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View Full Version : to coin a phrase... oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.....


AK
29-Sep-2005, 22:12
DLS & DLC have got the doors shut & are closed for business as from today: Thurs 29th Sept:o

sparkin
29-Sep-2005, 22:12
:puzzled:

Nigel C
29-Sep-2005, 22:20
DLS Websites still up and running !

Glyn
29-Sep-2005, 22:27
who??

Screwy
29-Sep-2005, 22:31
I may be wrong but is that Ducati London South and Ducati London Central ?

electricsheep
29-Sep-2005, 22:32
thats not good, i don't think any dealers have had a good year :(

Nattyboy
29-Sep-2005, 22:40
Would you care to elaborate C..??! :puzzled:

Nat

AK
29-Sep-2005, 22:43
dont know much more Nat, that can be posted at the mo, but the shops are shut & customers bikes in the workshop are going back out asap.

Nattyboy
29-Sep-2005, 22:48
Just checked the other channel and saw your comments mate...bit of a shock that..mind you..after they insulted me by offering to knock £75 off a new S4R for me (when I got a grand off at Pegasus) cant say im losing much sleep..

Nat

domski
29-Sep-2005, 22:56
oh dear, oh dear, oh dear

madmav
29-Sep-2005, 23:03
Real shame that !! but i say, bring on the Independant's
reason!
we need your Business
We want your business
you make paydays possible

seems some company's have forgot that !!

20 odd yrs in the bike trade myself and yes it's the worst year i've known!!

Gizmo
29-Sep-2005, 23:07
there'll be more to follow, most dealers are on bad years and with bike prices dropping your S/H stock is in for a write down at year end. I've bought 3 "new" bikes this year and minimum I've got off list price has been 20%, ok 04 mdels but when a dealer has a SH bike at same price you ain't going to buy that so dealers made nothing of biker he sold me still has second hand one in stock and probably has to sell it at a loss, not many businesses can afford that for long.

Scooter916
29-Sep-2005, 23:14
Sad news
This is a trend that is continuing throughout the motorcycle trade, Large corporate businesses closing the doors to be replaced by traditional small family run motorcycle enthusiasts.
Ok so we only sell Small capacity bikes, but last year we had some very large motorcycle chains as competition, they are gone now and we are booming. I think it is also beneficial to the customer, Much more personal and a better service to boot.
Im With mav on this one Independants all the way
Glyn

domski
29-Sep-2005, 23:20
That's good news Glyn. Long may it continue :)

I've been fed up with these big dealers ripping you off with un-personal service to pay for their big shiney superstores etc.

Long live the small/family shops :D

To be honest I think the whole world is slowly going full circle. We'll all be riding on horse and carts up the leafy M1 in 20 years :lol:

Henners
29-Sep-2005, 23:20
A wise dealer once told me that he made 1/3 of his income in the showroom, 1/3 of his income in the workshop and 1/3 of his income from spares and clothing. He also said that in bad times (like now) he existed off the workshop because most folk who held onto their bikes still wanted them servicing properly. He said stick to those key principles and you can't go wrong .....

Scooter916
29-Sep-2005, 23:22
Originally posted by Henners
A wise dealer once told me that he made 1/3 of his income in the showroom, 1/3 of his income in the workshop and 1/3 of his income from spares and clothing. He also said that in bad times (like now) he existed off the workshop because most folk who held onto their bikes still wanted them servicing properly. He said stick to those key principles and you can't go wrong .....


Spot on Henners

VanDaMauler
29-Sep-2005, 23:33
Yep, Motorbikes aint trendy anymore, think back a few years and they were every where, music videos, Hollywood films (blade, Matrix etc)

Ducati was voted one of Britains coolest brands.

Then they opened the Chelsea Ducati shop and that was very un-cool, last thing we needed was a load of floppy haired hooray henry`s poncing about on 999`s.

I`m glad they have closed, like the previous post`s in this thread said, It will leave the way for small business`s that care about the customer and have a passion about bikes.

Not Big high street Store`s who care more about money then the customer, when ever I went in DLS or DLC, I always felt like I was`nt welcome or valued as a customer.

Over priced with bad customer service sums them up best.

Incidently, Harley DavidsonMaidenhead had there best month of the year last month, selling 21 bikes.
And their customer service is EXCELLENT, they cant help you enough, you are encouraged to test ride there bikes and they are just very very freindly guys, same goes for WARRS in Chelsea ( the expensive Kings road bit, not that cheap Gunter grove bit :lol: )



[Edited on 29-9-2005 by Bubbles]

GsxrAge
29-Sep-2005, 23:48
Originally posted by Bubbles


Then they opened the Chelsea Ducati shop and that was very un-cool, last thing we needed was a load of floppy haired hooray henry`s poncing about on Ducatis



:o:o:o:o:o do you meen Henners ;):lol::lol::lol::lol:

Griff 64
29-Sep-2005, 23:54
In July i bought a set of Ducati Performance hi level Titanium exhausts of DLS.They were brand new never been unwrapped but judging by the box in stock for some time.Complete with free flow air filter and replacement top etc
Price......£345 inc vat and carriage,less than half price.I guess thats why they were so cheap then!

Funny,ive only ever dealt with 4 ducati dealer outfits for spare parts etc. in my 5 years of owning them. 3 have gone.Am i a jinx!.Best hope not Daytona in Ruslip.

Henners
30-Sep-2005, 00:06
Originally posted by bubbles
Then they opened the Chelsea Ducati shop and that was very un-cool, last thing we needed was a load of floppy haired hooray henry`s poncing about on Ducatis


.... none taken :lol:

rcgbob44
30-Sep-2005, 00:15
Very shocked to hear that DLS have gone out of bussines but I`m not supprised considering the reception I recieved at times. Lets hope that other dealers in the area can benefit and get their customers.

Dibble
30-Sep-2005, 00:52
don't wish this on anyone .... and DLS had some good people there .... I feel for them, I really do ..... but Marcellos no ones mug, he'll be back with something new, although we haven't always seen eye to eye, I wish him well for whatever is next for him and the team .......

doogalman
30-Sep-2005, 07:33
They never got a penny of my dosh. Been in the shop once when they opened. . Said then they would close.

ath748
30-Sep-2005, 08:10
That is a surprise. I have to say I've only been to DLS for the odd part, but I've always had a good experience.

I just hope Pro Twins in Godstone keep going otherwise where am I gonna get my parts?!!

Ade.

webbyc
30-Sep-2005, 08:20
Really sorry to hear this and especially sorry for the people who worked there like Martin who's a good bloke. Best of luck to them all but perhaps opening DLC was a step too far in a poor market!

skidlids
30-Sep-2005, 09:01
It is indeed a shame if they have closed their doors for good, not that I had ever been to any of their stores, but I certainly visited their stand at the Ally Pally show the last couple of years.

AK
30-Sep-2005, 09:18
I feel sorry for the 2 lads racing this year, who now cant use/access their bikes, to complete the season at Cadwell next week:(

JPM
30-Sep-2005, 11:07
Never been to these stores, but I think the whole biking market is spiralling downwards and has been for a few years, couple of people I know who had bike/accessory shops got out while they could a year or two ago because the market was already shrinking.

It won't be the first Ducati store to close, I can imagine a few more will, but some will survive probably as henners has said purely on servicing alone until spring next year when sales might pick up.

I think Ducati have to take some of the blame to a degree and their marketing though, look back to last year and at Laguna WSB they launched the 05 bikes, and suddenly no one wanted an 04 999/749 and dealers had to discount bikes heavily to shift what was effectively old stock then.

Jools
30-Sep-2005, 11:33
Originally posted by JPM
I think Ducati have to take some of the blame to a degree and their marketing though, look back to last year and at Laguna WSB they launched the 05 bikes, and suddenly no one wanted an 04 999/749 and dealers had to discount bikes heavily to shift what was effectively old stock then.

True. That must've been a big shock to the dealer system, having bikes on your showroom floor that nobody wants unless you give them away.

I think it's sad whenever a small business closes it's doors, having been involved in this sort of thing myself I would say that all small businessmen are acutely aware of their customer needs. Like all other walks of life though some people are better catering to the customer than others.

You actually need much more than good customer skills. It's easy to make all your customers happy by giving them huge discounts and bending over backwards to chuck in little sweeteners, but to stay in business your first duty is to make a profit. Any idiot could make customers deleriously happy for a while by giving the shop away, but they wouldn't last long.

Another thing about customer satisfaction is that it's hugely variable. Some people are satisfied by going into the shop and paying the ticket price if they know that they're going to get a hassle free deal, other people would be ****ed off if they paid more than cost. We all know that some people are too easily satisfied and there are others who will never, ever be happy regardless of what you do for them.

The other reason that some dealers may be less willing to do deals is what their cost base is DLS and DLC, by definition have LONDON in their titles and we all know that you have to pay premium prices for London premises. If you're obliged to run a big glossy solus type showroom as well your costs are much, much higher than the small independant who tend to be in cheaper premises or where they might own the freehold of a family business that was bought and paid for long ago, by definition, there's less fat in every deal for you to give away.

The main reason is linked to the "Is the UK in recession" thread that BDG started. Perhaps not exactly, but nearly everyone I know has surfed the credit boom driven by cheap remortgages and loans and now finds they're nearly maxed out. Buying big ticket items like bikes is not on everyones shopping list right now, we're the lucky few and have you noticed from the market place forum that even we're not buying bikes as quickly as we did a few years back?

Gizmo
30-Sep-2005, 11:46
Originally posted by JPM


I think Ducati have to take some of the blame to a degree and their marketing though, look back to last year and at Laguna WSB they launched the 05 bikes, and suddenly no one wanted an 04 999/749 and dealers had to discount bikes heavily to shift what was effectively old stock then.

its one of the problems of the way information gets out to public.

4 years ago we could do a trade show at eurobike ( the mtb big trade show), the jounos come over, check it out, take photos go back home, develop photos, write copy, goes to mag, gets printed and hey 2 months later the end user reads about it. Now I get press on the booth who ask if we have wireless connection so they can upload the images to a website then and there, 5 minutes later the whole world can see our new stuff and any dealer with stock is screwed, it must be the same for the motorbike companies.

pibbow
30-Sep-2005, 12:43
With regard to being in recession I can say without doubt Yes. The first to feel the pinch are the new traders selling expensive and unessasary goods.

We have a hotel and although turnover is up We have had a marked decline in heads thruogh the door this year. people are just not spending money! or have now reached max borrowing on credit cards/ remortgaging etc. So now the country is in economic down turn people are S##ting them selves.

butch890
30-Sep-2005, 14:31
Bloody hell,i find myself agreeing with Jools,must be the effect of T8 ownership!
Its sad when any business fails ,but in all things the fittest servive.
We ARE in recession (no matter what the polititions say)and the first thing to suffer are TOYS!
I have a mate who is a TVR dealer and he was the first to suffer,he has a brand new car that he will have had in stock for 90 days at the end of next week and as such he will have to pay for it then,accordingly it can be bought at cost today!
Henners was dead right whnen he said about profit splits,i think to many of these solus dealers dont have the background or workshop throughput to ride out the storm.
I wouldn't personally get hung up on the "glossy stainless and glass showroom" kick ,theres nothing wrong with having pride in your working enviroment and i certainly wouldnt be happy taking my "babies" to someones grubby shed to have it serviced(and im certainly not sugesting any of our specialists are anything of the sort).
Incidentally Riverside in northampton are (allegedly) in administration as of last friday,so its tuff time for the bike industry.
Butch
p.s keep up the good work Jools!;)

Wylie1
30-Sep-2005, 15:59
As mentioned above, it's a shame when things like this happen, but from my personal experiences I certainly won't miss them.

Pro-Twins are not far from DLS, do an excellent job & offer a much better experience/ service. I just hope they continue to do so now that the competition have closed down.

phoenix n max
30-Sep-2005, 16:17
So i did hear right.

chris999
30-Sep-2005, 17:29
cheap performance parts and gear getting sold off ??!!

:burn::sing::sing:

Martin Ducati Glasgow
30-Sep-2005, 17:51
There's no doubt about it guys, it's been a weird year for sales. Up and down would be an understatement!
Jools comments above are pretty much spot on! Butch also hit the nail on the head with his remarks about a recession!
It's totally agreed there have been some factors totally outside the control of the dealerships that have affected profitability and sales dramatically, we as dealers just have to try and deal with these factors and look to our customers for support to take us into the future!
I must be frank though, Bubbles comments above leave a bitter taste in my mouth. I am a Ducati Store owner. Luv my job, luv my bike and get a buzz out of my job every time I come to work. We have (in my biased opinion!) a stunning store with some of the most comfortable surroundings you will find in any dealership anywhere in the UK! Coffee area, plasma screen, playstation (MotoGp rocks!) Satellite TV music and just a generally chilled out welcoming environment (all supplied for the comfort of our customers!!)
However we aren't just interested in the dosh. Far from it. My blood is truly Ducati red. Ask anyone that knows or uses us. I've been riding for 20 years, been a customer and know exactly what it's like to get fecked around and treated like sh*t. We / I go out our way to welcome every new customer into this brand and make the whole experience as painless as possible. That's the main reason for opening the store......... to make a difference for the better.
I have to point out, we are a family owned and run independant business. Just like DLS and DLC. (Marcello's mother was a significant force in running their store) I have only 3 staff that work their backsides off trying to keep a truly varied customer base happy. My retired mother in her late 60's comes in to clean our place twice a week. We couldn't hardly be a smaller family run business!!!
We, like everyone else in the club love Ducati motorcycles. I loved them so much I put everything I owned into opening up a store so I could talk, work, and play with Ducati's every day for the rest of my working life. I wonder how many people in the club can admit to that??? My passion is prooved by my dedication!
I happen to know Marcello felt the same way. I think it's brutal that there are some posts here "glad" to see them close. Think about the amount of money they potentially could have lost!..... The time they dedicated to this most worthy cause! ......The great staff in there that are looking for a job 11 weeks before Christmas!!!! (thats rough!)
Fair enough, maybe they could have polished up there act! I don't know, I didn't ever deal with them that way. Take it from me, it is simply impossible to keep EVERYONE happy ALL of the time although we try!! But lets take our hats off to the fact they gave it a shot. I for one was gutted to see them go!
I'll get off my soapbox now!
Take it easy guys.

Jiminy
30-Sep-2005, 18:25
:puzzled:

Anyone got anymore info on this one ? Having left a deposit for a 749 with them last weekend I am obviously fairly anxious to know anymore news.

Jiminy

ps - And before anyone asks .... I'm not one of those foppy-haired Fulham-ites, just a Ducatista keen to get hold of his bike.

Martin Ducati Glasgow
30-Sep-2005, 18:35
Don't get upset too quickly Jiminy!

Best idea would be to contact Duc UK on 0845 1 222 996.
Bit late in the day now but Monday they will be there. They are in the best position to offer you sound advice on this.

Explain the situation to them, see what they suggest! If DLS can keep trading i'm sure they will. It's early days, the dust hasn't even settled yet!


Martin

Jiminy
30-Sep-2005, 19:35
Dseered & Martin - thanks for your kind words of wisdom, and the welcome - it's good to know you have virtual friends out there. Just a little anxious as you can see. I will watch and wait for the outcome of the DLC/DLS debarcle. However it won't prevent my joining the best of the best. Having had such an expectation over the last week of what life will be like on a classic example of performance and design I WILL get my 749 come what may. Can't turn back now !!!

Jiminy

ps - as is the tradition of first-time post-ers 'please join me for a drink ..... '

Jiminy
30-Sep-2005, 19:41
Actually Martin you may be able to help ..... DLC were soucing the 749 Dark from another Ducati dealer somewhere in the UK. Any way I could find out where it was being sourced from ??

Ta muchly

Jiminy

Martin Ducati Glasgow
30-Sep-2005, 20:25
No problem Jiminy!
DLC would have contacted their DUC UK area sales manager to source the machine. If the bike was on his patch, he would have simply given DLC the other dealers details and they would sort from there. If the bike was elsewhere, the request would have gone through DUC UK. In any event contacting DUC UK is your first port of call.

I have no doubt that when you phone DUC UK and give them the details of the transaction they will contact that sales manager for you. They will know where your next nearest dealer is (assuming DLC cease trading permanently). I assume the sale can be transferred there. The only sticking point could be the size of the deposit you have placed. DUC UK will step in here and advise you of what to do next.

If you want to call me directly we can have a chat. I work Saturday and Sunday in the store. Unfortunately the area managers are unavailable at the weekend and i'm off on Monday but I am more than happy to call on your behalf on Tuesday if you would like!!

Main thing is not to worry and enjoy your weekend! I'm positive this can be sorted with the minimum of fuss.

Take care

my number is 0141 333 4 998

Martin

Henners
30-Sep-2005, 20:40
Martin and Jiminy - welcome both. I've only ever heard good things about Ducati Glasgow - now I know why :)

Dibble
30-Sep-2005, 21:27
Originally posted by Wylie1
Pro-Twins are not far from DLS, do an excellent job & offer a much better experience/ service. I just hope they continue to do so now that the competition have closed down.

blimey, I must keep going to the wrong Pro Twins, because they are without a doubt the worst Ducati emporium I have ever visited.

Brogins
30-Sep-2005, 21:46
Echo to Martin post.. I like Scotland (trying to get points with my wife guys..)
Marcello is a nice guy, I wish him the best.

I will probably go back to Italy next summer, so instead to keep working for GE, I will get a top CEO Job at Ducati , ...may be as new executive in charge of Worldwide sales and service network .. and be sure I will sort the Italian HQ out...

:):):)

just kidding...NOT really..
Brogins

Jiminy
30-Sep-2005, 21:55
wot a top bunch you lot are ... (never doubted it really !!) - nice one folks - thanks once again for the calming words of wisdom. Glad to be amongst cool dudes (and dudesses).

I will rest now and have a chilled weekend and pick this one up on Monday with Ducati UK (I may just give you a call over the weekend Martin if that's okay? See how a day out with the Bin Lids goes first !!).

Have a good one all of you.

Jiminy
(so close to his first 749 it hurts !!)

ziggi
30-Sep-2005, 22:21
Originally posted by DIBBLE
Originally posted by Wylie1
Pro-Twins are not far from DLS, do an excellent job & offer a much better experience/ service. I just hope they continue to do so now that the competition have closed down.

blimey, I must keep going to the wrong Pro Twins, because they are without a doubt the worst Ducati emporium I have ever visited.

Disagree - i have been visiting Pro Twins for 3 years and have had nothing but sound advice, good prices, deals and top servicing - i would recommend to anyone.

captain kirk
30-Sep-2005, 22:49
Hello

I would like to thanks all the people who have put in good comments on here about DLS / DLC.

This is what service we provided.

I was redundant on thurday at 1 pm.

My service staff and i did not walk out staright to the dole office that thursday and still havent, we was shocked and very upset thinking that we dont have a job and xmas is coming.

But what we have done is carried on working, we had customers motorcycles half way through servicing we had customers bike on site that needed to be repaired after having a crash and we had the parts to complete the jobs.

we made sure all the bikes on site were completed and that the customers got their bikes before the insolvency company took them. who would have made it very hard for the customer to claim their bikes.

We did not think about ourselves but our customers and their bikes,
one customer would have lost over £6,000 in parts and still had to get his bike repaired as he paid by switch, but we stayed and made sure that customers bike was fixed and delivered back to him.
Another customer went throught a insurance claim which took a long time but finally came through and we had the parts to fix the bike, so we did so now the customer has his bike, instead of getting the bike out at his cost and getting repaired and waiting another two months to get the parts.

Im sorry for the new owners who have put down money on new bikes.

But please contact Ducati uk and they will dealing with the sitaution and you wil lget the bike you ordered, sorry but not in the time your would have got if we was still trading.

I would like to thank everyone who worked with me you was a great group and hope to see a few of you around.

I know you can only please some of the people who walk in the door but i hope those have had a good time with us.

Marcello good luck with what every you do.

Borat
30-Sep-2005, 22:55
Clint - good luck mate in whatever you do.

As I said earlier, that workshop are still looking for a mechanic mate

Cheers

CK, hi-jacking Robs log-in!!!:o

ericthered40
30-Sep-2005, 23:09
I spent some time with these two guys at the brands DD they were supporting and enjoying their racing as much if not more than anyone else there, looking for business in a friendly and good humoured manor. Remember this “Not only the best survive” when the custom dries up some times hard working dedicated people fail despite their best effort. No ones as good as they think they are when the phone stops ringing and the door
stays shut.



:(

skidlids
30-Sep-2005, 23:22
Originally posted by captain kirk
Hello

I would like to thanks all the people who have put in good comments on here about DLS / DLC.

This is what service we provided.

I was redundant on thurday at 1 pm.

My service staff and i did not walk out staright to the dole office that thursday and still havent, we was shocked and very upset thinking that we dont have a job and xmas is coming.

But what we have done is carried on working, we had customers motorcycles half way through servicing we had customers bike on site that needed to be repaired after having a crash and we had the parts to complete the jobs.

we made sure all the bikes on site were completed and that the customers got their bikes before the insolvency company took them. who would have made it very hard for the customer to claim their bikes.

We did not think about ourselves but our customers and their bikes,
one customer would have lost over £6,000 in parts and still had to get his bike repaired as he paid by switch, but we stayed and made sure that customers bike was fixed and delivered back to him.
Another customer went throught a insurance claim which took a long time but finally came through and we had the parts to fix the bike, so we did so now the customer has his bike, instead of getting the bike out at his cost and getting repaired and waiting another two months to get the parts.

Im sorry for the new owners who have put down money on new bikes.

But please contact Ducati uk and they will dealing with the sitaution and you wil lget the bike you ordered, sorry but not in the time your would have got if we was still trading.

I would like to thank everyone who worked with me you was a great group and hope to see a few of you around.

I know you can only please some of the people who walk in the door but i hope those have had a good time with us.

Marcello good luck with what every you do.

Hope you all get something sorted soon, with such a proffesional attitude I'm sure a new job will not be far away.

captain kirk
30-Sep-2005, 23:26
Thanks we have now put the word and hope to see a few of our old customers around.

I feel sorry for mike and clint who would be racing in the dd.

Was really looking forward to see them battle for 2nd and 3rd as geoff has the series sawn up.

Jiminy
30-Sep-2005, 23:46
To the blokes from DLS workshop (DLS/DLC) - this might sound trite, but I promise it's not.... my difficulties are with the Company you worked for however my sympathies are with you guys having been through similar in the past myself. The troubles I have pale into insignificance when racked up against you guys losing your jobs. Ta for your dedication. Hope you find something soon. Good luck. Jiminy.

Ian
30-Sep-2005, 23:53
This is really really sad to read. This is such a shame for the individuals concerned throughout the company, top to bottom. Mike and Clint have been great for DesmoDue, not just for their brilliant riding skills, but also for the fact that they are nice guys, and they are DSC members. Marcello has always been good to us as a club; he did seem a bit down at Brands Hatch, although the jumps of joy from the DLS group when Clint got first in race 1 were great. In the DUK truck we were talking about the tough year it had been for bike sales; the reality is that this is another year where less sportsbikes (all makes) have been sold than the year before, - this has been going on for as long as I can remember. Not good.

yorkshire pud
02-Oct-2005, 11:44
wish everybody well. dls. its sad when people. loose jobs. thank you mr blair. where i work, been there 7 years. am out numberd. east europeans. stab you in the back for your job. cant speak english, look after your own. blair. anyway, thats my rant. . still cant understand ducati. with there marketing, the 05 999. . against the 04.999. people. have been playing with .houses. buying goodes with the rent. then the buble bursts. toys go first.:

888heaven
02-Oct-2005, 20:07
Off at a tangent I know
If anyone gets the Sat Telegraph Motoring section theres a piece about BWM (its opposite the article on Rossi) in London (Park Lane I believe) they fork out 1million on congestion charges and parking each year.
So you can see that it must be extremley hard to make a profit at any end of the motoring market.
However bad these dealers where (Ive never been to either) theres still the poor behind the scenes staff that have to pay their morgtages in these harder times and its usually fanny arsed management decisions that destroy businesses quickly,red tape and HSE regs are'nt helping either.
As for customer service if our business is anything to go by the client wants everything yesterday and for nothing and expects us to have staff just hanging around just ready for their phone call,so in todays society where everything is wanted instantly I would'nt want to start a business at all.
It may seem like good news for the indepedants but are they going to cope with the extra work or will their good customer relations be affected when you have to wait 3 months for a service? just a thought.
ian



[Edited on 2-10-2005 by 888heaven]

Ray
03-Oct-2005, 13:40
Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't know of any Official Ducati dealer in the UK run by "big business" (remember Motorcycle city??) It might have been the case a good few years ago but now they are all run by an individual or small group of individuals, not a national chain.

A business ain't a business for long unless it covers it costs at the very least, be it big dealer or small specialist.

"Service" never comes for free, you can hunt around to buy your sliding spline sproggle grommet at the lowest price but when it throws its gear dongle 11 months after you bought it you find out how much "service" you bought as well.

Ray.

skidlids
03-Oct-2005, 14:20
Originally posted by captain kirk
I feel sorry for mike and clint who would be racing in the dd.

Was really looking forward to see them battle for 2nd and 3rd as geoff has the series sawn up.

So there is no chance they will be out there, I presume there entries were paid a while ago and as we have been told they own the bikes I thought they may have still been able to do the last round.
I suppose when you don't know when your next pay check will be then even the costs on the day are excessive

butch890
03-Oct-2005, 14:54
Originally posted by CK and AK
Looks like there will be quite a few missing off the final grid - from the usual faces that is.

No Clint, Mike, TP, AndyJ, Anthonye - anyone else?:puzzled:
Dont worry Charlotte dear,the dsc's very own Richard Gere lookalike will be there!
Butch

AK
03-Oct-2005, 14:59
ooops, sorry Butch - moved the post to another thread:o

glad to see we will have some 'vintage' to look at!:P:lol:

C
xxxxx:saint:

butch890
03-Oct-2005, 15:02
Originally posted by CK and AK
ooops, sorry Butch - moved the post to another thread:o

glad to see we will have some 'vintage' to look at!:P:lol:

C
xxxxx:saint:
Just for that you can go to the back of the queue!:P:lol:
Butch

Nattyboy
03-Oct-2005, 22:56
I digress..but that was your 749R parked to my S4R on Sunday right Butch..? Very nice !!

Nat

rcgbob44
04-Oct-2005, 22:02
I drove past DLS this afternoon and all the shutters were down and no lights on but the show room is still full of bikes.

Regards
Bob.G

Jiminy
05-Oct-2005, 12:44
The DLC showroom in Gunter Grove, Fulham had been completely stripped as of Friday night. The only thing left was a shop dummy, and even that had been stripped of it's Ducati clothing !!

dickieducati
05-Oct-2005, 13:02
never had any dealings with the stores, but have spoken to mike and clint a bit at the DD races. nice lads. wish them well for the future in their careers and racing.

AK
11-Oct-2005, 14:53
http://ducatiownersclubgb.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=137&highlight=

Last sentance makes for puzzlement:o

rcgbob44
12-Oct-2005, 00:04
Drove past today and most of the bikes have gone!:(:sniff::(