Wasn't sure where to put this, so I put it in general. Does anyone know the cost of owning a Ducati? (experience). I was talking to a guy today who was riding a DRZ 400 and said he had previously owned a Husq. FE 350 for about a year, but that it was just to damned expensive to own when ever it went in to the shop for anything. He claimed his oil changes were $400. Is an oil change that complicated. I remember a guy down the street having a Ferrari 308 back in the '80's and he claimed a tune up was $2500. Am I in for sticker shock even after I buy my Duc? :|
Cost of Owning a Ducati ???
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$400 for an oil change on a KTM 350? I guess that anyone who brings their dirt bike in to a dealer for a ten minute oil change might deserve what they get.
Ducati dealer labor rates are about the same as any other bike brand. The main expense will be valve adjustments and belt changes, which will be every 7,500 miles. im not sure what the going rate for that is, maybe $500 average?
Ducati dealer labor rates are about the same as any other bike brand. The main expense will be valve adjustments and belt changes, which will be every 7,500 miles. im not sure what the going rate for that is, maybe $500 average?
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I'm sorry but if you can't change your own oil and filter then you deserve to be swindled by your dealer. You don't have to be a mechanic to change your own oil. If you can hold a wrench and read some Instructions then you're halfway there; the other half is simply performing the task.
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My Scrambler will be my first Ducati--but from what I've read, the valves are checked every 7,500 miles, but often don't need adjustment until the 15,000 mile mark. Can anyone here with experience confirm (or refute) this?
Also, how long will it take you to out that many miles on? For me personally, it will probably take three or four years to put 7,500 miles on the machine. I just don't get to ride that much. There are others (motorbike commuters especially) who will do that many miles in a single riding season.
The other posters are right about changing your own oil--tinkering on the bike is part of the fun.
Also, how long will it take you to out that many miles on? For me personally, it will probably take three or four years to put 7,500 miles on the machine. I just don't get to ride that much. There are others (motorbike commuters especially) who will do that many miles in a single riding season.
The other posters are right about changing your own oil--tinkering on the bike is part of the fun.
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I work on my own bikes and the Ducati passed my acceptability standard for probably being cheap and simple enough for me to work on myself. I base that off of what I researched about the 796 Monster engine maintenance (valve checks and belt changes.)
I plan on buying the ECU software from that guy in France and possibly his sound program to tune the timing belt tensions to a certain frequency. My nearest dealer is over an hour away so I don't ever want to take my bike there.
To be fair, some of the KTM supermoto bikes have oil-in-frame and have to be 'burped' of air in order to change the oil properly and not ruin the engine. It's more complicated than a normal oil change and the oil is 12 bucks a quart. This is just what I've heard from friends. I've never owned one.
I've never owned a Ducati either, but I'm not really scared of the Scrambler and keeping it alive. I foresee buying some specialty tools such as a camshaft locking tool, crankshaft socket, and the aforementioned software. The rest of the stuff I probably already own.
There will inevitably be youtube video walk-throughs and forum threads to show you how to do any maintenance you choose. I wouldn't sweat it. I don't see the Scrambler being any more expensive to own than a lot of the other simple motorcycles from Japan or Europe.
I plan on buying the ECU software from that guy in France and possibly his sound program to tune the timing belt tensions to a certain frequency. My nearest dealer is over an hour away so I don't ever want to take my bike there.
To be fair, some of the KTM supermoto bikes have oil-in-frame and have to be 'burped' of air in order to change the oil properly and not ruin the engine. It's more complicated than a normal oil change and the oil is 12 bucks a quart. This is just what I've heard from friends. I've never owned one.
I've never owned a Ducati either, but I'm not really scared of the Scrambler and keeping it alive. I foresee buying some specialty tools such as a camshaft locking tool, crankshaft socket, and the aforementioned software. The rest of the stuff I probably already own.
There will inevitably be youtube video walk-throughs and forum threads to show you how to do any maintenance you choose. I wouldn't sweat it. I don't see the Scrambler being any more expensive to own than a lot of the other simple motorcycles from Japan or Europe.
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What is this ECU software from France of which you speak?
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This stuff. I haven't looked into it in depth yet, but I believe if you buy two things (a VAG OBDII connector for your computer and some sort of Italian Ducati adapter) that you can use the free software to reset check engine and service lights. But you can pay him 140 dollars and unlock the ability to flash your ECU with fuel maps and start doing tuning on your own (at your own risk.)
JPDiag
The dealers I spoke with of course said this was nonsense and that you need to see them and their factory trained mechanics to do this. But I'm the sort that refuses to play that game if I don't have to. I have had similar software for fuel injected Triumph motorcycles and it was easy to use and change fuel maps if the factory sent out updates. I suspect Ducati will send updated maps at some point if people all agree that the bike is too snatchy taking off in 1st gear, for instance.
I just want to have peace of mind that I can diagnose problems on my own.
JPDiag
The dealers I spoke with of course said this was nonsense and that you need to see them and their factory trained mechanics to do this. But I'm the sort that refuses to play that game if I don't have to. I have had similar software for fuel injected Triumph motorcycles and it was easy to use and change fuel maps if the factory sent out updates. I suspect Ducati will send updated maps at some point if people all agree that the bike is too snatchy taking off in 1st gear, for instance.
I just want to have peace of mind that I can diagnose problems on my own.
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Pacman said....
My Scrambler will be my first Ducati--but from what I've read, the valves are checked every 7,500 miles, but often don't need adjustment until the 15,000 mile mark. Can anyone here with experience confirm (or refute) this?
gopam said
I just asked at Proitalia today. He said it's good for 15,000 miles. That made me feel better
My Scrambler will be my first Ducati--but from what I've read, the valves are checked every 7,500 miles, but often don't need adjustment until the 15,000 mile mark. Can anyone here with experience confirm (or refute) this?
gopam said
I just asked at Proitalia today. He said it's good for 15,000 miles. That made me feel better
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You'll need the M3C download from the JPdiag website for the software to interface with the Siemens ECU on the Scrambler. I don't think they've got it to stage of re-flashing yet.
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By reflashing, do you also mean the fueling map cannot yet be updated with this software on the Scrambler?
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To add further clarification, the reason for the M3C version of the program has to do with the ECU in the Scrambler being Seimens brand. From what I can tell it's the same as his default JPdiag28 application, just for a different maker of ECU.
And I read somewhere last night that he's working on getting it set up for the Scrambler but it's not ready yet.
To be honest, I only ever flashed my former FI bike once with a factory updated map. The free version of the software suited my needs (to run diagnostics and turn off check-engine and service lights.)
I'm kind of a stage zero guy, so once things run smoothly I don't try to tune them to the bleeding edge of performance because I favor reliability.
And I read somewhere last night that he's working on getting it set up for the Scrambler but it's not ready yet.
To be honest, I only ever flashed my former FI bike once with a factory updated map. The free version of the software suited my needs (to run diagnostics and turn off check-engine and service lights.)
I'm kind of a stage zero guy, so once things run smoothly I don't try to tune them to the bleeding edge of performance because I favor reliability.
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Really? You should tone down the hubris. Not everyone has the facility or time to work on their bikes. Many who work hard would rather spend their spare time riding.
This was meant for the tool who took a shot at the rider who chose to have a dealer change his oil
This was meant for the tool who took a shot at the rider who chose to have a dealer change his oil
Totally agree, thats what the Dealers for, I changed my own Oil many years ago and valve clearances etc. but nowadays I can afford to pay for it and spend my time riding instead of working on a bike.
Exactly.
Not everyone has the time to go through with doing all that. I used to years ago, but no longer have the time with all that I have going on.
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Some people aren't mechanically talented either and can end up doing expensive damage when you tell them to do something that comes simple to you.
I enjoy working on my own vehicles (and enjoy saving money, obviously.) But when I was younger I'd typically break things the first time I was attempting a repair. Over several years, and a LOT of expensive tool purchases later, I'm finally set up to service my vehicles myself. Not everyone has the luxury of space, time, or finesse/talent that it requires.
Some people get paid so much at their busy jobs that it's not even financially sound advice to suggest they take the time to change their own oil.
I do feel like dealerships sometimes just rape people on price because they get away with it. It's not ethical, but that's a different argument for somewhere else.
I enjoy working on my own vehicles (and enjoy saving money, obviously.) But when I was younger I'd typically break things the first time I was attempting a repair. Over several years, and a LOT of expensive tool purchases later, I'm finally set up to service my vehicles myself. Not everyone has the luxury of space, time, or finesse/talent that it requires.
Some people get paid so much at their busy jobs that it's not even financially sound advice to suggest they take the time to change their own oil.
I do feel like dealerships sometimes just rape people on price because they get away with it. It's not ethical, but that's a different argument for somewhere else.
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