You think whatever you like . They wouldn't keep such items for inspection if they hadn't been questioned in the past . I have even heard of people marking some items to check they have been replaced . Why would they do that if it hadn't ever happened in the past but that doesn't worry me as I know what's been done to mine . You keep on trusting everyone to be as honest as you think you are but leave me out of your ideal world.
In my case there was 190 ish ,numbered, 2006 999R worldwide . If someone ever wanted a 2006 numbered 999R there isnt a lot of choice .
Personally I'm a tradesman and it's good practice to show items that have been changed to customers, I've always done it as it was how I was taught, there's nothing untoward about it. I'll take my 'ideal world' over your paranoid one, I'll happily pay my trusted technician to work on my bike, the time it takes him I can be earning money at what I do for a living, I can't Imagine working on my Ducati's without all the factory tools and electronics, tbh the cost of them is several years servicing alone. I wouldn't trust anyone that doesn't have them
You would buy the one with history .......its so glaringly obvious ...........but what if the identical 848s one of them was a grand cheaper because not having any history affects the value ....... then which one do you buy ?
I wouldn't laugh too hard Couchy, I know of many much worse goings-on in car and bike garages, and they're not the back street grease pits you're imagining. I know of a garage that had a fleet service contract with a big company; for two years most of the cars got the oil topped up, air filter blown out, the door hinges lubed and plastic covers put on the seats, and that's all. I know this to be true because I worked right next door to them, and they told me. This was a main dealer. Dunno. I'd be tempted by the one without service history if it was significantly cheaper.
Fair play to you fella , I take my hat off to you for doing your own bike and indeed I'm quite envious , I can use a spanner but need someone like yourself to supervise a belt change and then I will do mine , as you are keeping your bike you have nothing to lose , I dare say some of the lads that get main dealer servicing done are indeed only interested in keeping the resale value as they know they won't be keeping long term but lose so much by keep px to have the latest and greatest
Well, after all the discussions and arguments I've decided to take the bike for service at Italia Moto in Lincoln. Got all fluids, filters and belts with tensioner bolts changed and a general look over, also got the holed panel changed as it was doing my head in. Paid the bill and got change from £730, so considering I had a quote for £350 for the panel on its own (and over £420 from another garage) I think I've done alright. Very happy with the service from the dealer and the bits I watched I was more than happy.
Take away the panel and you paid about £380 for the full service inc belts. That's around about the mark to pay. Doing it yourself would have knocked more value off the bike in the future. I think you made the correct choice. And remember, you only have a bill like this every 2 years, the oil service should be about £120 - £159. If you do sell the bike, you don't have to start explaining why it has no history.
Always go to someone like Snells and you can relax and know you're bike is being sorted professionally. They charge a fair price for a fair job. I'm a competent mechanic. I have the tools too. I can do all the service items myself if I choose. However I will still get it serviced by Snells. Stamps are important if you want to sell the bike at some point. If you do not, i'd still get them done as things can change. Also a stamp from Snells is > than a stamp from some garage no-one knows off. The guy from Snells, Tom or Paul, I always forget his name. Nice bloke/s. They're the only people who have ever ridden my bikes apart from me since I've owned them. I won't even let my mates near them. Use a good recognised Ducati service agent for piece of mind. Unless your as good yourself.
For those that service themselves have you bought the official ducati laptop and software to do electronic updates and read the ecu etc or do you use something else ?
The other thing to look at on a newer bike is that if the owner is happy to pay whatever a service costs when it's required, he or she is more likely to spend whatever else is required as its required. A penny pinched somewhere visible leads me to question how many have been pinched where you can't see them? This becomes less important as the bike gets older as its far more likely to have been serviced at home, but also older bikes aren't likely to be ridden as hard either. By the same token, you should never ever buy a repossessed bike - if they can't keep up the payments there is no chance for the servicing.
