Whilst you can argue that Brexit 'could' be attributed to the price increase, it's more likely a convenient excuse for Ducati than a requirement on their part to combat manufacture or component increases they're suffering. For a start any of you that have done the Ducati factory tour should know they wax lyrical about how much of their parts sourcing is done locally within Italy itself, let alone Europe. Yes the £ has lost some value 'short term' against the €, but I stress that's short term (vs 2014,2015 q1 2016). History will show that from the end of 2008 through to end 2011, it was trading at pretty much the same if not worse than it is today (1.17 / £ this moment). Then again throughout 2013 the same story, the £ was trading no better than it is today. As such why no huge price hikes in those periods, and yet now when Brexit is usable as an excuse do they decide the UK needs one? However, IF they did increase prices back then due to currency changes (they may have done and i missed it), why implement them again now if they'd already covered their bases? This is not pro Brexit trumpeting, this is just good old fashion statistical fact checking, do feel free to investigate the link and click on the graph throughout those periods. XE: GBP / EUR Currency Chart. British Pound to Euro Rates Screen shots attached: It doesn't really change that the Ducati bikes are overpriced to start with, and so will have substantially more margin in them for Ducati (Audi) to absorb the 5% loss 'should they wish'. I don't think the argument that they hold residual value rings true anymore either. Take a look at the Panigale 1299 base model as an example. Ducati's true entry level superbike if we're to compare ability vs its competitors (not the 959) £17195 (2016) list and within 12-16 months you're looking at £14k at best (20%) I know because I've been looking at them for months, in fact £14k is generous because that's dealer money and they're struggling to shift at that, more recently they've been £13.5k at dealers. Aylesbury have two and they show a 21.5% drop These are 2015 bikes and most with 2000-3500 miles, still under warranty until Q2 2017 There's even been a couple for sale privately for £12995 for ages and zero takers ( circa 24% drop) That's no different to any other bike, the figure just shows a bigger drop because the price was higher to start. So in 2017 at £17995 I just think you'd be mad to buy one as the percentage drop will likely be the same, and so the numerical loss will actually be larger. As such your £17995 bike is likely to end up at circa £14.2k at a dealers, or circa £13.5 private......within 18 months. They're no more immune than any other bike as that's what you'd expect to see from new. I'm sorry but I smell greed more than anything and it's a pity.
I won't be buying a new Ducati any time soon whatever the price. I'm tired of the sky-high servicing costs, an aloof, disinterested company that views its customers with suspicion, over-priced bikes and parts, swelling tanks and built-in obsolescence. Having got used to reliable marques which are capable of racking up trouble-free high mileages with reasonable servicing costs, the frisson of owning a very expensive bike that spends three months of the year in a workshop and is going to self-destruct after 20,000 miles no longer excites me, especially when I'm doing 10K miles a year. I'll keep the one I've got because I've spent too much money on it which I'll never get back in the short term. But that's the only reason. I've seen the light.
I'm not going to say I won't as I most likely will But probably not new, especially given the reasons outlined in my post above. They simply don't offer a level of quality whether in terms of build, paint finish or technology that warrants the brand tax they apply. A small price differential I get, but just like Apple, Ducati aren't bringing anything new to the table yet insist they're still top of the tree and thats arrogance more than anything.
In simple terms, Ducati ownership for me is based on disposable income, a luxury item, don't need it for commuting etc, I haven't got close to a 4.8% pay rise in 5 years, so unfortunately for me, I will need to walk away. I am sure the 959 will be my last one.
And that's exactly why I think it's a mistake on their part. They'll probably shift even more towards the cheaply made entry level bikes, which given the prices, aren't what you'd classify as entry level. I know many people like the Scramblers but let's be realistic, they're cheap basic bikes wrapped in branding. Ducati must be making an absolute killing off the people buying those A lot of UK riders own bikes as a luxury item, but even when making that decision people still take in to account value for money to a certain degree. If for example you wanted to do a lot of track days, unless you were well off, why would you bother with the 1299? It's no faster on track than its rivals, gives no more technology, no more reliability. You'd simply shift towards an alternative brand offering the same, or more, for less.
I just don't think you get value for money and I'm fed up with buying a new Ducati and then being told the rear shock is shit and a Termignoni is another £1500. I bought a new Triumph Thruxton R in June, it might not be everyone's choice but I can assure you it's a fantastic bike. I paid £12k which included the loud exhausts and a few other nice extras. It has Ohlins and Showas, Excel rims and has some electronics which are functional. For me that's as much as I want to pay and I feel it's good value. It was either that or a basic new Monster 1200
It is certainly true that currencies gain and lose value against each other from time to time. As you have demonstrated, the £pound has gained and lost value repeatedly down the years. So what? The relevant point is that the £ has lost value this year, 2016, so the prices of imported goods and services are increasing this year. This is a matter of arithmetic, not greed.
They buy most in euros, from Euro based countries, building in Euro based countries and exporting elsewhere. In the states, Ducati's seem cheaper (pre June) than the U.K. If it's losing money, it's on exports to USA and Asia not U.K. Don't know how it works for DUK but suspect they buy bikes in euros and sell on to network in pounds. There is an impact there, but not sure I remember seeing those prices decrease or deals improve when it was €1,39 to a pound?!
But should you read my post correctly, I make the point of the non issuing of price increases during 4 out of the last 8 years where the £ had performed no different than it is today. Arithmetic would have been an implication then as well, no less than it is today. During those prolonged periods of the £ performance being on parity with today, one can only assume that the products they produced were so margin rich, that they could easily absorb any margin loss as there wasn't the necessity to increase price as quickly back then So far since the Brexit vote, we've had a short 6 month period of a devalued £ 6 months sounds long, but in reality it's a fraction of the time it's been at this exact rate in very recent history I still stand by the theory that some companies (not all) are using Brexit as a mechanism to increase prices Those importing goods from the far east, or paying for anything in USD I completely understand, but European suppliers aren't in an alien situation that they wouldn't have experienced in very recent times with the currency being where it is. We'll just have to agree to disagree on that one
This could however be nothing less than the good old Sky TV school of pricing strategy. Bid millions of pounds for something and then get your customers to foot the bill So sky's premiership football rights vs Lorenzos £12m a year salary Wouldn't put it past them
Re; values of used Dukes going up, dont get over excited..any Ducati with more than 10k or out of warranty is worth a fraction of purchase price come trade in time. The drop on my mts at 2 years with 15k was eye watering. BMW and KTM seem to hold value much better.
Unless you buy it out of warranty and with over 10k already? Though I did pay loads for mine even with 12k on it.
Importers of big ticket items don't increase or reduce prices every time currencies jiggle; usually they hedge for a few months ahead, and to an extent they take the rough with the smooth. 2016 is rather different. The risk today is that the £Pound having dropped will not go back up any time soon, and may well drop a lot further. Evaluating the level of that risk is not easy, given that it depends on forecasting what the outcomes will be of unresolved political questions and their unknowable economic consequences. Still, if I was advising Ducati UK I might well suggest increasing their pricing schedule by 5% or so to be going on with and prepare for another 5% in six months time if necessary, as a contingency plan. I cannot see any basis for criticizing them for such a policy - unless we think Ducati UK are a charity whose objective is providing us with cheap bikes.
ive got a 1299 and I cant sell it as I would loose far to much money.in my eyes its just not worth it to go to a jap race bike and to be honest there selling price is no different. all sports bikes new prices are so inflated apart from Kawasaki that no one can sell used models for what they consider a good price. there are always going to be the cheaper used bikes now and again as owners sometimes just need the sale. like our housing market the bike market is very similar. its a lot of money to get into the housing market and once you are in its hard to move house due to costs and joe public cant afford the elevated prices. yes ducati sports bikes are expensive. not great riding slow,bad fuel economy.bad resale value in the real world. saying that I'm keeping mine cos I'm lucky I can have one and that should be enough.remember we are all in the same boat.
Thing is, I popped into OYB today, had a glance at Aprillia but only on the way to the Ducati's. They are different class. When the wife/kids tell people I have bikes and they ask what bikes and they say "Ducati" people say "nice/wow". Ducati transcend the motorcycle world like no other brands. They are Ferrari, they are Rolex. They have us by the short and curlies. I can't see me buying any other brands for a long time.
Thing is that everyone has the choice to buy what they want. If you don'l like the prices of Ducatis then go buy something else. I spent most of my life outside the UK and since the mod '60s sterling has dropped, that is long term.
Got past that now. Don't care what other people think of my bike. They don't ride it, I do. Don't want jewellery, don't want a brand. Don't want a fashion statement or "pride of ownership". I want to ride the bastard thing and I want to put car mileages on it before it falls apart or bankrupts me.
