Interpreting Ducati Part Numbers?

[MonsterMadMarty]

Does anyone know or have a guide to interpreting Ducati part numbers?

For example, a early Monster airbox lid:   246.1.046.1A


i.e.  Do the first three number refer to the certain areas of the bike? What the single number indicate, which in most cases is a one? Then the next three numbers? And finally the last number that's usually accompanied by a letter?

Cheers 

[xcaptainxbloodx]

the only really determinable thing in the part number is the final letter. "A" usually means silver when "B" will mean black. I say usually because it is far from reliable (in this case for instance, there isnt any other color but black), and only really works on things that you know come in both colors before hand (fastners generally). there are also instances of AB or other pairs of letters being used to indicate different colors.  if the 8 numbers are all the same and the letters are the only difference, its just an aesthetic difference of some sort.

the decimal points don't matter anymore, ignore them.your parts guy will appreciate it.

while the numbers don't indicate where on the bike the part would be, they do work in families.  all the rubber bits and spacers will be near the same number, all the washer, bolts, o-rings, levers etc.  this is true going back until about the early 90's where things get kinda spotty for that.  this is a family for the entire range. so if I look up a bodywork fastener for an 848 and go look on the shelf it will probably be right next to all fasteners of a similar dimension and materials (IE  the large head fastener from the side panel would be next to the one that looks the same but is a little longer for the seat but probably fairly far removed from a DZUS from a 916 or a Ti fastener from a Superleggera)

Ducati performance parts generally start with 96, a few are 97 now.


outside of that, its the wild west. no real rhyme or reason to it.  What are you trying to figure out?

[MonsterMadMarty]

Cheers Captain,

I was hoping there was some kind of logic to it! Why I ask is I've started a small Ducati used parts business eight months ago. I started out of my garage quickly grew to a small warehouse and now I'm looking to buy a larger warehouse.  I was hoping I could set up the new place with the parts in some sort of order. Currently it's just a matter of me knowing where I've put them, but as I grow and start to employ people I need a better system!!

[ducpainter]

There's nothing like numerical order when it comes to parts.

[Speeddog]

Back when I was at Yamaha, the warehouse had the parts in totally random order, clutch cable next to piston next to fork spring, etc.
Database knew where everything was, and thus sent the parts pickers to a specific location with a part number to grab.
Eliminates the potential error of a rushing parts-picker grabbing a similar part that's one digit off of the right part.

That was a good way for a high volume warehouse with parts-pickers that didn't know a piston from a sprocket.
Totally sucked for us in R&D when we wanted to find a part that was kinda like one we already had...

It's going to depend on what level of talent you can get for your employees.

[ducpainter]

Ford had a parts system that was unmatched in the ability to identify what a part was.

It was broken down by prefix, basic part# , and suffix.

The prefix identified decade, year, car line, and whether it was Ford or Mercury. The basic number told you what it was, and in the case of body parts behind the nose whether it was a 2 or 4 dr. The suffix would denote trim level or color.

It was a beautiful system until all the old timers left and the newbs adulterated it.

[DarkMonster620]

IIRC:

2>6 are parts
7> tools
8>9 clothing, accesories and Ducati Performance . . .

[oldndumb]

This does not answer the OP's question, but it is sorta related.

http://www.desmoduck.com/index.php

It is a site that identifies all of the models applicable to a particular part number. It has proven to be a useful resource for me.

[Howie]

This does not answer the OP's question, but it is sorta related.

http://www.desmoduck.com/index.php

It is a site that identifies all of the models applicable to a particular part number. It has proven to be a useful resource for me.

   Thank you!

[xcaptainxbloodx]

IIRC:

2>6 are parts
7> tools
8>9 clothing, accesories and Ducati Performance . . .

not accurate. 

[NAKID]

not accurate. 

care to elaborate?

[xcaptainxbloodx]

That was a good way for a high volume warehouse with parts-pickers that didn't know a piston from a sprocket.
Totally sucked for us in R&D when we wanted to find a part that was kinda like one we already had...

thats the long and short of it.  numerical give the the advantage of being able to look quickly and know that you dont have the exact bodywork fastner, but if you dont mind it not being the right color or a 3mm allen instead of a 4mm you can still get a customer down the road.  

I like to think im pretty good at my job, but i definitely grab the wrong stuff from time to time simply by having super similar part numbers next to like items.

We have things broken down by size and then put that in numerical order.  A1 is for fasteners and similar small bits, A2 for larger parts (clutch packs etc)  and then bin locations for larger stuff/ducati performance.  the biggest stuff is separate from that (panniers, exhausts, kits). for delicate things like gaskets and decals actually go into a filing cabinet.

[xcaptainxbloodx]

care to elaborate?

going by the first two digits, parts go from 00 to 95,  96 and 97 are generally Ducati performance (there are a few exceptions). apparel and accessories are 98 I think, but I dont know much about how that stuff breaks down.  I feel like ive seen some parts starting in 98 but I could be wrong there.

the few tools ive dealt with are usually 88, but thats not a super accurate thing either and there are definitely parts that start with 88 as well.