What else can go wrong?

Bad luck my friend - hopefully it all gets sorted for you. Sounds like you are at least getting decent support from the dealer and the warranty.

Ride safe

MyFirstDuc said:

My clutch cable snapped off at the lever last week. Stranded and needed a tow AGAIN! Ducati Roadside assistance does not cover the 60km tow to the only dealership around, luckily CAA does. Otherwise it would cost me $200 for every breakdown. The dealer said the new clutch cable would take 2 weeks to arrive. The previous problem was a total electrical meltdown requiring a new instrument panel, ECU, coils and plugs. That was another 2 weeks. Before that it was a software problem that kept it from starting. Summer is short here in Canada and this Hyperstrada has spent more time in the shop then on the road. They have also replaced the panniers and top box under warrantee because they faded to blue from black. Is this typical for Ducati, or did I just get a lemon? I'm sad that when I finally spent a lot of hard-earned money on my first new bike (28 yrs. riding), my dream bike, it turns out to be an unreliable POS.
Thanks for listening, I feel a little better just from getting it out.

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Is your bike assemble in Thailand? I think you've got a bad apple....luckily it was covered.

I'm pretty sure that the bikes sold in North America are made (or at least assembled) at Borgo Panigale.

Provenance counts with me...our Mazda MX-5 was made in Hiroshima...

If the cable broke at the lever end, the end piece was not rotating properly in the lever. Either the cable end was out of round somehow, or not properly lubed.

Sorry to hear. I've been waiting for my strada to get fixed for over 2 weeks now, and looking at the number of complaints citing electrical and quality issues, you're not alone. In my case 2.5 weeks of the bike's 2 month life will have been in service. I understand that mechanical things break, and I can accept the argument that maybe we got a few bad apples. What I cannot accept is 1 week for a service appointment, $200 for a tow, and 1 week for parts to arrive. This is just unacceptable for a premium brand.

Solution?
- Charge us $150 extra when buying the bike and give us a 2-yr CAA membership. This solves the towing issue.
- Set up better parts distribution with the parts for the most frequent electrical or other problems stocked.
- Again, charge us $200 extra up front but let us know that if anything ever breaks, you'll overnight courier it.

It's not like we want this stuff for free, or expect the bike to never break (but it would be nice). What bugs me is not being able to ride for several weeks when the summer in Canada is so short.

All of us having these issues should get together and write a collective message to Ducati. I love the bike, but I'm just so disappointed right now... My friends with BMWs talk about 1-day turnaround for under-warranty repairs. I can't get my bike looked at within that timeframe.

When I had much less serious problems with my Strada, the dealer would drive 150 miles to pick it up and drop off when complete, no charge. Never asked for a loaner but I'm sure he would have. Most of the time I drove it to them because it was such a beautiful drive.

Honestly, my opinion is you can never count on a motorcycle as your sole form of transportation. If you do, better get damn good at troubleshooting/fixing. Same reason why there's jumper cables and a tool set in every car I own.

Have you done business with your dealer in the past? If not, did you research before you purchased from them?

As for towing, I say get better insurance. It only takes one claim to realize you either have the right insurance company, or maybe you better shop around. All my tows are free and I wouldn't think to rely on Duc.

I know you'll think I'm being harsh but this bike is far from lemon status. If reliability was your absolute #1 concern, I'm sure a couple Asian manufacturers would have topped the list, maybe BMW. The real test is how Duc handles the problem once it's identified. So far, I'm satisfied but, a lot of that is owed to my dealer. It sounds like most of your issues are dealer centric. They obviously aren't working very hard for that future sale (which I think most bike shops worth a crap do) and you should tell them that.

Good luck.

It is a sad situation - I feel for you. I have five vintage Ducs and had numerous "modern" (as in belt drive) Ducs - the Hyper will be the last one - despite having a great dealer. Tired of dealing with poor quality and systems that **** themselves. Pity really - when they are running they are great bikes. Back to BMW or KTM I think.

How can you say poor quality? Just because there was a bad batch of coils, which they have been fixing, doesn't necessarily reflect on overall quality. Take airbag recalls, for instance. Does that mean your Lexus is a piece of junk because the trusted airbag manufacturer had a bad batch?

Look, the Strada is like buying a Mercedes C300. Yes it's a Merc, but is it any where near the fit and finish of an S class- No. It's one of the cheaper bikes in their lineup. Just look what you get when you spend a couple more grand: LED projectors, gas gauge, better suspension, gear indicator, less cheap plastic bits, etc.

vincep said:

It is a sad situation - I feel for you. I have five vintage Ducs and had numerous "modern" (as in belt drive) Ducs - the Hyper will be the last one - despite having a great dealer. Tired of dealing with poor quality and systems that **** themselves. Pity really - when they are running they are great bikes. Back to BMW or KTM I think.

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I can't see how a move to bmw, is forward progress

Clutch cable snapped on mine yesterday & a dealership had to come pick it up. They said my cable will be here in 3 days...HAHA yeah okay i sure hope they are right.

This is among many other issues ive had with my hyperstrada! Would be a fun bike if it actually ran like a $13,000 bike...

The last time a modern bike stranded me due to a mechanical failure was so long ago I can't remember it. More than 30 years, at least. I grew up on two wheels, never had a four wheeler until I needed a van to haul my race bike to the track. This is quite easy in SoCal, where it seldom rains and almost never freezes. I rode various bikes (mostly Yamahas and Hondas) to work for 30 years. Some were bought new, others used. Only one problem with reliability - my '94 Triumph 900 threw a rod at 2200 miles, with the dealership's mechanic on board! Turned out that there was casting flash in the oil gallery, happens sometimes. I put 63k on it after that was fixed.

I can understand not anticipating an electronic failure. This is where bikes get more complicated every year. You've never had your computer crash? But if you take a look at your clutch cable once in a while, you might see a broken strand before it breaks completely. Or the cable will be bent where it meets the end. I've bought used bikes that were like that, the PO did not keep it lubed at the lever. This requires immediate replacement.

It has been pointed out before that most folks go to a forum like this because they have a problem. But sometimes it can be self-inflicted.

zippy - i have always owned asian bikes & NEVER had these problems. point is is that this italian bike is not worthy of $13,000. There is no argument in the other direction. It is unfortunate that Ducati produced such a bike with so many problems, however i am happy they are taking care of it all under warranty.

Braaap said:

...Would be a fun bike if it actually ran like a $13,000 bike...

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I honestly feel bad that you've had such a negative experience, because the bike - in the general sense, not speaking of yours in particular - is truly fantastic.

I had one ECU issue about 1000 KM into my ownership, and for the next 9000 klicks and counting, it's been impeccable. I absolutely adore it - handling, performance, styling...it's all there. I swear to god, price difference aside, if someone offered me a new 1200 GS or Panigale in place of my Hyperstrada, I say no. It was my dream bike when I bought it and perhaps I'm lucky, but that's not changed one bit.

I sincerely hope that these issues get sorted out so you can experience the Hyper for how great it can be.

Change from Hyperstrada to BMW !!!

There has been some problems with the Hyperstrada:
- Coils (destroyed the ECU and Dashboard)
- Software updates
- Clutch cable

The problems is of course annoying for the owner, and some is thinking of changing to BMW.

Some news about BMW and there problems.

R1200GS:
High oil pressure and the sealing to the outgoing shaft will be pushed out. This will cause oil leak on the rear tyre (really dangerous) and in the end a destroyed gearbox, which the motorbike newspaper Motorrad discovered. BMW will now fix this problem on 17800 bikes around the world.

R1200GT:
The bikes with ESA suspension is no longer allowed to drive. The rear suspension can exploded. BMW is now planning to change this on 8000 bikes.


Hmm.................

Just my opinion here...From Mr. Braaap's postings, it is apparent that the Strada seems a bit too fragile for his (ahem) riding style. Perhaps he should sell his 'lemon' and buy something else. My Strada has also been 100% reliable. Go to a BMW forum and check out all the recalls!

Seriously, some of us are here to chat and offer helpful advice, others only to complain. It gets tiresome, and gives potential buyers a bad impression.

Let's not forget it's a first model year bike with a brand new engine. There's always bugs to work out and I haven't seen many (any?) of the '14 owners complaining to this extent. I've owned a couple debut model year cars and swore I'd never do it again...but so glad I did with the Strada.

You will not find a substantial quorum here that agree that this bike is garbage and not worth the money. Seriously, if no one is seriously injured and they take responsibility and fix it, isn't that the hallmark of a good brand? Their goal is to have repeat business and I will own more Duc's in the future.

Frank, Stefan, Tom, Gat,

+1 for each comment. Love the function, looks, and the dealer support for my HS.

StefanR said:

There has been some problems with the Hyperstrada:
- Coils (destroyed the ECU and Dashboard)
- Software updates
- Clutch cable

The problems is of course annoying for the owner, and some is thinking of changing to BMW.

Some news about BMW and there problems.

R1200GS:
High oil pressure and the sealing to the outgoing shaft will be pushed out. This will cause oil leak on the rear tyre (really dangerous) and in the end a destroyed gearbox, which the motorbike newspaper Motorrad discovered. BMW will now fix this problem on 17800 bikes around the world.

R1200GT:
The bikes with ESA suspension is no longer allowed to drive. The rear suspension can exploded. BMW is now planning to change this on 8000 bikes.


Hmm.................

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I am just saying that problems can occur on any bike.
The Hyperstrada is the most funniest bike I have ever owned. Light, easy to handle and a very nice motor.

Then I'm confused. You want to trade away the most fun you've ever had on 2 wheels? I don't think the Bimmer will hold a candle to the Strada's "fun" factor. That's a technical bike made to conquer all terrain.

I am not here to complain... I am only here to get advice on what to do most of the time. I love riding the bike, but after owning all Asian motorcycles I can say, without a doubt, that they have produced a more well thought out design of a motorcycle. I am glad that Ducati produces this bike b/c there aren't many other makes out there that would be as fun...it just has a LOT of issues. Do you really think Ducati put much thought into folding foot pegs, adjustable suspension, nylon connections on clutch levers, plastic gas tanks that become pressurized with no way to release from ethanol gas, a seat that puts you on the gas tank...really?

I love riding my bike, but the quality of design does not compare to any of my other Asian motorcycles.

all together, Ducati has been standing behind the bike & replacing everything for me in a timely manner... soon enough I'll have a 2014/15 hyperstrada. haha