[Lee955i]

First off, all you Duc guys please don't take this the wrong way. I'm NOT busting on Ducs'. Hell, i'd own one if I could afford the maintenance:nanana , just reporting on what I saw, OK.
Was doing a little work on my track-ho down at my friends shop last night when he tells me that a friend of a friend of his is bringing his new 999 up to do some basic suspension adjustments. Cool, I thought, a chance to really get up close and personal with a new 999 .
The kid arrives and unloads. The bike is wearing the FULL Carbon fiber bodywork from the Ducati accessories catalog. Everything except the tank and that's on order:eek . According to him, he has EIGHT THOUSAND DOLLARS in freakin' bodywork:eek .
I looked it over and I have to say I was rather disappointed with the quality. Mismatched weave, pinholes in the matrix, raised seams. It looked like Lockhart Phillips carbon:laughing .
He also had the Titanium rearsets for which he paid 2 Grand:eek . They were beautiful but tiny:eek . I found it funny that he has twice as much in hs rearsets than I have in my entire trackbike:laughing
I imagine if you have the money then this kind of money for bling is no big deal but, sheesh, at least give me some nice quality parts for it.
Cheers, Lee S.

 

[SilverSurfer]

They can't all be made by Triumph, Lee.

 

[Lee955i]

:laughing :clap So true, Sean. So true:laughing .
Cheers, Lee S.

 

[campas12]

lee955i,

i could be mistaken since i'm not into carbon fibering a bike that i track...but iirc, the DP carbon stuff isn't made for aesthetics/street...rather they make it a little tougher, and don't worry so much about the looks...i mean, i do have a carbon fiber clutch cover, that looks great, good weave etc, but i know in a crash, that piece is not going to do me jack shit. if you ever look at dp's catalog they even explain why the "look" isn't that great....

 

[998R]

Ducati OEM CF bodywork is tremendously expensive (it is $1,000 for one side panel for my bike). However, there are other folks who make CF and carbon/kevlar for the 9xx series bikes for about $1700 (total) including windscreen but not CF tank. $8,000 still sounds like way too much for CF bodywork even directly from DP.

$2,000 sounds like way too much for rearsets (like...WAY to much)! DP makes some superb infinitely adjustable rearsets (not titanium) for less than $450. We may have a slight case of exaggeration going on here...

That said...there are some Ducati specific parts that DO cost three arms and a leg...assuming that you can get them. Large diameter Termignoni exhausts (CF and Ti) cost big bucks. The Corse mag swingarm (complete, small axle) costs about $6,500 (comes with the Corse rear brake, disc, and everything else that attaches to the swingarm). A Bucci slipper clutch with CF plates costs $1,900. No argument from me at all that Ducati parts are not expensive...it is just a question of degree! Ducati is one of the few manufacturers that will let customers buy Corse or race replica parts that are the real deal...up to a point!

 

[JamesC]

I've also seen DP carbon that I was less than impressed with. "Looks" are one thing when considering surface shine but prepreg has some basic construction quality characteristics to adhere to. Pin holes shouldn't enter into the equation.

 

[Lee955i]

I think this guy has the "more money than brains" syndrome. Makes a gooood buck, single, etc. This is his second bike. he owned a Katana for three months before this:eek :laughing and, believe me, looked none too steady wheeling it around, let alone riding it. I don't expec the bike to remain unscathed through the riding season. Personally, I thing the dealer definately saw him coming :takeit :dumbass but sheesh, even if it is for racing only, for that amount of cabbage it should look good as well.
Cheers, lee S.

 

[thunderex]

i've seen a 998 with all carbon bodywork and i guess it looked okay. i don't like the look of bare cf for a whole body. but i did ride the 999r with all carbon bodywork. but that was painted.

 

[DreamingThruLife]

I know what you mean about the weave pattern and the finish on some of the parts. I was really shocked the first time I looked close at some of the outrageously priced aftermarket accessories that was put out by Ducati. I know that all the goodies that came stock with my bike are in great shape and the patterns/finish look good to me so i am happy. If I ever order any other accessories I will definately want to see them before taking them home. I guess in the grand scheme of things it really isnt the looks that someone ordering tons of CarbonFiber is after, I always thought it was the weight advantage that made the difference? I do agree it should at least be appealing visually....

Just my thought...could be wrong

 

[RACER X]

CASOLI!

 

[JamesC]

Casoli? :shake

 

[joel647]

It is virtually impossible to have *perfect* carbon panels the size of body pieces . There are going to be weave inconsistancies and so forth but that's part and parcel of CF construction : a bunch of people forget that CF was really made to be functional first and foremost , that it looks cool/trick follows .

 

[Hinesy]

To you it's "more money than sense", to him it's "why not I have the money." Sounds to me like you're just bitter he can afford to throw away his money on what you see as inferior product...

That said, I've always found the DP stuff not worth the $$$ compared to 3rd party mods/acess... no idea why they do such a crap job on it, but I'd bet money that they don't even make it - they most likely source it from somone else and put their name on it..so, there's your answer right there, profit margins.

 

[Lee955i]

Hinesy said:
To you it's "more money than sense", to him it's "why not I have the money." Sounds to me like you're just bitter he can afford to throw away his money on what you see as inferior product...

Yeah, So? :laughing :nanana :nanana :redflip .
Cheers, Lee S.

 

[JamesC]

It is virtually impossible to have *perfect* carbon panels the size of body pieces . There are going to be weave inconsistancies and so forth but that's part and parcel of CF construction : a bunch of people forget that CF was really made to be functional first and foremost , that it looks cool/trick follows .

Agreed, the function of the above mentioned pieces (by me) is not in question. It doesn't.

These are obviously wet lay and too thin to be useful.

 

[nebulate]

Carbon Fiber is never really perfect but i think the parts you buy from the DP catalog if i am not mistaken are usually painted. They are there just to save weight if you have that much money to do it, outside of that if you have that money also you can probably afford your own team and have your own scheme of paint. I dunno though