I have one and it is loud, even to ride non anti-socially ha ha.
But the biggest problem for me is the Ducati service - or lack of it. Picked it up from the dealer and went two hundred miles home, only to realise that I had no idea how the alarm worked. Called the dealer, got some basic instructions but was also told "after 3 days of inactivity the alarm will switch itself off as the battery is too small to sustain the alarm power requirements". So after 3 days my bike is not protected. I was not happy. I have paid for an alarm system that does not work. Surely this cannot be correct. Ok, let's get in touch with Ducati and get the full story. Have you ever tried to contact Ducati? Check the sites. No contact details given other than snail mail. I considered this too urgent for snail mail so I used my best detective skills and managed to find details for Ducati UK. Called them and spoke with Customer Services. That title is a contradiction in terms. A 14 year old female who knew diddly squat, was dismissive and had a bad telephone manner. She would find out and would call me back. Did she? Not a chance. I called the next day. Yes she had the information. "why didn’t you call me back as you promised?" No reply. Anyway she told me it would go into 'sleep mode' so everything is ok. What is the difference between sleep mode and normal mode please? Ah, she was stuck again. Can I speak to an adult please? "There is no-one else in the building". What! A euphemism for "why don't you just feck off". No further forward with the alarm – or lack of it. Anyone out there know more than me?
So now I go to get it serviced. 780kms - 220 short of the 1000kms. “Aah, we can service it but a light will come on at 1000 kms saying you need a service. You'll have to take it to a Ducati dealer to get the light switched off.” But in two days’ time I am going 800 kms south into the country. So next day, after the service I go out and do the 220kms up and down a motorway just so that I can go back and get the effin light switched off. So I go back to the dealer, he fannies around for 30 mins and then tells me the PC is not working - "come back tomorrow"! Aarg, tomorrow I leave for the big trip south and the nearest dealer there is 70 km away.
This is my second Ducati and it will be my last. I had similar issues with the first one. They may look great but they are just not worth the hassle. Jap bikes are hassle free and they do what it says on the box.
PS - plus they are not as good as all the media hype cracked them up to be. A new Fireblade is a much better bike.
Posted: 25/07/2012 at 14:43
