Vw Boss: “ducati Expands Or We Sell”

I've noticed. Just waiting for my mate to tell me he's getting a divorce... He's spent crazy money in the last two years. It seems to have totally consumed him! Did Slovakiaring and Brno last year and he was out nearly every session with either Crafer or McWilliams. Ker-fekkin-ching!!

And he's racing now...

 

Racing. Least value for money thing you can do outside a £50 blow job from a toothless gypsy granma

And probably similar fun factor too

 

Toothless is good though right?

 

Not for a proper clean

 

Hence probably as much fun

 

That was this fellow's predecessor, have a look at these two.

https://www.visordown.com/motorcycle-news-general-news/why-vws-herbert-diess-could-be-good-ducati

https://www.topgear.com/car-news/opinion/boss-volkswagen-has-been-replaced

 

In this month's Fast bikes Mag, they mention that a 750ish sized V4 could be possible by creating new heads for the block.
If they do, and don't sell it at £18k, it would do a world of good for sales and would make a V4 Ducati more accessible to everyone. In my opinion at least.

 

My friends Granma knows you

 

Interesting people have compared Ducati's sales with BMW. KTM dwarfs them both. They sold 240,000 bikes in 2017 and that doesn't include Husqvarna which they also own and they don't make a road-going sports bike above 400cc. They do sell a lot of off-road competition bikes where they rule the roost but that's a pretty niche market too and doesn't double their sales.
But they do make bikes from 125cc upwards and their small bikes are made in south east Asia where the biggest market is. They even make bicycles.
If you look at the range of bikes they make and the variety of buyers they sell to, their market base is vastly wider than Ducati's and that is reflected in their sales and the size of the company.

 

750 would need to be sub-£13k and be both very pretty and nicely finished. Otherwise anyone seeking performance is going to find better value in an R1 / GSXR / Fireblade / S1KRR?... I know Ducati is passion and you buy with the heart etc. but there are some absolutely bonkers deals out there for someone with a couple of grand to drop as a deposit and who can find £150 a month. PCP arguments go for or against but lots of people just want to know how much deposit and how much a month, and bigger is better.

 

Absolutely, 2015 or so, GSXR750s are a steal

 

I’d imagine 95% are off road bikes, something bmw Ducati etc don’t really compete in.

 

BMW do have a much broader range, and Scooters, if you include all their other stuff, also they sell far more clothing etc. BMW tbh have peaked for the short term in my opinion, some people are not happy with current bike warranty and corrosion, I for one refuse to be another BMW and they have lost a sale for sure, and I know some others feel the same at present, again I am sure they will turn it around eventually, but UK sales and after care in UK quite different over seas.

I can imagine Ducati could match their sales figures overall, but I think Ducati should be happy at present, they have a good future if quality is kept in check, with V4's etc.

 

Do you know how the different companies margins compare? What about manufacturing capacities?

 

No one’s margins can be compared, even if you have the full accounts they can never be deciphered

 

Fear they may go backwards more. The multi has a few too many failures to be reliable, so they rely on 12k trade in market as it’s still the best of its type out there. Monsters probably outsell panigale (guess not fact) when you look across entire range, and scrambler probably does too.

 

Claimed profits then as a comparative tool?

 

Which in itself is fine provided there is money in them thar Monsters (and Scramblers).

 

Nope