Ducati out of MotoGP? Interesting speculative article

[Drunken Monkey]

One thing I have to wonder about is how well can Audi insert itself into Ducati's supply chain?

Basically, can Audi's supply chain step up and start making Ducati parts? And earthquake or not, will we start seeing more "Fabrik in Deutschland" (made in Germany) on more Ducati parts?

[desmoquattro]

One thing I have to wonder about is how well can Audi insert itself into Ducati's supply chain?

Basically, can Audi's supply chain step up and start making Ducati parts? And earthquake or not, will we start seeing more "Fabrik in Deutschland" (made in Germany) on more Ducati parts?

Maybe then Ducati will start stamping torque specs on their parts like KTM does

[PhilB]

One thing I have to wonder about is how well can Audi insert itself into Ducati's supply chain?

Basically, can Audi's supply chain step up and start making Ducati parts? And earthquake or not, will we start seeing more "Fabrik in Deutschland" (made in Germany) on more Ducati parts?

I bet not for most things, but some of the German electrical bits and gubbins and nodules might appear on future models, which would likely be a good thing.

It would be a great thing if they promoted Ducati to be better about parts.  My only real complaint about Ducati ownership has been that parts are too often too long in arriving.  And as my bike gets older, it only gets worse.  I had my forks rebuilt recently, and it's lucky that the cartridges in it were still good, as we discovered that new replacements are no longer available.  And now I need the two front master cyliders rebuilt, and even though that's a simple wear/maintenance part, Ducati doesn't supply that for this style anymore either.  I've got two shops looking for the kits, while every time I squeeze the clutch level it spritzes a little brake fluid on my tank.

PhilB

[desmoquattro]

I bet not for most things, but some of the German electrical bits and gubbins and nodules might appear on future models, which would likely be a good thing.

It would be a great thing if they promoted Ducati to be better about parts.  My only real complaint about Ducati ownership has been that parts are too often too long in arriving.  And as my bike gets older, it only gets worse.  I had my forks rebuilt recently, and it's lucky that the cartridges in it were still good, as we discovered that new replacements are no longer available.  And now I need the two front master cyliders rebuilt, and even though that's a simple wear/maintenance part, Ducati doesn't supply that for this style anymore either.  I've got two shops looking for the kits, while every time I squeeze the clutch level it spritzes a little brake fluid on my tank.

PhilB

I guess we in the Bay Area take that for granted. I never have trouble getting parts, and we have a plethora of shops to help us.

[Drunken Monkey]

This can be one downside of modern, "lean style" production and supply chain methods:

You don't keep a lot of parts on hand and may even make replacement parts on demand.

If the models keep changing, you find yourself SOL down the road when that part is discontinued. The older monsters were one of the better bikes in this regard since they started life as a "parts bin" bike.

In the bay area we also benefit from the large number of crashed Ducatis out here. Lots of "bone yards" to pick over...

[ducatiz]

Companies survive by marketing, and what will Ducati market if they are not in the biggest racing event?

The history of the company is wrapped up in GP racing, can they pull out of it and say they are still a racing company?  Yes, yes, SBK..  but that's not the top class.

Audi didn't want Ducati because it needed to be restructured and reformed, they wanted them to have a full portolio of racing (well, except for F1).   I think people forget that Audi actually races quite a bit, and I really cannot see them pulling Ducati out of GP.

THAT being said, they have claimed that they are not in F1 because it doesn't lend itself to road use -- that they only do racing that develops systems for their customers cars (i.e. quattro)

So unless GP has some developmental use for them, they might axe it...

Then again, they bought a profitable company.

[OT]

Maybe they'll focus on building an a/c MC engine with valve guides that last more than 15,000 miles....

[derby]

Companies survive by marketing, and what will Ducati market if they are not in the biggest racing event?

The history of the company is wrapped up in GP racing, can they pull out of it and say they are still a racing company?  Yes, yes, SBK..  but that's not the top class.

the history of the company is wrapped up in racing, period. they seemed to do pretty well before 2003 (when they started competing in motogp).

[Raux]

Maybe MotoGP was a step too far?

[gm2]

Maybe MotoGP was a step too far?

they sure as hell didn't think so in 2007.

...or valencia, 2006.

[lawbreaker]

they sure as hell didn't think so in 2007.

...or valencia, 2006.

Werd 

[PhilB]

I guess we in the Bay Area take that for granted. I never have trouble getting parts, and we have a plethora of shops to help us.

Not everyone lives there.  I've consistently had the problem of long lead times for parts (3-5 weeks for pretty much anything, sometimes longer, once up to 5 months) in San Diego, where there are multiple dealers -- not exactly a backwater.  Now I'm in New Hampshire, which is less urban, but still not way out there.  I've got two authorized dealers nearby.  I'm looking for new parts to maintain my bike.  Yeah, sure, I can start to collect parts bikes and scrounge salvages, but really -- master cylinder rebuild kits shouldn't be a problem part to buy.

Companies survive by marketing, and what will Ducati market if they are not in the biggest racing event?

The history of the company is wrapped up in GP racing, can they pull out of it and say they are still a racing company?  Yes, yes, SBK..  but that's not the top class.

Audi didn't want Ducati because it needed to be restructured and reformed, they wanted them to have a full portolio of racing (well, except for F1).   I think people forget that Audi actually races quite a bit, and I really cannot see them pulling Ducati out of GP.

THAT being said, they have claimed that they are not in F1 because it doesn't lend itself to road use -- that they only do racing that develops systems for their customers cars (i.e. quattro)

So unless GP has some developmental use for them, they might axe it...

Then again, they bought a profitable company.

The history of Ducati is wrapped up in WSB, really.  Until 2006, they hadn't competed in GP since, well, the beginning of time.  Cagiva competed in MotoGP for a couple years in the '90's, but not under the Ducati name.

PhilB

[PhilB]

Maybe they'll focus on building an a/c MC engine with valve guides that last more than 15,000 miles....

Is this a widespread problem now?  They have in the past.  On my bike, the valve guide seals (little rubber parts) need to be replaced every 40-60K, but the guides themselves are still the original ones.

PhilB

[ducatiz]

the history of the company is wrapped up in racing, period. they seemed to do pretty well before 2003 (when they started competing in motogp).

i don't know what you mean by pretty well, they were not profitable (since the 1960s) at all until around 2005.. two (maybe three) bankruptcy restructurings since 1970.  they survived-- barely.  7 different owners between 1970 and present and they survived due to official loans designed mainly to keep the employees' union working.  perhaps it's the opposite?  They entered in 2003 and then became profitable 2 years later?

The history of Ducati is wrapped up in WSB, really.  Until 2006, they hadn't competed in GP since, well, the beginning of time.  Cagiva competed in MotoGP for a couple years in the '90's, but not under the Ducati name.

That's a good point WSB vs GP, but I wonder if it will bear badly for them to pull out.. I.e. if they were winning they wouldn't quit.

But it's a good point considering they have only ONE MGP championship (2007) in the history of the race.  MV and Honda are the two biggest winners by make..

[Raux]

Ducati starting getting profitable when it stopped being just a motorcycle manufacturer and started being a name.
From Ducati toys, clothes, shoes, etc. They sold the name with a lifestyle attached. And it sold well.