Sticker Shock!
 

I'm gathering up quotes for the "Desmo Service" (15k mile service) for Ducatis, and holey moley! I'm genuinely shocked!

I was thinking somewhere around $800-1000 (that's what a friend paid for the 18k mile service on his BMW S1000RR), but it seems I was off by a bit. The local service center quoted a minimum of $1700, but could go to $2500 if the computer says it needs additional work! :eek:

I know you gotta "pay to play" but horry clap! I've seen early 2000 R6's sell for what it will cost to service this beezy! Maybe it's time to go back to the drawing board... I want a Duc, but I don't want one that bad.... Or do I? Skippy? BAVBMW? What you guys think?

Yikes! The 15,000 service on my Kawasaki was a few hundred dollars, and that included a new chain. The expensive one was at 22,500 when I had the valves adjusted. With a new rear tire that one came near a grand. I just passed 30,000 and will most likely be needing a chain and maybe some sprockets at the next service. That will be a few hundred.

Ducs are cool, but they aren't cheap to maintain. Nothing goes faster for cheaper than a Kawasaki.

Italian stallions . . . those horses ain't cheap hay burners. :D

Pffff.f... Nor cal service rates:rolleyes:
www.advancedmotorsports.com

used to keep their farings fixed up when they raced in the pro thunder circuit.

Found an indy 20 mins from home that works on bikes, and is a Ducati nut.

He quoted just under half of what the dealer quoted for all their services.

Looks like I'm in business!

At those rates, I'd become my own mechanic.

Before you jump ship, lets look at what each person does. I can probably do it for a quarter of the price if I start cutting things out. What is the going price in that area? Why and how is he able to do it so cheaply? I'm kinda leery of deals that don't turn out to be deals in the long run. Is he able to do it by a lower hourly rate? Sounds kinda fishy to me. BTDT and don't want to do it again.

Learn to do it yourself

Depends. If he has the skills and can spend money on tools, absolutely. If he lives in an apartment, well....... I can do some of my Corvette work but say the rear differential, hell no. I can take off the heads but if you want an engine R&R, well, no. I did it twice. Once with an overhead hoist at a school and the other was a smaller engine.

The best way is to find a skilled mechanic to do it for cash but you have to trust him.

Same exact dealer service, but his labor is half of what the dealer charges (so ~450 for labor), and he gets parts cheaper. (parts are about 400)

His labor rate is that low? Thought they all charge book time for hours. Kinda odd. One facility to another the only thing that can vary is the hourly rate from what I get. This is a very drastic change

I helped a friend do the valve adjustment on his Monster. I had never laid eyes on the engine before and I figured it out pretty easily. You just need a box of shims and a feeler gauge.

Instructions are readily available. I can ask him where he got his if you like.

Glad I still have my '75 Kawa Z-1B. Old and slower, but how much for spaghetti cycle maint. work!!!!!

Just drive it until it breaks than spend a fortune rebuilding it BETTER!:P:D

Tough to do with a Ducati. About the only room they leave for easy improvement is a front sprocket change and some Termignoni exhaust.