Italia Moto Lincoln No Longer Main Dealer

It was hardly going to be liked by the 'Ducati community' that supported and had high regard for this dealer

 

But thanks anyway,
I'll buy you a coffee if your bring @bettes with the cigs

 

No

 

Something like this

 

Aren't you the lucky one!! Italia is my nearest dealer 56 miles away, Ducati Sheffield 70 miles, Ducati "Leeds" (read Shipley) 70 miles. it is the price we pay for riding two wheeled exotica. The Honda Suzuki Yamaha and Kawasaki dealers are 7 miles away.

I have used Italia for over 20 years. They are real enthusiasts. Long may they continue.

 

The guys in Sheffield I would highly recommend. I bought a 748 from them just now and they have been nothing but helpful. I can't imagine they are getting rich on the deal either. As it is a 2654km round trip from me I doubt I will use them much for routine servicing, but the sales team were great!

 

That's commitment, will it being RHD not be a problem?

 

At least it's yellow, that should offset it

 

For service and repair work try Nelly at Cornerspeed, still not "local", but one of the best.

 

Work for the auto industry as a tier 1/2 supplier. It’s very cut throat and the whole concept of “loyalty” has gone out the window. It’s all about what they want from us and how to squeeze us to the bone. Old relations and support offered in hard times no longer matter.

 

Same thing happened to my "local" dealer (50 miles away). They sold Ducatis for 30 years, but couldn't afford the cosmetic changes dictated from Italy and are no longer a dealership. Now the closest dealership is 180 miles away. Two of my friends have sold their Ducatis because they don't want to have a dealership that far away. I don't need a place with x amount of square feet and x amount of fancy signage, I just a want a place with great service and people, which is what I had. Just like when I had a Guzzi, now dealer support is so limited in my area that this may be my last Duc.

 

The dealers that can afford the changes only pass it down to the customer in the end.

 

Yep, Back in 2002 I had a few issues with the Duke when it was brand new, just from memory...Speedo, Taco and LCD went. i was glad of Italia's service. one time they nicked a part of a new bike to get me running

 

I bought my first red heap an 1198 from Italia when deciding to defect from our soul less Japanese corporate brands and have since had a 1299 and V4S all from Italia. Over this period I have had great support from Phil and his team even through the V4S challenges, going forward Ducati/Audi have to be careful they don’t forget that bike riders aren’t the same as car drivers, we are very different. Good luck to Italia for the future.

 

I can't understand Ducati, they let a great garage like Moto Lincoln go but still support Ducati Woods of Abergele north wales which in my opinion, and a lot of people I have spoken to is the worst garage in the North West.

 

reading all your comments, I won't repeat the same rants, but here is something for the 'new modern dealerships' to think.

There are fewer new blood coming in for motorcycles, many reasons, insurance, safety, paranoia, under the partners thumb, lost his cahoonas when one took a sh*t, procreative reasons...etc etc. all valid but comes the rise of the snowflakes.

Phil, you done the right decision, Ducati (or even other brands) wont sell much in a few years time as now electric bikes will replace these brilliant machines and the snowflakes will be the main customer focus. We old school petrolheads are the last of the era maybe one more generation to squeeze through.

Passion has been finally commercialised, I think that was the last thing I hoped wouldnt change. But every passion, enthusiasm or hobby has turned into a capital.

I agree money has to be made but ethically and logically.

 

Yes.

I dont side with any OEM, some of them e.g. Honda their weakest link is dealrships, mostly experienced incompetent personnel across 4 different locations.

Ducati on the other hand, most 'big' showrooms have salesmen who treat you like shit. So no brownie points for this brand either. Even if one has money to throw I wouldn't just because of their attitude to their customers. This is across 2 dealerships so not an isolated incident. At the end gave my business to a 'small' dealership near me. Though they are non Ducati (who used to be a Ducati dealership once) - don't really care. If you have money to throw you shouldnt be worried about warranty anyway. (not saying I have but that's how the brand has been persued)

 

Ducati's largely are about passion, it must be because there is no way you would put up with the safety recalls, updates and belts every 2 years, it's about how you feel about the bike.

Apply the germanic bean counter everything must conform, and you lose the soul of a ducati.

They seem to be moving away from the the people with a passion to own a ducati, to a need for people who can afford a new ducati