Just come back from WDW and what an event. If you have not been before, please please make a date in your Diary for 06 coz its gotta been one of the Best Biking Events! Unfortunately Ducati UK were an invisible entity apart from a lorry trailer with all displays covered in perspex plastic!!! You could just about get a cuppa off em. 11 of us went over and met up with many other Brits and EVERY person ****ged off the Ducati for such a POOR Ducati uk effort. The French, Dutch, Germans, Spanish & Italians ALL had BBQ's or Pizzas on the go with Beer too, Very cheaply priced.
I think we have NO chance getting Hospitality at Moto gp or wsb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Am gonna whinge at Ducati uk coz they sucked in Italy.
Toseland n' Laconi Top Display Rides for the Fans!!! :devil:
perhaps you should contact Ducati UK? - telephone or e-mail, Make your comments known to them, - they take WDW very seriously, and as a very important event for DUK.
Without doubt the hospitality shown to DSC members has always been excellent.
I will say this, the german, italian and french tents were amazing, and they teamed up with the main clubs in that country. I felt the DSC was not represented as it should, and i feel the cllub should have organised something. No, i'm not pointing any fingers, just hindsight. The pizza and beer tent were part of the circuit, not Ducati or importers doing, except the BBQ in the German tent, and the drinks in the French tent.
For 06, i'm happy to take the lead and liase with Ducati UK - DSC on organising something. On the account i'm bloody well going!
Mood: R U thinking what I'm thinking?......Oh dear!
In 2002 DUK did us proud, Somewhere to keep out of the sun and leave your gear, James Toseland and his band playing one night to about a couple of dozen people, etc, etc
This sort of stuff seems to ebb and flow a bit. In 2001 DUK did a track day at Silverstone that was a cracking day out, they haven't had another since? and we were pretty well looked after at Donnington IMHO at the MotoGP last year.
I'm not sure how all this works but as far as I know DUK is owned by the factory as it were, and isn't an independant importer like Moto Cinelli were. Not sure sure of the situation for other countries.
They are absolutley first rate to the DSC in the UK. They've given us tickets again to the WSB and MotoGP dinners with the teams, they're sending the truck down to the Popham Mega Meet and are always willing to help in any other way.
I've been in contact with Peter Brooking and he would like me to relay this message:
"Hi David,
Thanks, yes we had seen the thread. I'm sorry that one of your Club members was unhappy, it certainly wasn't our intention to upset anyone!
As you will appreciate, DUK is a small part of the WDW jigsaw & we took the exhibition truck so that everyone could have a look in it (unfortunately we have to put Perspex covers over the displays in the unit because otherwise items get stolen - this has happened..).
We also put the marquee on the back so that UK people had somewhere to sit & relax - & leave their gear / bikes where DUK staff were always present. We also had table football & a dart board up plus a notice board with event details.
We did not provide food / drink for people to buy because we felt this would be well looked after by the event generally. We did have water etc available FOC.
Shell UK were also present & handed out lots of free goodies..We also had our technical staff on hand to assist with any bike related issues (very few as it turned out).
We also arranged an autograph signing session in our area with James Toseland & Paul Smart. Finally, we also presented trophies for the 'best UK bike' (as judged by Paul Smart) & for the furthest travelled UK visitor.
Having said all that I am more than happy to listen to comments from people who attended the event - I think the Club knows we try to do our best but will always try to improve.
Please make your members aware that I would appreciate their constructive feedback & suggestions - we will then try to incorporate their views into our planning for 2006.
Thanks & kind regards
Peter"
I don't honestly think that you can grumble at that!