If You Owned Ducati...

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mad Dash
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Mad Dash

Just visiting
... What would you change.

A previous thread sparked mixed emotions on Ducati. So, if you owned Ducati what would you do ???

I would mass produce the Desmosedici and have this as my flagship product. I would cut back on a lot of the carbon and get this to market for around £35,000. I'd introduce a sports tourer, but a REAL sports tourer to rival Hayabusa and Kawa ZZR, I'd use the same engine out my mass produced Desmosedici. Styling it the same lines as the D16RR... aiming for a price around the same as a 1098R

I would bring in a 125 based on the 1098/898 styling in a bid to catch them young !!!! The Aprilia 125, as we agreed, is a cracking machine. No reason why a 125 Ducati race team can't be introduced either.

I would probably drop the 1098S in favour a higher spec on the standard 1098

I would also have a special 916 made, some kind of anniversary model, limited numbers, maybe 1000, special one off colour (not fancy paint jobs)

I would team up with more suppliers for a greater range of Ducati merchandise, Breitling / Breil for watches, Armani for an entire range of leisure wear, jeans, tops, jackets. I'd look to expand the leisure and merchandise by 50%. Not just the "sponsors", ie keeping FILA who did have a great range of footwear that disappeared when Xerox came in. I might have missed it, but don't see dealers selling Doc 40's from Xerox. Bring back FILA.

my dog has a harley davidson lead and bowl... he'd have a Ducati one too :D :D

I would have course gone BUST with all that R&D, but we're dreaming :D :D

NEXT......
 
Cant say I'd be any better than what they do already. However, one gap that could be looked at is a smaller capacity bike, call it entry level, lightweight, or whatever. Its probably a market thats too cutthroat for Ducati to get themselves into, but even a small percentage is still a lot of sales.
 
Dave G said:
Its probably a market thats too cutthroat for Ducati to get themselves into, but even a small percentage is still a lot of sales.
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don't worry about that, we're dreaming remember... so far a majority for an entry level bike... that's interesting
 
There is a lot in 'catching them young' and it happened to me as a youngster with my father buying Quad and SME hi-fi equipment and I use the same today! I'd go along with all in the OP! no reason why Ducati couldn't have a clothing range into casual clothing, I used to wear RL polo shirts with the little polo payer logo, so why couldn't Ducati do the same with a tiny Ducati logo?
 
Mad Dash said:
I would also have a special 916 made, some kind of anniversary model, limited numbers, maybe 1000, special one off colour (not fancy paint jobs)
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.... with 1098R engine, traction control, all carbon/magnesium/titanium, super light, longer mag swingarm, new electronics/canbus, digi dash etc.

Where do I sign????? :D
 
Having had 2 Ducati's that suffered engine failures, I would do everything in my power sort once and for all the reliability failings and make the brand the leader it is perceived to be and cease the ridicule that sometimes comes from the eastern origin bike owners.

How can you pay £12k+ for a product that isn't up to the price depending on which frame number you were lucky (or unlucky) to buy...That is a marketing death wish in my view but doesn't seem to phase Bologna at all.

I'd need a big money pot to sort it though I fear.
 
is that a babe that's in the reflection of your lens on your Avatar ???
 
If I owned Ducati i'd develop a nice il4 motor and bung it in a nice alloy chassis, then id look at my work with reverence, scratch me erse, light a cig and walk to the pub :)
 
Scottch said:
.... with 1098R engine, traction control, all carbon/magnesium/titanium, super light, longer mag swingarm, new electronics/canbus, digi dash etc.

Where do I sign????? :D
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beryllium is the new magnesium Scott, don't accept anything less :D but just use it on callipers or fairing supports don't get a swingarm out of it!!

here ya go full bling bling, one set of the aforementioned brembos http://www.motoblog.it/post/13950/pinze-brembo-ex-melandri-in-vendita-su-ebay that should get the retail price up at 4200 a pair :)
 
you don't really want want me in charge, the search for better would mean nowt ever got finished :D
 
The cost of buying and servicing in line with R1, fireblade, ninjas etc...
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then they just become run of the mill so to speak...
Imagine ferrari or porsche wanting to compete with ford and vauxhall...
 
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...I'd go along with the 916 limited/aniversary model, not a Senna'esc thing with a different colour, but tricked up to the nines both internally and externally. I'm not talking about bling here, I'm talking about works bits bolted on and no multi-colours.
I would drop the sport classic range and produce the ProjectImola (especially as none other than Mr Dominicali came up to us at the '04 Intermot and congratulated us on producing such a classic looking retro bike outside of 'fashion' - this to me was sign enough that it is a better amalgamation of old-school, timeless styling and modern cycle parts than the Ducati's offering. It certainly seems to attract more attention whereever it goes. Of cause available in Sport, GT, NCR and SS ranges (of which is was available aready without much extra dev. cost)
Bring back the ST range - with a detuned Desmo motor.
Flagship model I guess would have to be the Desmo with maybe 2 or 3 derivatives max

This post sounds vaguely familar to someone elses!! :)
 
a build a bike scheme, where you had to spec all the parts to your bike but they were all the same price (apart from the engine).
i.e. what colour wheels/tank/seat
what style tank/seat/wheels
exhaust options (and not the 'add a grand' exhaust option)
what levers
what clocks

servicing to go - pay an upfront 1k service cost for 2 years servicing when you buy the bike (irrespective of how many services you end up having). That'll encourage owners to do the mileage and inherently more consumables like pads and tyres. Dealer gets the dosh in the bank and owners get the free servicing.

Ducati kitchen equipment - (whoops, ktm toasters come to mind).

More accessible garage equipment - 95quid for a service manual is taking the p!ss - and Ducati tooling. Why stop at producing the specialist tools. As well as an on bike tool kit make a tool set to match a bike with everything from tyre guage to elecky meter - all branded of course.

Ducati engined lawn mowers - with summat like a 125 v-twin engine.
 
id have ducati as a brand of design excellence. i would deliberately do things differently from all other brands, let them follow the fashions never set them. id definately do more with the dr16, not to the point that it looses its exclusivity, but certainly in bigger numbers.
dont know if id bother too much about clothing or pointless things like dog bowls and after shave, but i would like to turn them into a bit of an aston martin type thing.
everything they did whether it be clothing, sunglasses or cufflinks would have to be designed in house, not just somebody elses stuffed re-badged.
id probably have them build motorboats as thats something the italians do very well ( and the best looking one currently available is called a wally) and id also get them to market a small two,tandem seater aircraft which wouldn't be a practical form of transport but would take the ducati notion of handling and style into the air.
hope thats enough imagination for you :idea:
 
gordj65 said:
build motorboats as thats something the italians do very well ( and the best looking one currently available is called a wally)
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IIRC I think I saw something about an MV tie in with a Wally and they came up with a bike called a wally as well or it could have been Benelli or Moto Morini
 
alane said:
a build a bike scheme, where you had to spec all the parts to your bike but they were all the same price (apart from the engine).
i.e. what colour wheels/tank/seat
what style tank/seat/wheels
exhaust options (and not the 'add a grand' exhaust option)
what levers
what clocks
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we made that move 3 years ago, offer about 20 colour options now, tried a decal option but difficult to manage so we start with a base spec and let customers choose things like fork, brakes, transmission, it means each bike is individual so customer keeps the exclusivity. our sales in units has increased slightly but our average unit value dramatically plus the dealers love it as its so easy to use the software to upsell and give the customer exactly what they want in their budget. Its taken 3 years and a lot of marketing budget pulled from racing into website dev, sql databasing and customer data capture ( we need to understand what parts they want that we don't offer) and work with our suppliers but it seems to be what our customers want but more importantly none of our competitors do as they all build in volume in Asia. I'm not sure its do-able by Ducati and BM are already part way there with all their options helped by their car making experience of JIT so maybe not as much of a usp as in mountain bikes :( it would be nice though :D
 
I'm not convinced on a 125 I'd go for a light weigh supermono type 600cc single, aim it at the rider who's just passed their test ( or restricted) but wants a cool sport bike that they can grow with or the same bike can be used by an experienced rider looking for a bike that they can use on twisties. Linzi had an RS125 which was great fun for me but just a bit too small to use a lot. If needed buy the engine in from Rotax to save dev costs but package it in Ducati style. I know KTM are already doing this with the RC4 but thats the only company who would be offering it and if you look at sales of the new kawa 250 there is a market for smaller bikes that aren't 125's
 
gordj65 said:
i would like to turn them into a bit of an aston martin type thing.
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You were doing so well... right up to the Aston Martin bit... as a previous owner of a £186,000 Aston Martin Vanquish S, trust me, this is the LAST thing you want your brand to be. Without doubt or question the WORST car I have ever owned, supplied by the worst dealership. We question reliability of Ducati, then seek to be like AM... eh... NO ;)
 
Looks like a case of the perceived image of AM is good until you own one, a bit Naomi Campbell....... good to look at but hell to live with:eek:

and I thought Fords were reliable
 
Steve748 said:
Looks like a case of the perceived image of AM is good until you own one, a bit Naomi Campbell....... good to look at but hell to live with:eek:

and I thought Fords were reliable
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She's a proper cow.

I wouldn't, not even with yours mate ;)
 
More business oppotunities/ ideas from todays chat on the Ayr run.


1. Bike to bike refuelling for Desmos and Hypers.:thumbs:

2.Thongs.... no need to comment further:rolleyes:

3. Suspenders , see above, :eek: :cool:

4. Sat nav set permanently for petrol stations for those inopportune moments when you get caught short....;) :)

5. Belt or shaft driven ( there had to be at least 1 serious suggestion)

6. Kitchen items....... :confused:

7. Self cleaning wheels...:lol2:

8. Bike to car/lorry/van weaponery... but to be fair not to many probs today apart from one tw4t in a chrysler voyager and a facist bast4rd in a white car with orange stripes and a blue strip of lights on his roof...:confused: Whats that all about??????????;)

Can't remember other ideas , sure someone will post!:)
 
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