Ducati or BMW(motorcycles)?

T

The Champ

New member
Ducati and BMW are both prestigious high end brands, BMW tending to have a bit better quality and reliablility and Ducati more performance though this not always the case.
I think the BMW F650GS would be a good starter bike. Also a Smaller displacement Ducati Monster or "SS" model.

It should be noted that you can get Japanese models that offer the performance and quality at a fraction of the price, such as the KLR instead of the F650 or the SV instead of the monster. But this is a bit like buying a Corvette instead of an older Ferrari because it is faster and has higher reliability ratings. Its true, but its missing that extra je nai sais qouis that makes an exotic an exotic.
 
am planning on purchasing a first bike. would appreciate opinions on which brand is better in terms in terms of servicing and customer service etc.

thanks! any reccomendations?
 
Neither of these manufacturers makes a "beginner" bike. Look elsewhere. Take a rider training course BEFORE buying ANY bike. You should start off with a bike around 250cc, and buy your first bike used: Most new riders will drop their first bike once or twice, and why scratch up a brand new, shiny one? Also, BMW and (especially) Ducati parts are very, very expensive.
 
i'd say both depend on where you at and what dealers you have around you. As for the actual technicians i do know this:

I have not seen any school that has a ducati mechanic certification program. If there is one i've never seen it. Wyotech university lets you learn on ducati's but there is no manufacturer certifications there.

Motorcycle Mechanics Institute offers a BMW certified course that you can only sign up for if you have a good driving record and are in the top 10 percent of the class after going through your basic courses.

So If you do happen to find a dealer that is bmw certified then i think you'd have an excellent servicing techinician.
 
If you are talking new, forget it. Do as the others say and buy a smaller Jap bike. If you are going used, then there is heaps of choice. I have a 1993 BMW K75. 740cc, well balanced, smooth, powerful, quiet. I love it, I've had it for 8 yrs and have always done the oil and filter changes myself, so apart from tyres and a broken valve spring on one occasion, it has stayed out of dealers hands. I have a perception of Ducati as being expensive, but others think that about BMW and it's just not true, so I may be wrong. One of the smaller monsters my be suitable. They look and sound great. If you are getting dealer servicing, enquire about expected costs when you are asking about the bike.
 
No other brand has the low speed riding caharacteristics of an R type BMW. Eventhough thay have a lot of power, it is very controllable to the point that it could easly be used as a beginner bike. After 35 years of riding quite large number of different brand and sizes of bikes, I can comfortably say that R1200R would be my first choice. F bikes are OK too but the single cylinder ones are not for me and the new inline twins do not have excellent reliability (yet). Ducati makes fine bikes too. I would probably ride it if somebody gave it to me as a present. Once you become a seasoned rider and spend some time on a BMW, you just can not get yourself to ride anything else.
 
You have picked the brands with the highest service costs. Try a used Japanese bike whilst you actually learn to ride.
 
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