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The Ducati Dealer Experience
- Thread starter Nancy L
- Start date
I thought the dyno was no longer next door since the Harley dealer was gone and I was told by people I will not name that DSC didn't know how to really use the dyno to its full extent. That is when they pointed me to Silver Back Racing.
Anyway, your wife is certainly the best on the planet.......I would mess my droors if I was told HONEY I BOUGHT YOU A 1198s or any bike for that matter.
Lucky bastid! Enjoy the bike......I'm sure I don't need to tell you that. Did I tell you your a lucky bastid.
Nice nice nice....well I'm sure DSC will hook you up with your usuall deals. They are so cool and giving over there I sometimes wonder how they stay in business.
In the mean time while we wait to ride dont your ass off.......you'll need it for that new 1198s seat.
Anyway, your wife is certainly the best on the planet.......I would mess my droors if I was told HONEY I BOUGHT YOU A 1198s or any bike for that matter.
Lucky bastid! Enjoy the bike......I'm sure I don't need to tell you that. Did I tell you your a lucky bastid.
Nice nice nice....well I'm sure DSC will hook you up with your usuall deals. They are so cool and giving over there I sometimes wonder how they stay in business.
In the mean time while we wait to ride dont your ass off.......you'll need it for that new 1198s seat.
Lola Goose
New member
The mechanics and service managers are seriously just talking out of there a-hole. The bikes are just thrown togeher, every mechanic i know that works at dealers say the product they service is junk. The reason is because they only see the product when its broke, its like being at a hospital, you never see people when they are ok. If the belt isnt required by ducati to be serviced until the listed interval in the manual what are you woried about, obviously your not responsbile when the engine self destructs due to a loose belt that wasnt required to be serviced. The 2007 1098s had an issue with the camshaft keyway being manufactured in the wrong location, causing the timing to be off a tiny bit. Mechanics work in routine, if they are use to the 2007s having a issue with the camshafts, they are going to assume they are all damaged.
The quiet one
New member
Cecil I am one "not" stating that. I do not trust the dealers nor do I trust DNA. On written information of what to do service wise I do trust what Ducati in Italy sayes regarding what they build. The factory built it and its their warranty and its coming out of their pocket when something goes wrong on a new bike...not a dealer's pocket or DNA's.
Every mechanic/tech no matter where will always have different ideas and solutions to any problem or thinks they know best on a certain thing to do. Just look at our own "how-To" section in here.....5 to 8 different ways to gut a simple muffler....and they all work....just differently. First clue that sayes stay away from any certain dealer/mechanic/tech is when they only talk about maximum performance....lol there is no such thing and no one person can always produce those statements or maximum performance. Way to many uncontrolable varibles and who wants to be a slave trying to chase or capture every single horse power for what.....fun??
ch848 had the right idea for everyone...change the oil yourself and buy a VDST box. Also ch848 adjusting a chain is about the simplest thing one can do on these bikes, if your going to change the oil yourself you certainly can adj. the chain.
Someone else made the good comment that even adjusting desmo valves is really not that big of deal but it does take time because of all the extra parts that have to be taken off to get to the valve covers. That is also a very true statement....nothing magical about mechanical parts and clearances. Certainly not a job for someone who has not remotley through the years done any of their own service work though. One needs to at least stripped out a few bolts in their life to know what certain things feel like....its called training.
My oil changes will never cost me no more than a $10 oil filter and $5 to $7 a quart for oil. One can argue all they want about this oil versus this oil but if its a fully synthetic brand and fits all the required number ratings that the factory recommends, your good to go. Doing anything differently is just trying to keep up with the Jones and helping out Islam.
Can a cam belt stretch after 600 miles....certainly....is that a big deal.....not as big a deal as dealer people want to make it out to be (not sure why Ducati did not put automactic tensioners on the belt as the rest of the world does), its not stretching inches when it does happen. Adjusting a cam belt is really not that big of deal either and they sure are one of the easier things to get to on any Ducati.....just depends on how much money one has and that monies value to you in what other things you do in your life that will warrant whether you learn how to do the servicing yourself or let someone else do it.
I am like everyone else in wanting to get some new eye candy for my bike but the first items that I am acquiring is the items that will let me have the money to get the eye candy and keep the bike going. The fastest way for myself to do that is service it myself. Basic items that fall into that category and intially not a lot fo fun to buy are: VSDT box, spanner wrench for chain adjustment, a good oil filter remover, on 1098 models the star shaped socket to remove the rear wheel, a good set of metric alan head sockets and a good set of metric "T" handle wrenches. All the common hand tools needed in any type of car/bike work most already have some form of, hopefully. Later thrown in a clutch wrench (though even that is not a requirement, many ways to get around that but nice to have if your really like the inner workings of a Ducati motor and want to be there yourself).
I said it on another post but anyone who charges $80 to $130 an hour to work on motorcycles should be ashamed of theirselves. The world we live in these days everyone thinks they should have a $100,000 dollar a year job no matter how simple the task.
Every mechanic/tech no matter where will always have different ideas and solutions to any problem or thinks they know best on a certain thing to do. Just look at our own "how-To" section in here.....5 to 8 different ways to gut a simple muffler....and they all work....just differently. First clue that sayes stay away from any certain dealer/mechanic/tech is when they only talk about maximum performance....lol there is no such thing and no one person can always produce those statements or maximum performance. Way to many uncontrolable varibles and who wants to be a slave trying to chase or capture every single horse power for what.....fun??
ch848 had the right idea for everyone...change the oil yourself and buy a VDST box. Also ch848 adjusting a chain is about the simplest thing one can do on these bikes, if your going to change the oil yourself you certainly can adj. the chain.
Someone else made the good comment that even adjusting desmo valves is really not that big of deal but it does take time because of all the extra parts that have to be taken off to get to the valve covers. That is also a very true statement....nothing magical about mechanical parts and clearances. Certainly not a job for someone who has not remotley through the years done any of their own service work though. One needs to at least stripped out a few bolts in their life to know what certain things feel like....its called training.
My oil changes will never cost me no more than a $10 oil filter and $5 to $7 a quart for oil. One can argue all they want about this oil versus this oil but if its a fully synthetic brand and fits all the required number ratings that the factory recommends, your good to go. Doing anything differently is just trying to keep up with the Jones and helping out Islam.
Can a cam belt stretch after 600 miles....certainly....is that a big deal.....not as big a deal as dealer people want to make it out to be (not sure why Ducati did not put automactic tensioners on the belt as the rest of the world does), its not stretching inches when it does happen. Adjusting a cam belt is really not that big of deal either and they sure are one of the easier things to get to on any Ducati.....just depends on how much money one has and that monies value to you in what other things you do in your life that will warrant whether you learn how to do the servicing yourself or let someone else do it.
I am like everyone else in wanting to get some new eye candy for my bike but the first items that I am acquiring is the items that will let me have the money to get the eye candy and keep the bike going. The fastest way for myself to do that is service it myself. Basic items that fall into that category and intially not a lot fo fun to buy are: VSDT box, spanner wrench for chain adjustment, a good oil filter remover, on 1098 models the star shaped socket to remove the rear wheel, a good set of metric alan head sockets and a good set of metric "T" handle wrenches. All the common hand tools needed in any type of car/bike work most already have some form of, hopefully. Later thrown in a clutch wrench (though even that is not a requirement, many ways to get around that but nice to have if your really like the inner workings of a Ducati motor and want to be there yourself).
I said it on another post but anyone who charges $80 to $130 an hour to work on motorcycles should be ashamed of theirselves. The world we live in these days everyone thinks they should have a $100,000 dollar a year job no matter how simple the task.
What I don't understand... is why the hell a harley dealer would have a dyno in the first place.
Anyone in the USA can do their own maintenance without fear of loosing any manufactors warranty per the Mag/Moss act....as long as you do it by the schedule, using factory recommended parts, keep an acurate record, and save all the reciepts where parts were purchased.
I've been a service manager for aloooong time in the auto industry, and yes it is a business, we do try to make a profit, and we do offer services that aren't in your owners manual. But we would never tell anyone they HAD to do them or their warranty would be voided.... that's a lie... it's theft, and no one should stand for it. If all you want to do is what the book requires, they should do it with a smile on their face. I see the things that happen in a top notch shop with ace techs. I personaly just don't trust anyone else to touch my bikes. No matter how good they are, they aren't going to take the tender loving car we would with our little pride and joy.
By the way, I'm a newb...about to buy a 1098s as soon as I get my deal done!
Anyone in the USA can do their own maintenance without fear of loosing any manufactors warranty per the Mag/Moss act....as long as you do it by the schedule, using factory recommended parts, keep an acurate record, and save all the reciepts where parts were purchased.
I've been a service manager for aloooong time in the auto industry, and yes it is a business, we do try to make a profit, and we do offer services that aren't in your owners manual. But we would never tell anyone they HAD to do them or their warranty would be voided.... that's a lie... it's theft, and no one should stand for it. If all you want to do is what the book requires, they should do it with a smile on their face. I see the things that happen in a top notch shop with ace techs. I personaly just don't trust anyone else to touch my bikes. No matter how good they are, they aren't going to take the tender loving car we would with our little pride and joy.
By the way, I'm a newb...about to buy a 1098s as soon as I get my deal done!
Like I stated before, the Dyno was not for the "Harley" dealership. Both dealerships DSC and Donahue Harley were owned by one family. In fact, even though they are in two different buildings, the service on all bikes/wheelers/snowmobiles were performed in the shop on the Harley side up until about 4 years ago. That's why they put the dyno there. Once they sold Donahue Harley (last year) that left the Dyno in the hands of the new owners. Trust me, the DSC guys cryed long and hard about that one. But that's the way it went down. They can still rent time on the dyno, but it's a hassle for sure.
Now, why would a "Harley" dealership need a dyno? Don't sell the "Harley Guy" short here, they're men too. They like to build motors, make power, and spout off about numbers just like the rest of us ... In fact, it's much easier and cheaper to tune a Harley for a 20% gain than any superbike I've seen. Of course it's apples to radishes....pushrod motor, air cooled...yada yada yada....but still fun to tweak them. I got a 21% increase out of my '04 Screaming Eagle Deuce with just an air filter, set of pipes, race tune chip, and a little tune time on the dyno.
Plus, don't forget many shops have dyno shootouts. This one does and it brings 'em in from far and wide. Ten bucks a throw, badda bing...badda boom, a little food on the side and you've got a big party. Every year we're talkin' in the hundreds of bikes that come to play that day.
Now, why would a "Harley" dealership need a dyno? Don't sell the "Harley Guy" short here, they're men too. They like to build motors, make power, and spout off about numbers just like the rest of us ... In fact, it's much easier and cheaper to tune a Harley for a 20% gain than any superbike I've seen. Of course it's apples to radishes....pushrod motor, air cooled...yada yada yada....but still fun to tweak them. I got a 21% increase out of my '04 Screaming Eagle Deuce with just an air filter, set of pipes, race tune chip, and a little tune time on the dyno.
Plus, don't forget many shops have dyno shootouts. This one does and it brings 'em in from far and wide. Ten bucks a throw, badda bing...badda boom, a little food on the side and you've got a big party. Every year we're talkin' in the hundreds of bikes that come to play that day.
SNOOPY*MKP
New member
in the US, it seems that you'll get better service depending on how much cash you drop at a place.
a lot of ppl in hawaii that haven't bought their ducs from the local dealer seem to have really bad experiences. but the ppl that have purchased it locally, swear by the dealership.
unforunately, we have a lot of military here that bring their bikes from across the US. not to mention that the local dealership only brings in a handful of ducs a year. they say there isn't a large enough market. you usually get put on a waiting list and they don't know when the next one will be shipped to them.
a lot of ppl in hawaii that haven't bought their ducs from the local dealer seem to have really bad experiences. but the ppl that have purchased it locally, swear by the dealership.
unforunately, we have a lot of military here that bring their bikes from across the US. not to mention that the local dealership only brings in a handful of ducs a year. they say there isn't a large enough market. you usually get put on a waiting list and they don't know when the next one will be shipped to them.
pumaleon123
New member
Hopefully someone was home and let them in or you know the people/person pretty good?? You must live in a very good area of the world to be that trusting. I envy you JohnnyDuc. Its not that safe in my world.
blue eyed baby
New member
I maybe lock my house door a few times a year and don't even close my garage door unless it's blowing snow or I'm gone for more than a few days. It's funny when city people visit and they lock their car, seems so silly to me.