Audi to buy Ducati?

[ChrisB]

Don't we have enough german metal up your arse in the outside lane, driven by plonkers, without influencing the Italians?

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/newsresults/General-news/2012/March/mar1212-audi-poised-to-buy-ducati/?http://www.motorcyclenews.com/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=emailnl&utm_campaign=MCNMCN%20Newsletter%20March%2013%20(1)

[O.C.]

I worked for VAG (UK) for many years and can confirm that Audi should be pretty good at sorting crap Italian electrics   

[Kwikasfuki]

Maybe Ducati's will be better built and Rossi might win something?

[Martin#30]

Maybe Ducati's will be better built <snip>

I imagine this is tongue in cheek, but I would say we are on poor ground comparing our GTRs with Ducati these days. Siezed rear shocks, warped brake disks, paint flaking off the exhaust, failing tyre pressure sensors etc. You could almost say we are emulating BMW these days.

Even Ducati, the kings of ruinous running costs, can make a 190bhp sportsbike with 7,500 mile service intervals - a.k.a my pet hate 

Martin.

[mecki]

Even Ducati, the kings of ruinous running costs, can make a 190bhp sportsbike with 7,500 mile service intervals

Yeah, but can they make a bike that doesn't stop when it starts to rain? 

[Mogster]

All Italian bikes are the same.... my Tuono refuses to come out when it's raining... 

[Boomer]

It used to be because of Magneti-Marelli (Il Duce de Nerezo) but I believe that Ducati now use Bosch electrics.
So, if they still have the problems they had in the 70s, 80s and 90s then it MUST be poor wiring!

As for Audi, they managed to get the Lamborghinis moderately reliable. 

[mecki]

Why is everybody talking about Audi buying Ducati? 
Isn't it rather Porsche that may be buying them in the end?
After all Porsche now owns the majority of VW and VW own Audi.
But then VW own the majority of Porsche too.
It's all very complicated in the corporate world. 

[zedmeister]

Nothing with ducati these days the monster starts first time every time in all weathers.

[O.C.]

TBH, my remark was a bit 'Tongue in cheek' Ducati electrics are now Japanese supplied (I think) so will no doubt be just as good as other manufacturers.

I tried the Multistrada for size last year, it was too cramped for me, but it was also showing signs of rust despite only having covered 1500 miles. I was shocked, the dealer was quite relaxed about it.....oh BTW he never rang me back