Ducati Factory Tour report

[killerniceguy]

Went for the Ducati Factory tour on Wednesday July 22 at 9:30am in Bologna. For those of you who are planning to so this in the future when they say it starts a 9:30am - they mean it. If you are one minute, or 7, as was our case on the Monday, they will not take you on the tour. I am very grateful for my wife who has excellent Italian speaking abilities and was able to negotiate the Wednesday (private) tour in their quote "busy time of year". How Italian....

On to the tour. Cameras were not allowed into the factory so I will just write about it. I have loads of pics from the museum, which I will post later. The Factory is about 10 football fields in size spread over a number of buildings including a small (go-kart sized)test track. If you work there, and ride a Ducati you can park right at the front door, if you ride or drive anything else, then to the big and further parking lot you go. Staff can buy one bike at 35% off the EU MSRP per year and sell it for whatever, whenever they want. Keep in mind the assembly line workers with an average age of 28 (30% female) only make 1300 Euros a month after tax.

There are four assembly lines; Monster, Superbikes, Multi/sport classics and street fighter. Each engine is hand assembled with the crank and cams machined on site. Everything else is made elsewhere with most manufacturing done in Italy. Tires come mounted on wheels from Marchesini with rotors installed where applicable. Most interesting, is that all Ducati plastics are made by KTM. That is right, we are wearing orange in disguise! The bikes are shipped to a holding warehouse where the plastics are installed 1 minute before the crate is put on. We were told this ensures the plastics arrive perfect and any damage done to them is caused by the shipper.

The factory pumps out about 40,000 bikes a year, 100 per day during the slow season and 200 per day in the spring. Each engine is ‘run’ on an engine dyno for 20 minutes using compressed air. For those of you who follow the break in procedure to the letter of the law I wouldn't waste your time anymore. Each and every bike when completed is run on the dyno for 50 minutes. We saw the dyno guy ride a streefighter in into the booth and run it to the pin in every gear just after starting it. Keep it below 4000rpm for the first 100kms...yeah right. With 50min on the dyno at the factory she is good to go when you get it. 1 out of every 1000 engines is torn apart after this process to inspect bearings etc.

This past Friday (July 17) was a bad day at the factory. In the part picking process someone had inadvertently put the M696 connecting rods in the M1100 connecting rod pile. 40 bikes were built with the wrong rods and had to be completely dissembled...oops.

There are 1000 people working at the factory with 500 on the line, 120 in the MotoGP and WSBK department with the balance upstairs calling the shots. Our tour of the race department consisted of looking through small window in a door and then been moved along.

The total tour took about an hour and a half including a guided tour of the museum. Very informative and well worth it.

The Ducati factory store located across the round about sells everything except bikes and parts. Every bit of Ducati clothing is available with heavy discounts for previous year apparel. There were no real values except for leathers. You could buy a 1 piece Ducati Corse leathers for about 700 Euro which to me seems like a good deal. If I were renting a bike in Italy I would buy my leathers here and take them home.

KNG

[hihhs]

So cool to see this...
I just found out I may be going to Italy later this year for a couple of weeks for work. I'm hoping I'd have time to shoot over to Bologna and check out the factory and was wondering if it was worth it.

Bummer about no cameras allowed.

[killerniceguy]

To be honest the no cameras wasn't that big of a deal.  Picture any modern assembly line with a bunch of guys wearing red shirts building engines and bikes.  I thought there would be a bunch of really cool things to see but the best part was being there and seeing the whole process.  The cool thing (pics forthcoming) was the museum!

[Goat_Herder]

Glad you had a good time here.  This is something I would love to see, along with my Porsche factory tour in Bavaria.  Some day.... 

[teddy037.2]

yep, factory tour has been on my list of things to do before I die...

no camera really isn't a big deal. when I went to the HD tour, I felt the same way. it was cool just checking stuff out

[causeofkaos]

man thats cool

[pennyrobber]

Me and the misses went 2 years ago. Our experience was exactly how you described it. We ended up missing our bus stop and went to the Ducati electrical building down the street by accident. When we finally got to the motorbike factory, we were about 15 minutes late. Luckily there was a French speaking tour starting in the next hour. The tour guide was nice enough to give the tour in both French and English. There was also a pretty nice pub just down the street that a had a great selection of microbrew style beer.

If ever in Italy, definitely make this a stop.

[IdZer0]

Anything about new bikes; strada aperta perhaps? They'll probably only start assembley of new models in Sept. I guess.

[RC Fan]

Thanks for sharing.  Interesting that the plastic is made by KTM.

[killerniceguy]

I asked all of the questions I could think of...Is there going to be a new ST, a new liquid cooled, all that stuff.  Our guide basically said "I find our when you find out, now take a look at those pretty cam shafts over there...."

Anything about new bikes; strada aperta perhaps? They'll probably only start assembley of new models in Sept. I guess.

[Charlief]

I might find myself in Italy next year for a family vacation in Tuscany.  Just wondering...  what's involved in setting up a visit?  How far in advance do I have to make a reservation?

TIA

Charlie

[killerniceguy]

It is very easy.  Simply go to the Ducati.com website and click on the factory tour button, it may be under some other pages like contact us or something like that.  Send them an email as to when you would like to go and they will set it up.  As long as you don't show up late and it isn't August (all Italians go on holiday) you should be set.  If you want to see the Ducati Factory store it is closed on Mondays. 

You will also need a car rental as the factory is in Bologna about a 3 hour drive, I have used Auto Europe (a US company) twice now and couldn't have been happier, very cheap and walk away coverage.  If you would like more information on these details including where to stay in Tuscany send me a PM.

I might find myself in Italy next year for a family vacation in Tuscany.  Just wondering...  what's involved in setting up a visit?  How far in advance do I have to make a reservation?

TIA

Charlie

[Charlief]

Thanks for the info.  As we get closer I will pm you. We are renting a villa to accommodate all family.  Still in the planning stages.

[LA]

Thanks,

Most excellent write up.  To say I am envious may be the understatement of this decade.

LA

[m1moto]

Thanks for sharing