Ducati = bs?

[koko64]

There was a time when Ducatis were cheaper too, depending on currency markets, import protection, etc. They are a premium brand now, (and the Euro) which puts the price up.

My bike has 30,000 miles and is 19 years old. If it had been ridden more and serviced correctly, I wouldn't have had to sort it out in the first 6 months of ownership. Any reliability problems were due to neglect and sitting around from the previous owner, or were small items like the front brake switch (Japanese made) and fuel sender (annoying), and neglect of regular servicing.

Items like cam belts, valve adjustments and dry clutch plates require more regular attention than most Japanese bikes I have owned. But, I would rather do the valve adjustment on a two valve Monster than my Suzuki GSXR 750 any day, even if it has to be done more often.

[ducpainter]

ungeheuer
No. Ducati is not very popular in 3rd worlds.

howie
again  how many minor repairs you had to do?

Yes there are tonns of recalls by another companies.

May be Ducati has not more issues than japs, I don't know. But I do know that ducati is always 30% higher in price. Yes it has superior complectation (armored brake lines, brembo brakes etc). But still you have at least same amount of issues that other similar but cheaper bikes have.
So why pay more?



p.s. I don't try to turn you off by my topic. When I bought Ducati I bought it because I like design and I was ready to pay more for worry free bike. I bought it with 6k miles on it, almost new, right? and in first month weird things started to happen, for example bike just turned off on red light. It did not happened again but wtf was that?

You bought the "Ferrari of Motorcycles"...since when have Ferraris been worry free?

[hbliam]

If you have to ask why you just don't get it. If any old bike will do, you are right, you don't need a Ducati. As far as reliabilty, I've never needed any major (or minor) engine work on any of my Ducati's. I've had them serviced regularly but other then that they have been trouble free. My '96 M900 broke down once or twice but that was because I was messing with the fuel, battery, flywheel, and everything else.

[TACstrat]

I've only had very minor issues with my 796 after 1 year and 5000 miles - an exhaust valve that needed to be oiled and a rear brake line that needed to be bled. Both were taken care of under warranty.

I used to have a 1970 Jaguar XKE.  It's considered by many to be the sexiest car ever made. The damn car always had electrical issues and it was a pain in the ass synchronizing the two carburetors so it would run correctly. I spent more time working on that car than I did driving it.  Despite all of that, I would give anything to have that car back now.

If your looking for 100% reliability, exotic performance-oriented engines are probably not your thing.

[ungeheuer]

I used to have a 1970 Jaguar XKE.  It's considered by many to be the sexiest car ever made. The damn car always had electrical issues.......

Lucas, the Prince of Darkness 

No. Ducati is not very popular in 3rd worlds.

My Ducati gets loving attention from people who know Ducatis.  And has never had any issues.  I wonder if that's a coincidence.

May be Ducati has not more issues than japs, I don't know. But I do know that ducati is always 30% higher in price. Yes it has superior complectation (armored brake lines, brembo brakes etc). But still you have at least same amount of issues that other similar but cheaper bikes have.
So why pay more?

Why pay more?   

As you identified, your Ducati comes with a generally higher standard of cycleparts...  and there's no doubt that the brand carries a price premium too (perceived exclusivity, and/or heritage....), an "exclusivity" that you bought into too, even in the face of little or no aftermarket support in your region. 

Why pay more?

It's marketing, they charge what they can fetch, no more and certainly no less.  Is it worth more?  Maybe not if you're measuring value against the kinda reliability you're gonna get from a piece of equipment that's not able to get to any qualified or knowledgeable maintenance or support.

Despite the unarguably higher cost of ownership mine makes me smile, YMMV.
 

[DarkMonster620]

For me Ducati = Happy . . .

No matter what's wrong with her, it's my bike and many want it, many desire it, many want theirs to look like mine . . .

Dealer, gets me the parts fast

[lawbreaker]

Reliable ?

As much as any other bike IMO. My 2006 S2R 1000 has over 57,000 miles and still runs QUITE well. Only issue was replacing an exhaust valve guide at 48,000 miles.

[Blackout]

"in first month weird things started to happen, for example bike just turned off on red light. It did not happened again but wtf was that?"

It's called Character   

[kokis]

ducpainter - ducati if not ferrari, far far far from that.

It's seems like most of you forgive issues to your beloved bike as men forgive their girls. Some bias may be in this thread.
I think I would receive more support if i post this thread in tech forum and junior members will take time to reply. I am not going do it due the rules.


But ducati is ferrari kinda true from some point. It is like When you love bike more than just a vehicle.
Belts change for some toyota sedan cost 25$ and takes 20 minutes, when belt change on certan ferraries needs to disassemble half of engine and cost 2k$(Moscow prices)
Does ferrari reliable compared to toyota? not sure about that. using ferrari for daily use is bs.
Is it hot. Yes.

[kopfjäger]

I think I would receive more support if i post this thread in tech forum and junior members will take time to reply. I am not going do it due the rules.

Post your question in Tech.


"in first month weird things started to happen, for example bike just turned off on red light. It did not happened again but wtf was that?"

[Howie]

Items you would consider repairs, not maintenance?  Ignition pick up, fuel pump, ummm, I think that is about it unless you want to include head and wheel bearings at 50K or so.  On a bike I consider that maintenance.  Oh, of course, carb needles and needle jets but on a Ducati they are a known wearing part.

Maintenance is another issue, but a look in the owner's manual will warn you about that.

Just remembered, I had to break into the wiring harness to replace the high beam wire.  Surely running a 100 watt high beam had no effect though

[SDRider]

I have owned 14 Ducati over the last 20 years. On top of other bikes of popular brands.
The defect ratio was not a bit different from the others.
This is the same BS put around when a dork see a guy with an hot chick around, and he thinks she must be a b*tch and dumb, just to calm down his envy  

I'll offer my anecdotal evidence here.  I've owned my Ducati since new for almost 3 years now and I've put 14,000 miles on it during that time.  I owned my previous bike, a Suzuki, for 3.5 years and almost 17,000 miles.  I had zero problems with the Suzuki... and I mean ZERO!  Nothing other than routine maintenance (which was far less frequent and far less expensive).  The Ducati I own now I've had the rear wheel replaced as part of a recall, I had the stator replaced under warranty, I had the starter replaced under warranty, I had a cold stalling issue due to exhaust valves being too tight, I had a broken shifter return spring which I replaced myself and I've had the fuel tank replaced under warranty because of the ethanol fuel problem.

I have to ask, do you actually ride your bikes?  And what are these popular brands you're comparing your Ducatis to?  Me, I kind of miss my Suzuki.

[Speeddog]

I've had my '02 S4 since new, bought February 2003.
Currently at 52,400 miles.

Failures:

Leaky vertical cylinder base gasket at 2,000 miles

OEM Fiamm Battery leaked at 2,500 miles, not a Ducati part, so probably shouldn't even be listed here.

OEM ECU Packed up at 17,400, Replaced with FIM U59 ECU.
Had been running a PCIII since 1,400, perhaps it killed the ECU, I've seen several dead ECU's with PCIII.

Some of the brackets on the Headlight Mount U-bracket cracked, got those re-welded.

Clutch finally got so grabby and squally and noisy at 28,200 that I replaced it.

FIM ECU went wacky at 29,000.
Sent back to FIM, it was repaired for free.

Ne steering head bearings at 33,000.

Replaced the *original* Champion RA59GC sparkplugs after 39,900 miles just because I felt guilty.
Didn't run any different.....

Put a Shorai in at 48,600.
OEM Regulator/Rectifier dead at 49,200.
Coincidence?

FIM ECU went wacky again, at 50,200 miles.
FIM had closed, so replaced with MicroTec ECU.

Tank started leaking at the hinge at ~51,000 or so.

52,300 miles now.
Oh, no flaked rockers, none.

Everything else was standard maintenance: tires, chain & sprockets, batteries, belts, oil and filters, valve clearance adjustments, etc.

So, I can only pin the base gasket leak and cracked welds on the U-bracket firmly on Ducati.
ECU, maybe.... equally likely the PCIII borked it.
Tank leaking at 51,000... maybe.

Everything else that failed was aftermarket stuff.

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Picked up a used and abused '98 M750 in June 2011 at 14,900 miles.
Currently at 39,200.

Rebuilt the carbs with FactoryPro parts at 21,800.
Wish I had done it before that, as a 24% improvement in fuel economy would have helped a lot at the 2,600 miles a month i was riding then....

One of the ignition trigger wires went bad at 34,000.

Fuel system seemed to be playing up, rebuilt the fuel pump at 37,600.

Replaced the Brembo Snowflake front rotor at 38,200, as it was worn below spec (was originally installed at 14,400, so got 23,800 out of it)

At 39,200 now.

Dunno.... throw Ducati under the bus for carb rebuild at 21,800?
Trigger wires at 34,000?
Fuel pump at 37,600?

[brad black]

some of them are quite good.  some real pieces of crap.  some of it bought on by bad maintenance, even fairly new bikes.

i'd say as far as known issues go, they'd be no worse than the bmw or mv i used to work on.  the aprilias were pretty good as a general rule from what i saw.  well, the v990 models.  apart from the rear brakes, etc.

we used to joke at bmw new model training about when the first round of recalls were going to come out.  sometimes we got the first of a new model bikes in the crates with "do not release" stickers on them due to recalls being required before the punters got them.  just part of the bmw fun.

i remember one guy who was having a go at everyone he found in the dealerhsip one day when a fuel pump relay (small siemens, occaissional known issue) on his ssie died.  wanted his money back and personal apologies from everyone for this grevious infliction of unreliabilty upon his poor self.  some people are just like that.

[Kev M]

Well, we only own the one that we bought new. And it is far from a daily rider.

But it's been dead nuts reliable without a single repair (I don't count the wheel I trashed on a pothole).

It did stall once that I remember, two years ago.

It was cold, maybe I shut the  fast idle lever off too soon, I was approaching a stop sign. Hardly gave it a thought.

Anyway design and build quality seems first rate, performance is great, looks are great.

I don't really care if it was a little more pricey, it's the bike she wanted and we love it.