Clutch covers. Why are they so expensive? (rant)

S

silver_monkey

New member
Okay, I came to terms a long time ago that parts for the Duc are going to be expensive. Fine. Even the pressure plate that I'm looking at (Kukri) is about $200, but anyone can see the machining that is needed to make that. Ok.

But the clutch covers? The same basic bolt design has been around for, what? Since 1994 or something like that?

Why are they so expensive? I don't see a $200 part, I see a $40 part. There is nothing trick here. Even the Suzuki stator covers, which require more maching to bolt the stator to the inside, are about $40-60 a pop for a decent one.

And before anyone can say "but it's for a Suzuki, which is mass produced..." let me remind you again that the basic bolt design has been around for well over 15 years, way longer than Suzuki's.

So am I just being a cheap A**hole for thinking that clutch covers should NOT be as expensive as they are? I just *do not see the price justification* in the production of this.

(by the way, the one I like is the Flow unit, but it's still not worth $200) I seriously think I'm better off giving my stock cover to a machine shop, and having them duplicate the holes, which would take all of maybe 10 minutes to do.
 
Unless the owner of the Machine Shop is your Friend, I

think that they are still going to charge you quit a bit...

They are also in business to make Money...

and even if they machine it for you, you still have to

paint it or powder coat it just to make it look decent...

Owning a Ducati is not Cheap... It goes with the territory..

P.S. If I owned a brand new 1198s, I wouldn't be complaining about how much

the accessories I'm buying for my Duc... I would just budget for them...
 
Fonzz, I totally understand what you're saying. I admit, I can be cheap like the next guy, but this part *doesn't make sense* to me. When I bought my $3500 BST's for my Hayabusa, THAT made sense to me! And it is still one of the very best worthwhile mods I did to that bike.

The machining, of course, will cost money, but we're talking maybe $40 or so.

As for me owning an 1198S, I know. But if you saved up your pennies, bought an F430, found out the oil filter is $327 but the same design has been in use for 17 years and it's not a 'special' filter, just a regular filter, you too would question 'why'?
 
Not to Many things make sense now adays....

but what are we going to do?

either buy it or not...

I know that things that are Mass Produced are made for Pennies

but they got us by the you know (What)....
 
Lol! I'm not rich or anything like that. Things are different now, and I didn't buy the 1198S without first selling a LOT of stuff to get it.

But guys, c'mon. It's the same dry clutch cover for all dry clutches....Monsters, Superbikes, Sport Classics (I think)....it's all the same design.

And Fonzz, I hear you but you would THINK that they realize that the market is different. How many $200 Flow units do they sell?

Okay, now make 'em $75. I would think they would sell 4 times as many!
 
It's the same part for an entry level humble Monster that is almost 3 times less expensive.

This is my argument. For a D16, yes, I would understand. But not for *every single Ducati with a dry clutch made in the last 15 years*. The volume here is huge.
 
Hey Bro, let me give you a tip, dont take your Ducati to any purchase negotiations, cus its a big fat invite to squeeze dough outta you. Dont mention Ducati really, its like a flaming red flag "I GOT MONEY"......even if your really dont.
 
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