Interesting... Ducati in general

Some people buy a motorcycle just for riding it. Others, for riding it as well as, simply owning it. Ducatis fall into the latter group. I loved owning my 2019 Panigale V4S but after riding it on normal roads for more than 20 miles, all I wanted to do was get off it. Could I just own one bike that offered the best ride in the world but did nothing emotionally for me in terms of just going into the garage to eat a sandwich next to it? No way.

That's why there are custom bike builders. You get what you want without compromise. My 1299 is the best road going bike I have ever owned. Rode it 5 hrs yesterday without hesitation but it took a decent amount of time and money to get it there. Stock, and without the ability to do my own work, I would never own one or a V4. I just dont from personal experience and working with other Duc owners think they make a very good product for the hype and money. Just my opinion based on building and maintaining these things. My bikes are completely void of any Ducati markings. I don't own any Ducati branded riding gear. I built the bike because I wanted a twin in a SBK package and no one else made one. I have zero brand affiliation or favoritism. If i had to do it over, I would probably build a 1098 as I could care less about all the marketing gimmicks. All of my 1299 "street gimmicks' are turned to the "off" position with exception of the QS and the switch pack has been removed with the exception of a simple turn indicator for legal reasons.

Yep, there will be a lot of that. Some of it is because of such low production = high price. Some is maintaining brand identity, some is just dumb. Go around it.

Three bond from Ducati Newport Beach $40.99. Yamabond (same Mfg 3 Bond Japan) and better than than the Ducati spec product $9.42. Typical.

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endodoc said:

That's why there are custom bike builders. You get what you want without compromise. My 1299 is the best road going bike I have ever owned. Rode it 5 hrs yesterday without hesitation but it took a decent amount of time and money to get it there. Stock, and without the ability to do my own work, I would never own one or a V4. I just dont from personal experience and working with other Duc owners think they make a very good product for the hype and money. Just my opinion based on building and maintaining these things. My bikes are completely void of any Ducati markings. I don't own any Ducati branded riding gear. I built the bike because I wanted a twin in a SBK package and no one else made one. I have zero brand affiliation or favoritism. If i had to do it over, I would probably build a 1098 as I could care less about all the marketing gimmicks. All of my 1299 "street gimmicks' are turned to the "off" position with exception of the QS and the switch pack has been removed with the exception of a simple turn indicator for legal reasons.

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I like this post


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That's pretty cool. I like to ride more than I like to wrench, but I know what you mean when you just have to have it the way you want it. It's really cool that you have arrived to that level and can give it the identity you want. I feel like the brand has done so much for cycling innovation it deserves its kudos. I'm not in love with VW, or some of the decisions at the top. I hope they can maintain through this decade. It's going to be a major game changer.

endodoc said:

That's why there are custom bike builders. You get what you want without compromise. My 1299 is the best road going bike I have ever owned. Rode it 5 hrs yesterday without hesitation but it took a decent amount of time and money to get it there. Stock, and without the ability to do my own work, I would never own one or a V4. I just dont from personal experience and working with other Duc owners think they make a very good product for the hype and money. Just my opinion based on building and maintaining these things. My bikes are completely void of any Ducati markings. I don't own any Ducati branded riding gear. I built the bike because I wanted a twin in a SBK package and no one else made one. I have zero brand affiliation or favoritism. If i had to do it over, I would probably build a 1098 as I could care less about all the marketing gimmicks. All of my 1299 "street gimmicks' are turned to the "off" position with exception of the QS and the switch pack has been removed with the exception of a simple turn indicator for legal reasons.

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I know guys who buy bikes, both new and used, and just ride them without touching anything. To me that's like getting in someone else's car and driving it with an awkward seat position, jacked up mirrors, and the radio stuck full blast on a station you don't like.. just isn't appealing.
Part of what I love about owning a motorcycle (and bicycles, and camping trailers, and all kinds of stuff that I tinker with) is that it can be exactly what you want if you spend the time or money (or both).
I was instantly smitten during my SFV4S demo, as the bike was 3/4 of the way of the bike I was already on, but with a ton more potential. I could've said "good enough!" and enjoyed it if I was a normal person.

But making something your own, that is the real joy IMO. And in my case, starting with controls and moving on to performance attributes, I want the bike to react as I expect without having to think about it- there should never be a panic moment because you can't find the lever bite point or are hunting for a gear, or you are surprised at an unexpected power surge or wallowing suspension. The best riders in the world can extract performance out of anything regardless of familiarity but I am not one of those, and I need predictability first. And I love working my way toward that ideal with an excellent platform to start with.

Good post Skidrumr. I started in bicycles as well decades ago. Hard to describe to someone who hasn’t ridden a 8k road bike the difference between it and an off the rack unit. Money to spend is nice. Skill sets that can create performance mechanics is also nice. Money and the skill sets, that’s what sets everything apart

Show me the guy here who has the nicest collection of bikes and I guarantee you he out spent everyone but the really phenomenal builds don’t happen without a skilled visionary and one of those with $$, game over. Rolands Desmo flat tracker comes to mind.

Without passion, what’s the point? For me the 1299 is an experience that is hard to move past, I can’t outride it. On Sunday I fitted a new rear and went for a 4 hour spin and got blown away yet again- the feeling of grip, the pin point steering, the sound- it just feels incredible. Once you get out riding where the magic happens all else is forgiven.

This past weekendI went riding with a group of Ducati club members from Houston, we went to West Texas and spent the weekend.

I rode with a guy who has a 2015 1299, it has 56,000 miles on it. He rode probably 400 miles in two days across some pretty serious terrain, fast and hard. Not one hiccup. Who says these things aren’t built to last?


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Hey I get it, like I said this is the best bike I have had hands down but I also know that for every one that was put together on a Monday, there were 8 put together on a Friday after happy hour with much different outcomes. Get a good motor, and it’s a nice experience. Get a Friday motor and you will learn curse words you never used before. I know all brands have Monday and Friday builds.

The difference is that this brand if you are not prepared, can change your financial portfolio. Is if this guy has 56000 miles on that bike and he’s not doing his own maintenance, do the math. He has paid more than that bike is worth in service and maintenance fees. When the warranty is gone, and DIY isn’t an option, the whole “Ducati experience” takes on a different meaning, one that involves tissue and an ATM card.

can i cut-n-paste some of these post to my customer satisfaction survey? lol

one word. 'flickability"

Fortunately there are perfectly reliable and reasonably priced bikes out there like the Honda CB1000R for everyone that's complaining.

And they'll be even more reliable when they're all electric.

Could be interesting to see some facts from some kind of survey from shops. I bet there are stats / costs somewhere.
My experience: I rode Honda bikes from when I was 5 years old to 38. I had a bunch of them. I always had that in my mind " Honda - so reliable."
Reality, one was in the shop at least once a year. I don't think they are any more reliable than any Ducati I've had.
My used Monster never had an issue in 4 years /30k miles. My 848 had a couple warranty issues, once sorted, it only had one breakdown in 8 years />45k miles. About the same for other Ducs I've ridden. But ya, expensive when it happens.
Practical isn't really part of the argument when you go to high performance Italian bikes.

"Is it worth it to you" is an interesting question. I didn't ride the last 2 years because I moved to the EU and all the craziness that was the last 2 years. F*ck that. That sucked. I prioritized other things / investments / business blah blah. Covid came along and I had to consider, maybe we'll die this year. Fk-that. I need to ride. I'm happy with my Ducati. It's not practical. I don't care.
I'm fking happy when I'm riding my Duc. In my helmet is my happy place.

I'm not sure having a wife is particularly practical for most men these day. Do the math, see the stats, logic would say, you're a fking idiot getting married. Especially considering all the disasters leading up to the latest relationship anyone had. Insanity thinking it'll be different.
Yet, love. Red, shiny, very fast love. Smells like race gas, rubber and something magic. Yes please.

Would be cool to get some demands together and send them to Claudio... or whomever is actually in charge these days at Ducati - Lamborghini - Audi - VW - whomever...
A massive group of owners with a declaration or demand or love letter... I don't know.
Ferrari. Just let that sink in a sec.
Ferrari is the ONLY car company in the world that makes a profit selling new cars. It is also now the "most valuable brand" in the world and the most recognizable brand in the world.
As in, more people know that logo than Coke or Mickey Mouse for the first time in decades.
What would it take for Ducati to go in that direction instead of sliding into the whoredom of brand-sucking investors? People will pay anything for a Ferrari, because, damn, they're really all that. Wouldn't that be cool if Ducati was like that? It's not right now, but it's pretty good we seem to agree, could be a lot better.
The marketing stats on bikes are, "rich people don't buy motorcycles." There is thought to be a kind of price cap, though, if we did the math @endodoc puts before us, we might see a number that could be surprising. I think that is getting tested with bikes like the Superleggera and the V4SP. What if you could buy a new bike that was like what @KarlKani is putting together? What would be the right price? I'd love to know what he's spent on that project, but I don't want to ask. No pressure dude.
Who's got numbers? Mick or someone who sells aftermarket parts - I saw someone post an impressive list with prices.

Maintenance & repairs are where all profits come from at all car companies except Ferrari. "Planned obsolescence," is the business model.
Ducati surely is pushing this direction more than anyone would like. That's what this statement is about. It's the surprise expense that's not ok and pretty components that are not actually so great. We would be touching that very sensitive spot that makes CEOs jump like a poker to a testicle, called, profit margin.

No one is saying other brands do not have issues. Everyone has issues, recalls etc, Ducati is just overpriced by a long shot. These types of conversations are difficult to have as the psychology of the “brand baby’s” always skews the data and rational thought .

I could give 2 ..... about who makes what and have zero brand loyalty which is one reason I don’t have any “brand” recognition on anything I build. As a “brand” I find the particular Ducati platform I chose to be an acceptable platform for the outcome I wanted.
To me it’s just a twin engine motorcycle with aftermarket parts. Its not “my baby” it doesn’t have a name and I have zero interest in being part of the “brand family” and partaking in the wiener roast at Ducati Island. I also think the brand is overpriced, over hyped, misleading and they don’t build as quality a bike for the $$ as some other manufacturers (just my opinion).

This whole debacle with special editions and numbered bikes with leftover parts and their “exclusivity “is just embarrassing. Anyhow, a great build be it a V4 or a V2 is 70-80k with all the good stuff. Speaking of Honda, the new RRR is legit. I may considering a build on that platform if I don’t venture into electric.

Vbreeze said:

I'm not sure having a wife is particularly practical for most men these day. Do the math, see the stats, logic would say, you're a fking idiot getting married. Especially considering all the disasters leading up to the latest relationship anyone had. Insanity thinking it'll be different.
Yet, love. Red, shiny, very fast love. Smells like race gas, rubber and something magic. Yes please.

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Equating a wife to a motorcycle or, as implied in your case, choosing the Duc instead!

Living the dream is always going to cost you regardless of the discipline you choose. Looked at a $1200 carbon fiber waterski blank at last year's boat show and almost convinced myself it was necessary.
I was in a shoulder harness after reconstructive surgery at the time.
I got into DH mountain biking because motocross was too expensive.. guess what? Built my own since the floor models "cost too much" and now I have a $7K bicycle for cripes sake. That's dirt bike money.
And on it goes.
Last Duc had $10K+ into it and it was "almost there". More than halfway to that on the SFV4S I've had a whole 8 months.
To be polite I'll call it a passion, but it is legitimately an illness.. yet in the throes of the experience as Vbreeze mentioned, the smiles are priceless.

"LIL TURD"

lol

Don14R said:

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endodoc said:

partaking in the wiener roast at Ducati Island.

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Bwahahahahaa this^^

So many good people love these bikes but you have to admit they are the ultimate ...... magnet!