cycles in Rockville, though there was once an issue with a rear brake caliper (http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=22404.0). I might try out Battley's in Gaithersburg eventually, Mad-Duc seems to be satisfied with their work.

My only issue with Ducpond is that they're over 2 hours from where I live. I'd like a place where I can ride the bike to and metro back home.

With Mike at CycleMax being gone, Battley's has been a great filler.

If you end up going there ask to speak with Conway, he'll get things sorted out for you and give you a realistic expectation on when they can fix/repair your Duc.  All of my jobs have been wait jobs and they've been cool about prices and everything else. 

Would love to go to DucPond but 2 hours for service is a lot especially if I have to have someone travel out with me to get me back.

DucPond needs to open a local satellite shop near DC

Until that happens...

I'm scheduled to bring my S2R1K in to DucPond for the 6K factory service on Thursday 6/30.  I was planning to ride out and bribe my wife into picking me up.  But if there's anyone else between here (downtown DC) and DucPond who needs to get their bike out there, I'm happy to haul mine and yours in my pickup, and save my bribe for another day.  Let me know...

Dave

that would be a partial solution.  free pickup and dropoff in the DC area?  why not?

Yes, I should have added that I can haul the bikes back as well, with the caveat that return won't occur until around July 19th or 20th.

The temptation...

Well, there is definitely a need...  ;)

I'll volunteer Steve's trailer ;D...as long as you take mine with you.

I'm betting that both Coleman and Battleys would have a fit with DNA and stop it from happening. - Gene

That's a good point...  but Colemans needs to lose the Ducati setup anyhow.  It's really like being in a Kmart when you're there.

^^^^  I agree with Colemans and their Ducati line....every time I have gone to the Woodbridge store for a cruise in, it is filled with stretched out, chromed ghetto bikes.   I may get flamed here, but DAMN if those aren't the nicest bikes I've ever seen!

<mod hat>

Now now. Didn't your mother tell you...

</mod hat>

So you'll be going to their summer bash this weekend?

Big Summer Bash this Saturday, 10:00 am to 8:00 pm in Woodbridge
540 BoyZ Motorcycle Stunt Show is back(shows at 3,5 and 7 pm)

I must be getting old but I wish the stunt scene would just go away. I see too many trying to emulate out on the road, I know one county in MD where it is almost out of control. And until a certain shop closed down out in Chantilly,VA they were doing crazy stuff on Rt. 28 North every evening around 6:30 - 7:00.

Yep must be getting old. - Gene

Randy isn't much of a fan of that scene. I just edited the Marine out his response to keep it within guidelines.

I figured, my comment about him going was tongue-in-cheek. - Gene [cheeky]

<jack>
Is Brian buying your S2R today? We've all been talking him into "keeping it in the family".
</jack>

Don't know, he is meeting me tonight at my Storage Unit. We'll see. - Gene

So I am indeed heading out to DucPond tomorrow with my truck, leaving from Adams Morgan.  I have room for one additional bike if anyone needs the spot.  PM me and I'll give you my number and details.

Dave

So after an extended stay at DucPond, my bike is finally ready so I'm heading back out there this Wednesday (8/10) in my truck to pick it up.  I'm again happy to provide transport from DC or points in-between if anyone needs a ride (I'll have room for 2 bikes heading out there, and one coming back).  PM me if interested.

Dave

I was ordering parts for a maintenance job from Battleys when the parts guy refused to sell me a closer shim.  He was serious, and lost my sale.  Half the time they have to order stuff from the mothership anyway, I don't get it.   [bang] 

WTF? Motivation, if any? ???

my problem with Battley's parts department is purely hit and miss dependant on whom you speak to....too many of their guys want to sell accessories and parts for Harley's and don't want to take the time to do anything that requires work outside of that front desk...the shims are listed in the catalog and there is a kit in the shop that Chris uses, but they don't want to take from the shop kit and the guys at the counter just get plum lazy....generally, I look at who is at the counter and wait till I see someone who looks less "Harley" oriented and engage from there....either that, I spend time talking to Sam on the sales floor till I see a better opportunity....

I probably want to clarify that this was Battley's parts desk.  I was treated very well by the Battley's service dept. when I needed some work on my rear shock.   They work on Ohlins, BTW.

I ended up ordering the parts from Nathan at Ducpond.   [thumbsup]

Good to know, the 12K service on my GS is coming up and it either Battley's or Bob's BMW and the former is much closer! ;)

I'm sure several of you have gotten this, but if not, Battley just sent out a flier, which includes:

"Internet Tire Pricing! Battley has reduced the cost of all tires and installation to put an end to buying tires online. Plus we have reduced our mounting prices to $59 - $95 (prices vary by model. Excludes some models."

Not sure if the (potential) $200 mounting for a pair of tires is if you bring you own or that's the cost even if you buy through them. Makes me wonder what they charged before?

Vondari is back in business and will do tire changes much cheaper.

Are there any shops or mechanics on or near the Eastern Shore of MD that anyone can Recommend? Thanks!

wholly shnickeys Sam....how you doin?

Pretty well but my duck has seen better days, need to get the carbs dialed in and hope that is my only problem. Her and I took a swim and I have spent all winter getting her clean and running now she is running but missing and backfiring. Need some fine tuning I am not sure I can provide?

Im working on my bike. I needed a valve adjustment, so I took it up the street to Speeds. Their labor price was good. The price on parts is out of this world. They charged me $150 for two belts! They quoted me almost $200 to install new tires as well. Ill will put them on myself for that price!
Due to this I will be learnig how to do a valve adjustment.  Any good teachers out there?

I can only suggest LT Snyder's book and Chris Kelley's videos. Tempted to learn how to do it too, maybe we could organize a garage night somewhere ....  [evil]

Come on down.  You're welcome to do it in my garage. 

In.

Uhhhh...do you have a hose yet? ;D

For you?  No.

I might never have the time (or courage) to do it myself, but I'd love to watch someone do it...

anyone headed out to Duc Pond this weekend?  Need to grab the S4 [beer]  Service is finally complete. Will pony up for gas and a 6 pack if that's an incentive to head out there  [drink]

Since i've taken Speed's to task before.... This week I had a completely different experience. Speed's is running a service special for February $40/hr labor rate. They picked up my S4R for full 12k service from home late afternoon on the 6th, I got it back today, total damage $689. Bike runs great, most positive experience at Speed's in over 6 years.

Ducpond is changing their name to Ducati of Winchester FWIW.....

Hmmm... If true, sounds like more "corporate image" BS. Shouldn't hurt Donnie much..., but...

Any more particulars?

Anyone have a tire change shop recommendation? Just got quoted by battley cycles for pilot power 3's installed and out the door for guess what... $550! hahahha yeahhh right. Tires are going for 265 off STG so they are saying it costs them 285 in labor?! I won't be taking my business back to them ever again.

Seriously? Holy crap.

Crossroads does 'em (off bike) for $35 a wheel. Not sure about on the bike prices.

I've been using Myers Cycle in Kensington since 1987, for all sorts of work including tire changes.  It's just a two-man shop, so they can't generally do work while you wait, but their prices always seem fair and reasonable to me.  I only wish they worked on Duc's.

Dave

Thanks I'll give them a ring.



Thanks Dave. I'll check them out also!

I went and talked to them once about some basic stuff that I was being lazy about not doing and I was kinda shocked that they were as open about how not interested in the work they were that I was willing to pay them to do...but they seemed like nice guys for sure...

Yeah, this is the double-edge sword of running a small shop (and wanting to keep it small).  Steve (the owner, and the guy who does all the service work) is a very nice but really no-nonsense kind of guy.  I think he just wants to keep himself busy with jobs, and is willing to risk the long-term business implications of turning away work (e.g., turning off potential new customers), vs. the alternatives of hiring more people/getting bigger, or raising prices to throttle demand.  So the net effect may be that long-time customers like me always get squeezed in, whereas newer customers sometimes don't.  I've never discussed this with Steve, but I'm just speculating since you're not the first I've heard get the response you did.

I got the same kind of quote (just a little bit less) from Fairfax Cycles. They told me it would take 1.5 hours of labor for each tire. Take it to Jason at Brooks Cycles. He's got a no-mar machine and charges $20 per tire if you take the wheels off the bike yourself. He's running a good sale on Dunlop Q2's right now too.

I know a lot of people on here bag on Coleman's, but their Woodbridge shop has done right by me on tire installs.  They put the current Q2s on both of my bikes, and I ended up paying something like $350 if memory serves correct.  And that's with me riding in, waiting a little over an hour and then riding out. 

you know what though...in your case...I wouldn't mind paying a lil extra with the Carbon wheels you have for the care factor...if someone was charging me $20 and nicked one...they wouldn't give much of a rats ass generally speaking...just sayin...

Does this mean they won't sell any other brands anymore?

Is Coleman's changing their name to Ducati of Merrifield?  Nope.

At least at this time, all they are selling (new) is Ducs. They had that brief flirtation, but Donnie said it wasn't worth the effort and costs

Kind of limiting on his part, but not my issue and I doubt he would sell too many MVs in Winchester anyhow..  [thumbsup]

I wouldn't have minded either, as it's always good to have that peace of mind.  I'm just saying that I've been happy with the treatment I've gotten from Casey.  Donny's shop on the other hand...  Can't say that I've ever gotten good service from them.

Everyone has their experiences.  Glad to hear good things about Coleman's.  I've had good service from Battley and like DW, can't saythat i've had a good experience with DucPond.

Donnie and crew are offering three years of free scheduled servicing for anyone who buys a 2013 Ducati during the month of March.  That's not a bad deal at all, especially if you put a lot of miles on the bike. 

If I can include all of my bikes, I will buy one...

This is kind of a vent kind of a warning for those looking to get their Ducati's serviced..... (long post)

I would suggest taking it to anoth oer place other than Duc Pond.  I don't think they value their customers and personally I think Donnie could care less if he looses a customer here or there because of their reputation as "the best Ducati shop on the east coast."  If I could, I'd pay money to customers turn their backs on that shop and their owner so he understands why he should value every customer.  

So after having it out with Donnie regarding their poor customers service (i.e. conversation I had with Chad) and little things they failed to do properly on the S4 I purchased from them in October, I'm back at them again for poor service.  So when I bought the S4 from Duc Pond I paid them $1,446.00 for the 12K mile service.  Fast forward to now with less than 1,000 miles on the bike since purchase -- Bike was stalling and dying.  Couldn't hold an idle when I was in traffic.  Some figured it was the Shorai battery I installed, other figured it was a failed this or that.  

Took the bike to Battley's to have them determine what the issue was after I couldn't solve on my own or with DMF help.  Turns out TPS had failed which was causing part of the issue.  Price to fix around $700.00 with parts and labor.  After installation and setting of the TPS they ran the bike to see if that solved.  Only part of the problem.  The bigger issue was the valves were incorrectly adjusted, the rear was too loose and the front was too tight.  He also found the the clutch plates they said was in great shape need to be replaced and the the fuel line was chafed.  Cost to fix valves, roughly $900.00 including parts and labor.  

I sent Donnie another certified letter outlining all these things and await his response.  All I want back is the $900.00 I paid to have the valve issue fixed.  I'm sure he will say something along the lines of if the bike was having this issue I should have brought it to them to have them fix.  While I did think about this, I'm also not confident they would have fixed the issue and would have done another half-ass job on the bike to get me out the door and my money in their register.  Hope I am wrong but shall find out shortly.  

While some folks here love Duc Pond, I can't stand them and the arrogance of Donnie based on my interactions with him and his staff (all except Nathan).  The more I discuss Duc Pond with other riders, the more I hear about other horror stories dealing with Donnie or his service department.

always open to opinions from the group.  i'm not out to sink anyone's ship but in this case I feel that Ive been wronged and I can't just let this go without voicing my concern and problems with them.....

seems that Ducpond is looking for a certified tech

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/classifieds/ce?action=showAd&adId=10190 (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/classifieds/ce?action=showAd&adId=10190)

I retract my recommendation of Battley Cycles with extreme prejudice.

You know it's a bad sign when you go there to pick your bike up, turn the key, and absolutely nothing happens.

"Huh, somebody musta left the key on".

Jump started with a car battery (!), got home.

All geared up, heading out for a scoot, turn the key, barely anything.  I watched the voltage meter tick down until it hit "low" and some serv lights came on.  Apparently, however they did it, they totally flocked my $300 lithium ion battery.  Maybe it's the wash they gave it after I said "DONT WASH IT".

And they didn't even reset the dash SERV, thanks.

Dangit.

Can any of our Maryland-based folks recommend a sympathetic shop to do a pre-registration MD State Inspection?  A friend has moved here from the UK, and is looking to get his bike tagged in MD.  His bike (a modern Triumph) is mostly compliant with US requirements, but has a couple of very minor issues and he doesn't want to get tripped up with a super anal retentive inspector.  He's located in Gaithersburg.  Please PM me if you've got a suggestion.

TIA,

Dave

I had my bike's first service done Saturday at Coleman Powersports in Falls Church.  Here are my thoughts:

1. The service seemed fairly expensive at first.
2. The tech seems very knowledgeable.  He rides a monster and is claimed to have the highest level of certification by Ducati.
3. Location.  I hear great things about Ducpond, but it is 81 miles from me.

CAD Cycles in Gaithersburg does them.

when did CAD re-open?

Not sure - it's not the original guy (who moved out and is now RAM cycles I think), it's Dave Yaakov who owns the building (and who had a lightweight lap record at Summit on an SV650!)  Dave is a good guy.

Dave has always owned the CAD name ( I think his dad owned the building and he inherited it)...Alex had the CAD location as RAM for about 3-4 months and then opened on Gude for a a couple years before relocating to the new spot next to Evolutione Exitoca Repair( not the reral name, just paraphrasing)....I think the reason Alex moved was because the Maaco owned the property and was getting less and less tolerant of the growth of the bike shop and the noise and jacked the rent up as an incentive to get him to move...

BTW....last time I was by there, it was an audio car accessory install place of some sort....

It seems like CAM is pretty much a ghost town these days, but I'll give this a shot.

With the change in ownership at Battley's (now District Cycle) last year, I have heard grumblings about the service department going downhill. A friend had a bad experience with his BMW and it seems that at least a couple of the respected members of the service department have left. This has me considering other options for service and for purchasing a new bike, but that's a year or more away.

When I first moved to the area, I gave Coleman's in Falls Church a shot. A friend warned me, but it was so close to where I lived. It went horribly. I had a few things done at CAM/RAM Cycles or whatever it was called in Gaithersburg before I finally settled on Battley's. That was about 2005 and I've been going there ever since and had good results and they stepped up when they needed to. I might give new ownership one shot, but before I do, I'd like to consider my options. I've checked online reviews, but they're sparse, so I am hitting up this once great board to see what it might still have to offer.

The first place most people will likely recommend is Duc Pond. Their reputation was always strong and the few times I have been in the store or otherwise ran into Donnie he seemed like a stand up guy. As long as nothing has changed there, it will be an option. However, it is 80 miles from my house, so I'd like to find something closer if possible.

From personal experience and based upon reputation, Coleman's Falls Church was a disaster, but that was 15 years ago. Can anyone convince me that they now provide high quality service?

Coleman's Woodbridge always had a reputation as "OK", but again, my info is very dated. Does anyone have recent experience to share?

Last but not least is Faster Twin, an independent shop. I remember reading good things about the owner RAFFAELE years ago.

Let me know if you can strongly recommend any of these shops. I'd lean towards a dealer because I would like to start to build a relationship for when I buy my next bike in a year or two, but if an independent shop (faster twin or other) offers truly high quality experience, I will strongly consider it.

If I don't hear crickets, thanks in advance to any and all who respond.

I'm still using DucPond, although only for major service work (everything else I do myself), so I haven't been there in a couple of years.

Recent feedback from a friend is a strong thumbs-up for Rafael at FasterTwin in Springfield: "He worked on my race bike and my 900ss. Nice guy too. Worked at Ducati before coming here. Works on older stuff the dealer wont touch. Does the latest stuff too of course."

HTH,

Dave

Thanks a lot for the reply. I am leaning in the direction of Faster Twin. I'm in Alexandria, so that's <10 miles west south of me.

It's been exactly two years since I last posted on this thread and almost two years since any posts have been placed on CAM, but I'll give this shot anyways.

I did end up going to FasterTwin and was happy with the service, both with Raffaele in 2019 and with the new owners last year. Unfortunately, they shut their doors in December.

I'm curious if there any new options for Ducati service in the DC area. What are other former FasterTwin patrons doing for service?

On a related note, I have heard that Duc Pond lost their Ducati dealer franchise. While I am sorry to hear that happen to Duc Pond, selfishly it makes me wonder if there are any prospects for a new dealer in the region that might be closer.

lol

Donnie list dealership rights? That’s hilarious.

I heard this on the "big" board. I went to the website and if you click on "new vehicles" and then click on any of the (outdated) pictures, it returns a 404 error.

Hilarious

No thoughts on shops? Are Coleman (x2) and District Ducati the only shop options?


I don't know Donnie and have no real experience with his shop, but many people do seem to have a strong opinion on him one way or the other....

Mrp Motorsports in Pasadena, and Cycle Pros in Elkridge.

Donnie knew/knows his way around a Ducati, but could be a colossal ass at the flip of a switch. You can’t treat people like that and expect a great career in retail.

Lars lives!!

Anyone know the story behind fastertwin closing? Raffaele left and a year later they fold under new ownership.

I need a clutch replacement for my s24 800, thinking of ducpond.

New owner was a guy named Jason, he bought FasterTwin when Raffaele went back to Italy. I think Raffaele got on a race team or something, as he was part of a WSBK team in the past. Whatever the story is I think it entails a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity type of scenario for him. What else could cause him to abruptly pick up and leave like he did? He was not a fly-by-night but a real mastertech.

Now Donnie losing his franchise - that is news to me, also a major bummer. I guess as long as he still works on Ducatis that's good enough for my purposes but I refuse to go to anybody but an expert for service on my bike. I do not consider any shop or dealership that "also" services Ducati in the midst of other brands a specialist. Therefore despite the distance it will be Donnie or sell the bike. I would have preferred to buy my next bike from him but maybe it's temporary. I assume you must sell bikes to have a dealer franchise, a certain number of units per quarter or whatever, and Donnie way out in Dogpatch Virginia as good as he is and as cool of a little town Winchester is, the number of people willing to buy those units has dwindled to the point of unsustainability for him, and in the midst of a pandemic no less. So the franchise is gone for now. Hope it comes back, he recently remodeled his building and this happens.

So........
Is Ducpond still open after they auctioned everything??
He can't service anything without tools.
Anyone been there recently?

Lars Lives!!

Yesssssssss, still alive! :D