Topic: Ducati for sale

[dkaz]

Thoughts? I didn't know Ducati was owned by VW to begin with. Of course the biggest story is that Harley Davidson is interested in purchasing them, although there are other investors who are interested.

[rrocket]

Thoughts? I didn't know Ducati was owned by VW to begin with. Of course the biggest story is that Harley Davidson is interested in purchasing them, although there are other investors who are interested.

Yea, Audi bought them a few years back

[ltruong]

Let's just hope Harley doesn't do another Buell story.  I mean Ducati and Buell is not comparable but Harley could have tried harder with Buell.

[dkaz]

At least EBR is doing really well. Oh wait.

[rrocket]

At least EBR is doing really well. Oh wait.

Priced himself to high.

[dkaz]

Harley Davidson doesn't have a problem moving product that's priced too high.

Erik Buell builds good bikes from what I heard but he has very little business sense.

[rrocket]

Harley Davidson doesn't have a problem moving product that's priced too high.

Erik Buell builds good bikes from what I heard but he has very little business sense.

Buell didn't have the same cachet that HD had.

Towards the end, the EBR bikes were obscene. I think his first one post HD was $40k. Then everything after was $20k.

Just too much.

And the Buells during HD era just weren't very good. I ruined a set of Buell front discs during a demo ride.

[mlin32]

I hope Ducati stays with Audi/VW Group.

You don't buy/run Italian businesses to make money (see Alitalia...... ). But Ducati has a history and pedigree that VW could stand to keep; indeed the works council, which has half the seats on the board, is opposed to the sale. But will see how it turns out. Having been to the plant myself, there's a personal connection for me to the brand.

[dkaz]

Towards the end, the EBR bikes were obscene. I think his first one post HD was $40k. Then everything after was $20k.

$20k is reasonable for an 1190 producing 180-something horsepower and weighing in the low 400 lb, sounds like the Superduke that also costs about $20k and has about the same stats. Don't know what he was thinking at $40k.

The stunning quote I saw was that it took 34 guys in the American facility three days to make the 1190. That's an insane amount of labour, how did he expect to make money? As I said, good bikes, lacks business sense.

[mlin32]

The stunning quote I saw was that it took 34 guys in the American facility three days to make the 1190. That's an insane amount of labour, how did he expect to make money? As I said, good bikes, lacks business sense.

And I thought the Ducati factory was labour-intensive  ......they produce 150-180 units a day during the high season of Jan-May.

[dkaz]

Yea. Maybe it meant 34 people each with different tasks worked on a bike even if it was maybe a few minutes to a few hours each, then moved on to the next bike.

Ducati's too big to wither away unlike Buell, and MV Agusta was in trouble long before HD acquired them.

[mlin32]

Yea. Maybe it meant 34 people each with different tasks worked on a bike even if it was maybe a few minutes to a few hours each, then moved on to the next bike.

Ducati's too big to wither away unlike Buell, and MV Agusta was in trouble long before HD acquired them.

What? Harley doesn't own anything Italian.........

[dkaz]

Yea. Maybe it meant 34 people each with different tasks worked on a bike even if it was maybe a few minutes to a few hours each, then moved on to the next bike.

Ducati's too big to wither away unlike Buell, and MV Agusta was in trouble long before HD acquired them.

What? Harley doesn't own anything Italian.........

They did from 2008 to 2009.

[mlin32]

Yea. Maybe it meant 34 people each with different tasks worked on a bike even if it was maybe a few minutes to a few hours each, then moved on to the next bike.

Ducati's too big to wither away unlike Buell, and MV Agusta was in trouble long before HD acquired them.

What? Harley doesn't own anything Italian.........

They did from 2008 to 2009.

Ah okay it was in the past. Wasn't following these things then, but sounds like a bad combo, like BMW/Rover and Daimler/Chrysler.

[ltruong]

Harley Davidson doesn't have a problem moving product that's priced too high.

Erik Buell builds good bikes from what I heard but he has very little business sense.

Buell didn't have the same cachet that HD had.

Towards the end, the EBR bikes were obscene. I think his first one post HD was $40k. Then everything after was $20k.

Just too much.

And the Buells during HD era just weren't very good. I ruined a set of Buell front discs during a demo ride.

 From what I heard from the HD/Buell thing is the Buell platform was supposed to be a turbo bike.  HD wanted to design the turbo themselves instead of going to a turbo manufacturedr and never really got it right.  The turbo version was never release and put on the backburner from HD. Most people walking into a HD dealer are not looking for sport bike so I assume they were having a hard time getting exposure.   Eric himself was never a good business guy either.  It's been a while since I've read about buell.  Just love the Buell bike I think they look so nice.  Ducatis are super nice bike too but priced so high..... Man I need a bike!

[rrocket]

Towards the end, the EBR bikes were obscene. I think his first one post HD was $40k. Then everything after was $20k.

$20k is reasonable for an 1190 producing 180-something horsepower and weighing in the low 400 lb, sounds like the Superduke that also costs about $20k and has about the same stats. Don't know what he was thinking at $40k.

The stunning quote I saw was that it took 34 guys in the American facility three days to make the 1190. That's an insane amount of labour, how did he expect to make money? As I said, good bikes, lacks business sense.

The Duke is known as the top offering in class, is very polished as beautifully made. EBR has never been this.

Also, KTM doesn't sell lots of these and their business is sustained by their off road bikes.

Like I said..EBR priced themselves into oblivion.