Hi. I am based in London and need my V4 serviced. Any recommendation on a good dealer who knows what they’re talking about? Bike is a track only bike and the dealer I purchased it from is unable to think for themselves. If Ducati doesn’t state it then it’s not true!! I had enough of that with Honda dealers, where I could fault find and fix the bike but the dealer would only give the standard “company line” even if it didn’t make sense!
This will be subjective I guess. Personally I only ever use JHP/Ducati Coventry what they don't know about Ducati's isn't worth knowing, and they will collect/drop off also. I'd also recommend MotoRapido, although I have no dealings with them clearly they know how to put a good race bike together.
Hi Which side of London will help us help you .... If you are S or S/W take it out to Ducati Alton. If you are North London I'd get on the M1 and take the 2 hour drive to @nelly at Cornerspeed .... Who are the dealer thats not being helpful ? some have more experience of track bikes than others
I’m in North London. I can’t mention the dealer, it’s not that they’re being unhelpful but they just won’t stray from the company line and think for themselves. As soon as I told them it would be a track bike they were like “ ooh it has to have an engine rebuild every 1500 miles. We will have to replace the pistons” etc. Couldn’t clarify their statement apart from this is what Ducati recommends. Is cornerspeed an official Ducati dealer? The bike is still under warranty. Bike is stored in Stevenage anyway so North would probably be closer than south.
Tbf the service book states a rebuild. We’ve discussed it on here. But iirc it did the 1299/1199 R versions. Most don’t do it unless racing, which consensus seems to suggest that’s what the recommendation is based on, not regular track day use.
Exactly! That’s what I mean by not thinking outside the box. Or even using common sense it logic. A race R6 will get refreshed every season but a tracked one 5-7k miles if that. I ran my cbr for 8k track miles before it needed a refresh and I only did that because a gasket started seeping. Even if I took my bike for a refresh I would expect them to look at what is worn and replace only those parts, not everything just because it’s listed in the manual. I understand completely where they are coming from as they are main dealers but don’t just blankly state “this is what we have to do”.
MotoRapido always very helpful and diligent, I have always found Snells talk to you like they are doing you a favour. Ref the 1500 miles comment, that assumes you are talking V4R, which the service schedule does unbelievably state 1500 miles for pistons and doesn't caveat 'only for track use'. So really if you want a Ducati dealer to warranty it they are likely to only do whatever the manual says, if you don't, a good dealer like MotoRapido will likely take a much more pragmatic view of the risk. FYI, The BMW M1000 now also runs single ring pistons, which is not something that a mileage concious engine manufacturer would do, these bikes are getting very close to being 'race' bikes.
Ah, just seen its an R, in that case any authorised agent is going to tow the company line as thats how you will retain the warranty, if you are happy to let the warranty slide then they will all also only do what you ask to have done, then you are in murky waters should anything happen and Ducati would be in their rights to refuse warranty work based on the incomplete service history as required. Thats the gamble you take. Also selling it on could prove problematic.
You'd take a modern Ducati Panigale R bike to Bob at FWR ? As much as I love Bob, that would be madness !!!!
Depends what you need to do on it. Changing oil, liquids, lubing the chain is not a rocket science. Otherwise Bob has access to Tony, who has worked at HM Racing for 10 years and is a mechanic for WSBK Honda.
