Here`s my two pennys worth,when Chris Clarke M/Cs went down the pan there were quite a few customers with bikes needing servicing to keep up warranties,and the nearest dealers being Italia(Lincoln) or at the time Ron Parkinsons.This meant a two hour trip or more for some to a "official"dealer.
Nine months before Chris Clarke went bust,a certian Carl Harrison left and set up Carl Harrison M/Cs,well to cut a long story short,some of Chris Clarke M/Cs ex-customers refused to travel and got Carl to do there servicing.I asked Carl how this would keep up warranties as you`re are not a official dealer,apparently if the work is carried out by a competent mechanic to a satisfactory standard,using parts of a comparable grade,ie Ducati original parts,according to EEC law this would keep up your warranty.
Now,Ducati(or any other manufacture as it happens) will deny this,but know one who has work done at Carls has had any problem with warranty claims(to the best of my knowledge)and one guy had warranty work done at Carls (before Veloce M/Cs opened)because he refused to travel to the nearest main dealer.
Now I`m not a lawyer(Ruth?)but it would be handy if we new the law on this
