Although I've never owned a Ducati, I've been a fan for a long long time. I've also owned various Japanese bikes and the quality can be very surprising and varied, not helped by some dealers messing them up. The service costs for Japanese bikes are not very cheap either, and at 4000mile intervals this can get very expensive. The money I saved in not letting my 600 Bandit commuter bike near a dealer for the first 2 years(50,000miles), could've bought me another Bandit. I invalidated the warranty, but it proved reliable as the dealer's dodgy trainees never touched it. Fortunately the large dealer chain is no longer in business. Not all Japanese bikes are as reliable as this one, but the importers cover it up with the dodgy dealers and plenty of magazine advertising.
Ducati - bought by enthusiasts, looked after by enthusiasts
Japanese - cheap disposable transport
http://www.od-racing.co.uk/forum/phpBB2/index.php
Threaded Mode