Wait, How Much!? Hold While I Sit, I've Come Over A Little Queer.

Nothing like a radiator tho, is it. What are regular, steel discs and what are the cost of buying pattern?

Guessing Ducati have to recover the cost of all those warranty repair rads that burst

 

so if your a "pootling around" type rider, doing the odd 10-20 mile rides at the most, you could try a repair and might get lucky and it last a good while, but for that (relatively lesser) stress-free experience if constantly travelling long distances, it's a Chinese replacement every time for me.

 

Thing is, you could replace every year for l0 years and still not lose money

 

I used the £70 rads on my 1098R when I had it. Sent the OE for refurbishment and carried as a spare thereafter for when the cheap Chinese copy inevitably exploded. Which never happened. It was fine.

A radiator is a static vessel when all said and done. It’s not like an engine internal which of course has to be spot on in terms of quality. Plus, I knew an engine builder that had used a dozen or so Chinese copies without issue. So yeah, who in their right mind wouldn’t take a punt on a copy…

 

I recall many moons ago, probably 20 years MCN did an article on if you stripped a bike to it's bare components and then priced them up individually to see what the difference was. I think it was demonstrate why bikes get nicked and stripped.

It was a ZX-6R (G1) as I recall as I had one at the time, so yes probably 98/99 I think they cost around £6.5K but all the parts stacked up to the best part of £20K.

So yes I can well imagine a Ducati OEM radiator would cost that, and in 10 years it'll probably still be the same price, it won't be any cheaper that's 100%

Yes, I agree it's a rip off, but you don't buy a Ducati and expect it's going to be cheap to run, likewise you wouldn't buy a Ferrari and squeak at the running costs regardless of whether it was new or 10 years old.

To put that into context I have a friend who until recently had a stunning Aston Martin V12 Vanquish carbon edition, I think they're about £150K or thereabouts and one of the foam rubber door seals split... over a grand for a strip of foam rubber, smarted a bit.

 

In 1977 or '78 Parks in Lewisham, Honda Main Agents, went through this exercise with a Gold Wing. At the time the Wing was 1999.00 pounds brand new in the showroom. Working though the microfiches for the bike, to have built it from spares, bought over the counter, would have cost 25,000 pounds (no labour)

Nevertheless, why would anyone pay 750 pounds for an OEM radiator identical to the one that has just failed? (Thinks: "That was shit, here's 750 quid, I'll have another") Possibly even came from the same Chinese factory that sells the 75 pound version that, as several have said, has nothing to envy the Ducati badged version in terms of quality, performance, or reliability.

 

"Coming over a little queer" Is that legal?

 

after your recent experiences Perry - of course it is..

 

Who needs 2 kidneys or testicles anyways!

 

There are age restrictions but not height restrictions. Midgets got to get their kicks too you know.

 

It’s a 13 year old bike, we’re 3 generations on from it now. Ensuring a supply of spare parts for the myriad of models released in the last 13 years is bound to be a massive headache for the company, it’s not like they’re making much money off 848s now. Does anyone still get their 13 year old bike serviced at the dealers? I’d expect the 750 quid is partly just to make you go away

 

And buy a Honda.

 

Yeah, much better with a Honda if you don’t want to pay high dealer parts prices.
Fireblade 2008 rad is only £1720… (comes with the fans though)
Umm… but don’t worry, you can get a cheap copy for £120 from… China (without the fans)

 

Was just looking at the V2 (not the rocket) about a grand for the pair!
No wonder there's market in writing off/robbing bikes.

 

My bottom rad (898) has popped. £400 for new one. 15000 miles and it’s failed through corrosion. My GS has 2 rads and has done 40000 miles; rads fine.
Mates 899 rad lasted till 4200 miles and his failed. Crap cheap choccy metal me thinks.

 

Honda parts can be expensive but not that expensive.

According to Fowlers, who are a Honda dealer, a 2008 Fireblade radiator is £843.64 including vat and doesn't include the fans..

 

This is a quote from Padgetts so they might know.

 

I expect there's a repair place that would offer a service exchange for £150. Its a new Chinese one and a drink for the parts team.