$400 for a ignition timing pickup? You must be fucking kidding!

[Robert Taylor]

Robert, with all due respect. You are pissing in to the wind.

A customer walks in through the door. He wants help, not excuses and long winded explanation of how the Mongols are stealing all the alloy from the Vikings, creating a vacuum in Scandinavia that makes the Norse gods so angry that they make Rome fall. Therefore making in impossible to get any bits from Ducati.

In my mates case we already know that the sensors are available. The shop (who is not a Duke dealer) should have asked from the supplier: "How long?". Then told my mate: "2 years". THEN tried to take his $$'s...

But this is all old news now. I have no issue with you, so will leave it here. And I will update as this is all sorted.

I wasnt trying to neccessarily make a connection, it is clear that in this case there is a supply problem with the oem part and that its overpriced. I dont recall arguing to the contrary. I also recall stating that the dealer lacked the imagination ( perhaps ) to research alternatives.
I was using this thread as a vehicle to illustrate just one of many scenarios that can happen with supply. Cold and clinical and no need of trivialisation. Think of it in light of taking the trouble to spend time to illustrate to those interested enough to read that often things are more complex than is thought.
Ive worked at retail level and Ive also worked at wholesale level as a former national technical manager for the former NZ Yamaha distributors. I believe I did that job to apretty reasonable standard and helped a lot of people but also didnt suffer fools ( no apologies ) I can recall in many instances sorting out 100% foolproof ways of fixing problems, including on more than one occassion identifying different electrical components that saved purchasing a whole stator assembly.
Now I work directly as a distributor talking directly to the supplying manufacturer. To that end I just think I might be well enough qualified to comment on supply issues.

[98tls]

The reason I very seldom get involved in threads like this - after 3 pages finally the full story comes out,rendering all previous post junk...apart from the OP,he is vindicated.After bashing my head against the brick wall too many times I've given up helping people on this forum about mechanical matters.No great loss,I know fuck all anyway.

Surely you knew that from the get go,despite its title this place is more akin to some kind of wank fest like facebook/teenager daily or similar websites ive heard of.Theres some interesting motorcycle knowledgeable people but far outnumbered by A those that indeed own one with no riding or mechanical ability whatsoever or B those that also own one and think that experience/ability/knowledge are things they purchased when buying the latest fashion statement and worse still pass it on via the interweb.Then theres the North Islanders.

[Robert Taylor]

The reason I very seldom get involved in threads like this - after 3 pages finally the full story comes out,rendering all previous post junk...apart from the OP,he is vindicated.After bashing my head against the brick wall too many times I've given up helping people on this forum about mechanical matters.No great loss,I know fuck all anyway.

Thanks for concurring and you do have to wonder at times how many posts are economised of the full facts. To that end although I feel I have helped with respect to an understanding of the trigger function I may indeed be ''pissing into the wind''.
Everyone deserves a fair hearing including the said dealer ( who may well have failed to carry out the whole exercise properly, on several counts ) But given the kangaroo courts / roving sharks on this forum can you blame dealers for being reluctant to participate ??

[98tls]

Thanks for concurring and you do have to wonder at times how many posts are economised of the full facts. To that end although I feel I have helped with respect to an understanding of the trigger function I may indeed be ''pissing into the wind''.
Everyone deserves a fair hearing including the said dealer ( who may well have failed to carry out the whole exercise properly, on several counts ) But given the kangaroo courts / roving sharks on this forum can you blame dealers for being reluctant to participate ??

From observations in my lifetime i doubt some of them have the energy to bother replying to critics on the Interweb,worn out from another day of indifference at work.

[Robert Taylor]

Surely you knew that from the get go,despite its title this place is more akin to some kind of wank fest like facebook/teenager daily or similar websites ive heard of.Theres some interesting motorcycle knowledgeable people but far outnumbered by A those that indeed own one with no riding or mechanical ability whatsoever or B those that also own one and think that experience/ability/knowledge are things they purchased when buying the latest fashion statement and worse still pass it on via the interweb.Then theres the North Islanders.

There are several types of North Islanders as much as there are several types of South Islanders, but no need to go there. I take people as I find them. Some of what you have said is on the money. But I am a consumer as well and there are several products that I would purchase that I know very little about nor have the inclination or time to research. By that I mean proper research, as opposed to having to sift through often shonky ''information'' posted on forums.
I prefer to deal with experts in their field, but that is becoming harder and harder to find. If there is aparts procurement isue then I would reasonably expect the dealer to exhaust all reasonable options, as long as their margin wasnt totally expended in doing so. Give and take....

[Conquiztador]

If there is aparts procurement isue then I would reasonably expect the dealer to exhaust all reasonable options, as long as their margin wasnt totally expended in doing so. Give and take....

Thanks! 10 char

[98tls]

There are several types of North Islanders as much as there are several types of South Islanders, but no need to go there. I take people as I find them. Some of what you have said is on the money. But I am a consumer as well and there are several products that I would purchase that I know very little about nor have the inclination or time to research. By that I mean proper research, as opposed to having to sift through often shonky ''information'' posted on forums.
I prefer to deal with experts in their field, but that is becoming harder and harder to find. If there is aparts procurement isue then I would reasonably expect the dealer to exhaust all reasonable options, as long as their margin wasnt totally expended in doing so. Give and take....

Actually R the other Isle thing was just taking the piss,lived up yonder for many years myself.Hard to have a differing opinion with someone you respect immensely in there field made worse by the fact that my opinion is in no way directed at you.Fact is for many many years i have been pissing about with bikes and for a time worked in the industry,some of the best laughs ive had on here have been whilst reading posts from some of the supposed motorcycle salesman (shit mentioning thems started me laughing at them again)on here,from where i sit the motorcycle retail business has done nothing but bend over and ask for an arse raping.Then complain when there arse hurts.

[Conquiztador]

Update:

My mate went to get his $$'s back as he was planning to grab the pickup from the net. The bikeshop asked how much the pickup was, and he told them $120. So, they promised to get one for him for the same price... He gave them a week to do so. Went back and asked for it after the week. Was told that it would take a minimum of 12 days as there was none in NZ (we already knew that). BUT they noticed a oil leak from the top and offered to fix that (will most probably cost him), AND they gave him a loaner until the leak is fixed and the pickup sensor is replaced and sorted.

Will give a final update when he has his Duke back.

[peasea]

AND they gave him a loaner until the leak is fixed and the pickup sensor is replaced and sorted.

Why didn't they do that in the first place?

I actually like Ducati motorcycles but I'd never own one because of all the frickin' nightmare-ish stories you hear and this is just another one.