It's not about money. If you can afford upwards of fifteen grand for a sunday plaything there's a good chance you have a decent job and live in a nice house, so being a pilot or banker doesn't make you elitist. It's an attitude thing. And unfortunately I've met more Ducati owners with that elitist attitude than any other bike owners. One guy in particular sticks out cos I bump into him regularly. I caught him explaining to his bird that I couldn't possibly know about suspension settings cos I 'only owned a Kawasaki'. Another guy with a Diavel at a bike meet kept moving his bike around; his rather embarrassed mate explained to me it was so everyone could get a look at it...
i formed this opinion years ago in the motor trade that certain people where drawn to certain makes. then finance deals became easier to get and blew my theory right out the window.
From a marketing consumer perspective, demonstrably superior brands tend to move from a Discernment motivation state to a Status motivation state over time. The former are bought by people "in the know" who deliberately seek out more niche brands to fulfil their need to feel and be seen as discerning consumers. Ducati would have been here up until the 916. People who bought them prior to this were prepared to pay a significant premium for a bike that was rare and pricey and possibly temperamental on the understanding that they appreciated its inner qualities and the experience it offered. All Ducati's PR work, and racing success have broadened their appeal to a wider audience which is principally rooted in the Status segment. Here, consumers may be less passionate, but buy the brand as a shortcut to enhancing their status. This shortcut obviates the need for understanding, and simply stands as a social signifier for enhanced status. Brands here may attract a type of consumer that people in Discernment have less in common with. You can see this process in multiple areas. If you look at Louis Vuitton, back in the 70s or 80s, it was quite clearly in Discernment. Their communication was all about the heritage and history and how they were made. Now that sales have increased massively, their communication is mainly about situating the brand in a luxury context - rubbing shoulders with other Status brands gives them enhanced status. So Louis Vuitton consumers just buy a bag as a status symbol with little appreciation for what goes into it. The fact that people on this forum are sufficiently motivated to even be here suggests that most will be Discernment consumers. The real Status Ducati owners wouldn't waste their time with such engagement. The opinion people have of Ducati owners will depend very heavily on what really motivated the latter to purchase their Ducatis. It's a tricky thing for a brand. There is more money to be made in Status, generally, than Discernment, but you risk alienating your core consumer base. Status consumers are more fickle. Look at all those who have bought BMW S1000RRs who a few years ago wouldn't have been seen dead on a BMW. Many of these owners will defect to KTM, say, or Aprilia or some other brand if that brand suddenly has the hottest poop SBK bike.
chill big stuff chill. i just like to mix it up a bit from time to time. you do agree tho that different personalty's are drawn to different things. i am just as bad at judging a book buy its cover. but i recognize it more now that i am on the desk dealing with the customers not just getting annoyed with mr swanky in his porche taking pride in his hard earnt being successful don't make you a knob. being a knob makes you a knob.
I always saw Ducati riders as a level above us normal Jap bike riders, until I had a DS courtesy bike for a week or two, when some blind tosser pulled out on my from a junction while I was riding my R1, I loved it but I just thought it was ugly, not long after that the 1200 multi was launched and MCN couldn't praise it enough. From then on I wanted one, 5 years later I managed to be in a poison to buy a new one out right, I love riding the bike it's awesome, but I hate washing it, every time I do I notice some little imperfection and it make me feel sick. My tank decals have started to peel of, some of the lacquer on the side panels has spots in it, the brake disk bobbins are leaching rust, the gear selector arm rod ends went rusty and I had to replace them and buy covers for them, the disc pad retaining pins are rusty, the front brake pipes and cables have worn the paint off the inside of the forks, the brake pipe ends and calliper bolts have gone an od dull grey, the exhaust valve fecked up after 1500 miles (after market exhaust fitted), the start button stuck the indicator button went faulty the clocks got full of water, none of the faring's align. the paint is coming off the clutch casing and cylinder head, the Blanking grub screws in the cylinder head have gone rusty. I've had to fit a more powerful rear spring, I've had to have the seat altered. The chain is for ever going rusty even though I clean it down and re wax it every 600miles. The paint has started to wear off just below the seat at the bottom of the fuel tank. This is all on a 5 month old bike. It may be a prestige make but in all honesty I wish I had bought a GS or a Triumph Adventurer. Funnily enough the wife an I are going to Brands for the weekend and we were worrying about it getting pinched from out side the hotel, it made it more of a concern when cadoganpier posted his bike had just been stolen. My wife said to me if yours gets stolen will you buy another Ducati? I said no probably not. % years I dreamed of having a Multistrada, and When I get one I find out there made of cheep shit.
I'd always considered Ducati owners (and pretty much any Italian bike owner TBH) more of a connoisseur, likely to own more than one bike, and probably a professional.
Love this thread! I have had loads of bikes over twenty odd years of riding! I think I've owned every brand apart from guzzi and Laverda! I brought a multistrada gt last year and must say it's probably the worst finished bike I have owned! I'm not going to talk about the cost as to me I love riding and I love bikes and I brought it and new the cost! The thing is I love riding, and I find most ducati's or other top end marques are more trinkets than useable transport! It's funny when people see me with my bike, they talk to me differently because I have a ducati! Does that sound weird! I liked it better when I had a speed triple! To me ducati is like ferrari, which is either a good or bad thing! I think it's a bad thing! I like riding the bike it goes well and does everything want it to! But hate the Ducati thing! This is my first one and probably last. I hate it when people say oh he rides a Harley, Oh he rides a euan and Charlie bike etc etc! Who gives a shit! We all ride bikes because that's what we want to do!
Haven't read all the posts but the concept that someone would buy and display themselves on any motorcycle, never mind a Ducati, as a means to "enhance" their social standing within the wider population, makes me titter.
I only had cavernous eyes for Ducatis when I saw them. Never really stereotyped the riders. Saw them as the same as everyone else in life, just a mixed old bag...although there does seem to be more of a cleaning related OCD problem in owners of Ducatis (and I include myself in that comment :/ ) Have to admit though, I've found other riders attitudes seem to be quite polar at times. Most people are fine, but every now and then I go places and have a distinctly unwelcome feeling and almost feel like I should be apologetic. Dunno, maybe just me but that's how it feels sometimes.
For many years after buying a Ducati in the early 80s the only other person I knew with one was Pete1950 through his articles in Motorcycle Sport............I once went to a DOC meeting in Yorkshire in mid winter on my bike and found everyone else had arrived in their cars so never bothered again.
Good God! Somebody who actually remembers Motorcycle Sport! And for the record I have never been to a DOC meeting by car in my life.
