Your new 1198 for only $55,000.00. Hurry!

[Cher]

Here ya' go just in case you weren't sure what you were going to do with that spare 55 grand burning a hole in your pocket:

http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=38389

They're a company out of Austin; never heard of 'em though   

Thoughts?

[Raux]

They are a sponsor

[fastwin]

Can't you already do this with a Ducati here in the McKinney/DFW area via Motion Ducati?

[Giannis]

I would spent that carbon fiber money on Engine tunning...

[svoloch]

Needs a red frame

[muskrat]

Needs a red frame

+1

[Samsonite]

I disagree, I usually prefer the black w/ red frame, but on this bike with the carbon body and wheels, and it being called "Nero."  I think it needs black ceramic coating on the exhaust, and it would be perfect (looks wise)

[svoloch]

Nah...  I see it as the Roman tyrant Nero, not the color.  The "I'll whack my own mom if she can't keep her damn mouth shut" Nero... The "I prefer whorehouses and bars to the senate" Nero, and the Nero that burns his own city down to build a bigger house for his shit ( no doubt including early motorcycles ).

[fastwin]

I guess my question is who buys this stuff? Talk about rarefied air. Who are the customers of these bikes? I really appreciate the super cool stuff and the exclusive nature of the bikes... but who will buy them? No offense to the Austin folks or Brad/Motion Ducati but who are their intended customers in this economic climate? Just how many stock Ducatis do you think AMS and other dealers are moving out the door?

My friends at Action Suzuki/Kawasaki can't move anything. They have ATVs, standard bikes, dirt bikes, superbikes, kid stuff, cruisers, 4 wheel utility vehicles, etc. If they can't sell anything right now then who's buying ultra-high end, one off Ducatis from these guys? I wish them luck. Wouldn't want to be in their shoes. Brad has had the same bikes on ebay/ducati forever and I haven't seen a lot of movement. Times are tough. I wish them all well. [moto] If I had $55K it wouldn't go into a bike... or the stock market!

[muskrat]

this "economic" client is relative.  some people save and some spend but we are all hurting in this climate, that much you are spot on.  in my opinion these customers are collectors who enjoy the prize (no one else has one) or simply ride the shit out of them; I know I would if I could afford one. 

as for your friend(s) at the dealer, well that's like saying the GM dealer can't move anything compared to the Benz dealer.  I took my wife's Benz in today and while I waited for two hours they sold 4 cars and mind you none under $50K (no, the wife has the "poor" man's Benz so it wasn't me  ).  As the saying goes, "if you have to ask how much it is you can't afford it." 

I think the industry was spoiled in years past because like the other markets credit was cheap and plentiful so more of us could get something on an impulse instead of planning.  without getting into politics I will say this, those shopping for Ducati's have money (or did before they bought one  ) and know they have good credit whereas half if not more of those shopping for the usual suspects in the half liter range are first time buyers in their late teens or just beyond.  based on tonnage certain brands are way off their numbers, primarily the big 3 but picking apart the so-called luxury brands it's a hunters dream............if you planned and saved that is.

[Raux]

I guess my question is who buys this stuff? Talk about rarefied air. Who are the customers of these bikes? I really appreciate the super cool stuff and the exclusive nature of the bikes... but who will buy them? No offense to the Austin folks or Brad/Motion Ducati but who are their intended customers in this economic climate?

shoot this is an easy answer.
what's the last sport you watched? or how about the car your drove, what did you use to run it? money is out there... just not in normal people's hands. we and i do mean we... created an elite class that's untouchable in economic times.

[jweave]

Or you could have a $37k m1100.  Although they did discount it $5k.   

http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=30589.0

[Cher]

Two bits of trivia to throw into this discussion.  And in typical fashion (for me   ) their relationship to the topic is tangential, on the opposite end of the ultra-high end spectrum;

One of the folks over at RPM mentioned that before the stock market melt down last September, most Harley dealerships would accept loan applications from people who may have had a credit rating as low as 515.  Sell some bikes - show a profit.  Who cares after that.  I think I read that GM had a cut-off of 625.

Then, just to illustrate the depth of the motorcycle "down-turn" for the proletariat, a local dealership is running a special on their SERVICE rate; down from $80/hr to $65/hr.  

[muskrat]

GM may hAve a cutoff but not many lending institutions which get, or used to, paid on re-selling the loan and kick backs from manufacturers

[fastwin]

I read where Harley recently had to sell off millions of unsecured debt to help offset the fact that they sold bikes to anyone with two legs and a heart beat. They didn't care about your credit score or ability to make payments on your bike. They just wanted to sell bikes and look good on paper. Talk about robbing Peter to pay Paul. How long did they think that pipe dream would last?