Ducati 848 - build quality....
Discussion
So my local Ducati stealer has one of the white 848's on show now, and I've twice been there and looked at it. Beautiful machine, absolutely to die for looks especially in the pearl white.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not considering buying one, I'm too big and not well heeled enough to warrant the purchase, but as I was in the same shop it'd be rude not to spend a couple of minutes admiring it as I walked past. Certainly an attention grabber (though nowhere near as much so as the benelli cafe racer they had in, that had a crowd of people around it!)
Anyway I digress, I gave the bike a proper look over as I would if I was going to buy it, and I was a bit disappointed in all honesty. It seems the finish on this particular bike was lacking a bit.
The first thing that caught my attention was the exhaust, it looked like it had been left stood outside for a while, sort of dull and unclean. The welds didn't strike me as being the best either, forgivable as an hour with some metal polish and 2000 grit emery tape would fix the finish and I'm sure the welds do their job more than adequately, plus they'd be in the bin, replaced by termi's if I were the owner.
The fairing however, was a bit of a surprise. Around the bottom of the lower fairing where it meets the black belly, the white paint was very poor. Hard to describe but imagine someone had taken a razor blade along the underside of the panel in places and chipped the paint off, it was like that with flakes of excess paint clearly visable in the gap with a couple of icicle like spikes still attached and hanging down (paintcicles?)
Hope those fairing bolts are stainless too.
Nothing too serious, and hopefully just a one off example, but quite disappointing to see, as I really thought they'd turned a corner in terms of quality of finish and reliability with the 1098.
I'd still sell my mother off to own an 848 or 1098 though, don't get me wrong
Don't get me wrong, I'm not considering buying one, I'm too big and not well heeled enough to warrant the purchase, but as I was in the same shop it'd be rude not to spend a couple of minutes admiring it as I walked past. Certainly an attention grabber (though nowhere near as much so as the benelli cafe racer they had in, that had a crowd of people around it!)
Anyway I digress, I gave the bike a proper look over as I would if I was going to buy it, and I was a bit disappointed in all honesty. It seems the finish on this particular bike was lacking a bit.
The first thing that caught my attention was the exhaust, it looked like it had been left stood outside for a while, sort of dull and unclean. The welds didn't strike me as being the best either, forgivable as an hour with some metal polish and 2000 grit emery tape would fix the finish and I'm sure the welds do their job more than adequately, plus they'd be in the bin, replaced by termi's if I were the owner.
The fairing however, was a bit of a surprise. Around the bottom of the lower fairing where it meets the black belly, the white paint was very poor. Hard to describe but imagine someone had taken a razor blade along the underside of the panel in places and chipped the paint off, it was like that with flakes of excess paint clearly visable in the gap with a couple of icicle like spikes still attached and hanging down (paintcicles?)
Hope those fairing bolts are stainless too.
Nothing too serious, and hopefully just a one off example, but quite disappointing to see, as I really thought they'd turned a corner in terms of quality of finish and reliability with the 1098.
I'd still sell my mother off to own an 848 or 1098 though, don't get me wrong
Edited by Stu R on Sunday 9th December 18:37
Stu R said:
an hour with some metal polish and 2000 grit emery tape would fix the finish and I'm sure the welds do their job more than adequately, plus they'd be in the bin, replaced by termi's if I were the owner.
Termignoni pipes are just as bad, look unfinished and the welds are not the best appearance - but functional (the standard pipes are probably made by Termi anyway) 
catso said:
Stu R said:
an hour with some metal polish and 2000 grit emery tape would fix the finish and I'm sure the welds do their job more than adequately, plus they'd be in the bin, replaced by termi's if I were the owner.
Termignoni pipes are just as bad, look unfinished and the welds are not the best appearance - but functional (the standard pipes are probably made by Termi anyway) Well Ducati have been cost cutting on the 1098 (and presumably the 848), so that they can sell them in the USA at knock-down prices, unfortunately all we get is an inferior finish at the same price as the outgoing models.
But I have bought a couple of sets of Termignoni pipes and the finish is nowhere near as good as say Akrapovic but they do work well and some like the 'fresh from the workshop' look but a little bit of elbow grease can have them looking good.
No gain without pain, 'tis a Ducati thing.......
But I have bought a couple of sets of Termignoni pipes and the finish is nowhere near as good as say Akrapovic but they do work well and some like the 'fresh from the workshop' look but a little bit of elbow grease can have them looking good.
No gain without pain, 'tis a Ducati thing.......
Stu R said:
The first thing that caught my attention was the exhaust, it looked like it had been left stood outside for a while, sort of dull and unclean. The welds didn't strike me as being the best either, forgivable as an hour with some metal polish and 2000 grit emery tape would fix the finish and I'm sure the welds do their job more than adequately, plus they'd be in the bin, replaced by termi's if I were the owner.
Exactly. Why waste time on exhausts they know most people will bin!!Stu R said:
The fairing however, was a bit of a surprise. Around the bottom of the lower fairing where it meets the black belly, the white paint was very poor. Hard to describe but imagine someone had taken a razor blade along the underside of the panel in places and chipped the paint off, it was like that with flakes of excess paint clearly visable in the gap with a couple of icicle like spikes still attached and hanging down (paintcicles?)
Hope those fairing bolts are stainless too.
No problems with the paint finish on mine.Hope those fairing bolts are stainless too.
catso said:
But I have bought a couple of sets of Termignoni pipes and the finish is nowhere near as good as say Akrapovic but they do work well and some like the 'fresh from the workshop' look but a little bit of elbow grease can have them looking good.
There is quite a price difference... Akro full system arond £2,300. Termi full system (with air filter and ECU) £1,200... I would expect them to look better!!Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff