The Official My Bike is in the shop more then on the road thread story exchange

[Porsche Monkey]

I agree with Howie. A base gasket is a no brainer. Do they have a tech that is competent enough to do the work?  What are your options as far as finding a better dealer?  It sounds as if something else may be a factor.

[howiroll]

From what they are telling me, you have to assemble the whole head, pistons and all, in six minutes after you get ready to put it back together.  Reading through it; it smells more of a man power issue on then a training thing.  It was secondary that they happened to be able to train the dealer possibly on how to do it while they were there.  That is Ducati tech advisor that is.  It all stinks a little.  It is all mute anyways until something happens.  The next closet dealer is about 2.5 to 3.5 hours away depending on traffic.  They do have a solid tech but besides waiting on parts, they are always back logged.  That to me is why they are sending a tech out there, because of the manpower issue but they want to get a hold of the part first.

[junior varsity]

This makes no sense at all.  I don't know what Ducati is recommending for a sealer in your case, but in the past the stuff was the same as Three Bond, Yamabond, etc.  Special training to use a sealer?  Maybe someone who is working in a dealer, a m comes to mind, can look up the service bulletin.  I would also call Mr. Burnsten back and ask to speak to someone in tech.  Chances are he is a public relations person.

good googely moogely, i will check on this today, but back in my jetski racing days, even the new guys new how to use sealant. it doesn't require any training - you clean, spread it on like peanut butter, squish the parts together, and bolt it up, done.

[howiroll]

You would assume so but after this experience I am thinking anything is possible in the crazy world of competence.  I guess it is  ; to there spreading abilities .

[howiroll]

It gets worse; Ducati's Service Advisor that was coming out yesterday decided not to come because his closing went south or some BS.  13 weeks to get something repaired and counting.  I guess Murphy's Law is actual a Ducati Law which is,"what can go wrong will go wrong."

[junior varsity]

any 1100 service bulletin i could find is pretty trivial stuff... and we haven't had a single one behave like a problem child yet

[howiroll]

Well got the bike back, the good news.  Service advisor from Ducati showed up and fixed the leak earlier this week.  They had to rip the bike apart and the rear brakes now work sporadically.  They said they did bleed them but obviously there is an air bubble.  It is an ABS module and I told me the ABS Pump is self bleeding.  Watch him vacuum bleed the rear line.  It goes from really tight to nothing at all.  I pump it 3 to 4 times and it is back.  Anyone ever work with the Ducati ABS and is this normal after a fresh bleed and does the air work it self out?

[howiroll]

Oh my god.  Just get the bike back today.  Rode from the dealership to my house.  Go for a quick ride to see if the rear brake would work itself out, which it was working on and off.  Cruising along at 75 and the engine seized, rear tire locks up for a sec, then it felt like the rear brake was on, cars panicking around me, engage the clutch, swerve over to the emergency lane to avoid get drilled by the guy behind me, push it for a half mile to an off ramp, gets towed, change my underwear, and write this post.  The service advisor flew in and worked on this bike to assemble it and thinking they might have done something wrong.  This bike is a disaster to the Ducati name  . 

[TheoRex]

Geez, that is terrible.  Would it be time to demand a new one, It tried to kill you?  I'm a patient guy but....

[howiroll]

I would think it is time to put this one to bed.  I kind of want my money back and not sure if I want another Ducati.  Bikes are dangerous enough with your brain always wondering if something bad is going to happen.  Just a bad experience.

[junior varsity]

That really sucks bro.

Your story is a first for me though, if thats any consolation (for the brand).

[ducpainter]

I wouldn't condemn the brand either.

I don't know who the dealer was, and I don't know who Ducati sent.

Your story is not a usual occurrence for the brand.

[muskrat]

Keep us posted.  They should return your money or........lawyer up

[jwoconnor]

Anything Italian is a bit more problematic than anything Japanese. We call that "character" I guess. Part of the issue is the Italian work ethic and culture. However, I have had more trouble with my newer BMW than my Ducati so who knows.

[zarn02]

Anything Italian is a bit more problematic than anything Japanese. We call that "character" I guess.

I think if you were to hang around forums for any make or model of bike for long enough, you'd be forced to conclude that absolutely everything was horribly unreliable and nothing but trouble.

I'd try and not let this sour you to the whole Ducati marque. Definitely not the typical experience.