[7.83hz]

There has been a few updates on this matter since my last post. There clearly has been a movement in the communication channels at both Ducati Kolkata and India after posting about the incident through the forum.

Right after my initial payment was fully refunded back to my account, the Kolkata dealership principal got in touch with me and offered me to wait until the next batch of bikes arrive in the country. In-spite of having a few other bookings lined up for the Desert X, they still offered me the the first bike from their dealership without making any unjustified demands this time around. They clearly were apologetic about the incident and came through with honesty about where exactly the mistakes were made the previous time around.

I then asked them to hold the spot for me a couple of weeks till I let the matter cool down a little for me and had some time to think it all through. I also in the meanwhile with the help of NoFear got in touch with the Delhi NCR dealership and scheduled for a test ride.

I did the test ride back to back with the Tiger 900 Rally Pro, my next best option in the market for the kind of motorcycle I'd been looking for.

The Tiger's always been good but never quite cut it for me in the multiple times I'd ridden it. 5 mins on the Desert X and I was right at home. It is a beautifully balanced machine. The chassis and suspension feels built to take a beating all while being extremely communicative of rider inputs and terrain feedback. I wasn't quite sure what the L twin would feel like in this application but it's undoubtedly a great match. A few things could have been better but that's nitpick territory and probably best saved for a different discussion.

Within 10 mins of getting off the bike on the 31st of March, I'd made a call to the dealer principal in Kolkata and re-initiated my booking. On the 6th of April the motorcycle arrived with the dealership Mohan Motors and a few days later on the 13th of April, it was at my doorstep in Guwahati.

I must say, this time around, everyone at Ducati has been very prompt and efficient in handling the order and delivery cycle. I've had the bike for the better part of 48 hours now and I couldn't be happier with the motorcycle. I'm hoping this continues with the after sales service and all that follows in a healthy long term relationship with Ducati.

Also hoping that this incident makes way for more clarity and openness between dealers, corporate and other motorcyclists who might have had similar experiences.

For now I'd like the moderator to take an appropriate call and close this thread in the best interest of all parties involved and I shall continue to contribute by adding my ownership and ride experiences in a new thread.

[classic86]

Glad this matter is sorted. Enjoy the bike!

[Rajiv0909]

Ducati does it again!

So it happened again, On a low volume product (<100 units/ year) like the Desert X and within 6 months of launch how do we have 2 reported cases (mine being the second) already of faulty delivery commitments? Apparently a bike that was allocated to me a fortnight ago, doesn’t exist anymore

Such deliberate inconvenience and stress to potential customers is unwarranted, especially for the premium, Ducati charges for its products.

The sequence of events :

As you may note from my previous post, I booked the desert X in early April in a different city with a different dealer. I was informed at the time of booking that the bike would get delivered in June.

I was perfectly alright with the timeline, never pressed for a quicker delivery, even when the scrolling media highlighted videos of new owners boasting their new purchases during the wait time

Come May, like a month after the booking date, I was informed that a bike has been “allocated” and that I should expect the bike to be available by end May/ early June.

That sounded like good news! I started planning for the delivery:

• Like I wanted the delivery on my Wife’s birthday ( she being the motivation for buying the bike, that story for a different day!).

• Unboxing, setup and PPF was planned ahead of the delivery

• I moved all personal and work related travel out to July so that I can enjoy riding the bike in June

• Started sourcing parts and accessories that were obnoxiously priced in India.

• Some excited friends planned to fly down from different cities to grace the event

• And then a riding trip was planned

Little did I know that all the planning and excitement would go down the drain in just 2 weeks

I was expected to pay up by a certain date in May (well ahead of the delivery schedule). I was ok with it. I just had one simple ask, that was to know the VIN number and be assured that I am not getting a leftover bike from the launch lot.

At first, the VIN was to come in 24 hours from the communication, then after a week, it was still awaited. When it was time to pay up and it was implicit that I wouldn’t pay till I know the number.

The disappointment:

Finally, I was told that the “allocation“ information was a miscommunication. Wow!! I fail to understand when someone has to allocate like 3-4 bikes in a month to maybe 10 odd waiting customers (going by the wait times mentioned) and they still go wrong with it? No one notices this mess for like a fortnight till the payment date arrives. That’s the story I am asked to believe.

And I may have, if the dealership hadn’t nailed the coffin. In the same communiqué I learnt that they don’t even have a timeline for delivery. The same person who struggled to allocate 4 bikes in the month is not able to decide on the next 4. That’s grave!

I am thanking my stars that I read this forum and insisted on the VIN# else would have fallen trap to the same modus operandi from the other case.

I have also learnt from this forum that Ducati customer care is useless. Hence as a next step, I have requested (through dealership) to speak with the superman who’s unable to allocate 4 x 10.

As I was thinking about reaching out to such a potential figure independently, and then I thought what evidence do I have that my booking actually exists :

1. Booking ID maybe? No
2. Like an email from Ducati acknowledging the booking? Nah
3. A hand written receipt with #461 from the dealer that closely resembles one from the neighbourhood Mitra mandal for Chanda ? Yes!


Irony!!
In a parallel world, just on the fateful day of communication from the dealer, Ducati sends an email asking me if I am still interested in the motorcycle, yeah!

That sums up the premium experience from Ducati in India. If I hadn’t bought all the accessories, I may have attempted to fall for the similar trap with a different logo

There’s goodness in everything
1. Prompt communication from the dealer. Don’t think that has been an issue. So who knows, in the previous episode was it Mohan motors or Ducati
2. Team bhp, the platform and its value. Reinstated

PS: Ducati India sympathizers may potentially see some dealership foul play, maybe there is. But as a potential customer I expect Ducati to handle such issues. I gave them sufficient opportunity before I decided to pen down my views here. I wish I at least had an acknowledgment (forget apology) that they know I exist..

[Jaggu]

Most likely it got allocated to someone else who had better influence? These automobile companies and their shady dealers, no point in doing all the first day first show booking if you have good connects. Have been seeing it across brands, but more shocking to see it happen with small volume high end bikes.

[no_fear]

Originally Posted by Rajiv0909

the Desert X and within 6 months of launch how do we have 2 reported cases (mine being the second) already of faulty delivery commitments? Apparently a bike that was allocated to me a fortnight ago, doesn’t exist anymore .

Can you please share through which dealer did you book the DesertX - was it Pune Legacy Motors?

DesertX was sold out in India by April 2023 - Ducati globally allocated only 50 units for India for 2023. Did the dealer tell you? This is public information and was mentioned in several news articles back in April. Moreover there are no DesertX at Ducati warehouse in India. I am surprised the local dealer will make such promises fully knowing that they cannot sell you any DesertX until Ducati HQ allocates more bikes to India.

Vin number is usually available to Ducati + dealer, the moment the bike lands at Mumbai Nava Sheva port, as customs personnel upload the relevant information. For the dealer to not know the VIN number is unlikely, unless there is no bike (which is in this case). Finally most Ducati bikes are not in any launch lot. Dealers only get a bike shipped to India when there is a confirmed order + deposit. Ducati India does not carry surplus inventory. There is surplus, only if customer cancels order, or the dealer themselves order a few extra bikes if they anticipate higher demand. Ducati India does not need to keep bikes standing in a lot as they can ship a bike from Thailand to Mumbai in under a week from the factory. The sales volumes are not that high to require a standing inventory.

I am a Ducati sympathizer and a fanatical brand loyalist. But I am also a realist and often there are 2 sides of the story. I don't think Ducati even knows that the dealer took your order and made false promises of getting you a bike that is not available in India right now.

https://www.autocarindia.com/auto-fe...ales-vp-427749

You can always escalate any grievances directly to Ducati Italy via their customer support. I have used this feature previously and resolved matters.

https://contact.ducati.com/ww/en/con...NjE5Ny4wLjAuMA..

Also, this is the direct customer care email address of Ducati India. You can reach out to the company directly without having to go via a dealer.

customercaredin@ducati.com

Finally, I know the CEO as well as the senior management / marketing staff at Ducati, and if you need assistance, feel free to pm me. I had helped the previous OP with his issues, and the results have been posted by OP.

Ducati is a premium brand and they try their best for customers. Unfortunately, the local dealers often run things their own way, which leads to a detrimental customer experience. I hope you can resolve the issues and give Ducati a 2nd chance.

Originally Posted by Jaggu

Most likely it got allocated to someone else who had better influence? These automobile companies and their shady dealers, no point in doing all the first day first show booking if you have good connects. Have been seeing it across brands, but more shocking to see it happen with small volume high end bikes.

No - Ducati doesn't operate this way. They have a strict first come first serve policy. If the dealer does something shady, without company approval - the dealer is heavily penalized. Ducati is supervised by Audi, who places the brand management on the same scale as Lamborghini and Bentley.

But India being India - a lot of people try and get away with mischief.

[Rajiv0909]

Originally Posted by no_fear

I hope you can resolve the issues and give Ducati a 2nd chance.

At first, thank you for your response and offer to help. I am more than willing to give them a chance however I am not sure if they want one. Let me start by responding to your questions

1.Dealer : Pune Legacy motors, yes
2.Did I know that DDX first lot was sold out? Yes at the time of booking. However did you know that at least 3 bikes (including OPs bike) have been delivered since the announcement. 1 of the 3 was from the launch lot
3.Over and above these 3, on the very date of booking, Legacy had received the etron RR2 edition. Apparently the only one in the country then. It was offered to me for Immediately delivery however I didn't like the sticker job, seemed more like a city bus advertising audi cars. Even the bangalore dealership later received the etron edition bike which is being used as a test ride bike. Point being, imports are happening since the first lot.
4.The next lot is expected in next few days, which is where I had an allocation. Legacy didn't make any promises because I never pressed them for delivery. They communicated the delivery schedule proactively after Ducati confirmed the delivery in late May.

Did I try the contact us and customer service email option? Of course. Did I get a response or acknowledgement? No
Does Ducati know if the dealer took my order? Even if they don't have a sales order management system, if they just read emails or contact us forms, sure they do. Legacy too has escalated my concerns to the superman who allocates DDX.

Can I seek your assistance and get a resolution, I would love to but should there be a need for a regular customer to seek influence to get delivery as promised, I doubt.

Ducati has maybe less than 10 dealers in the country, even if these incidents are purely dealership issues, it is expected of Ducati to control these repeated behaviors. Or at least respond to customers when there is an issue.

[no_fear]

My answers to your points.

Originally Posted by Rajiv0909

However did you know that at least 3 bikes (including OPs bike) have been delivered since the announcement. 1 of the 3 was from the launch lot

This is factually incorrect. OP 7.83 Hz bike is not from launch lot. The first 3 bikes that came to Ducati launch are all in Delhi. 2 belong to customers and 1 is a demo with Ducati Delhi. OP's bike was a stand alone order sent by Ducati India / Thailand after Mohan Motors goof up. Mohan Motors never got pre-allotment for any of the 50 DesertX that are coming to India for 2023, since they never made any bookings.

Originally Posted by Rajiv0909

Point being, imports are happening since the first lot.

Yes, for all the pre-orders made by customers. This is normal business continuity.

Originally Posted by Rajiv0909

The next lot is expected in next few days, which is where I had an allocation.

Did you pay a deposit for your booking and get an email confirmation from the dealer? Or did you have a verbal gentleman's agreement without any monetary transaction?

If it's the former, then Pune Ducati should have notified Ducati India of your order, logged in their system and sent to Ducati as part of global order process. You will have received notification stating when you will receive your bike. Ducati inventory management system is available to all dealers and they can track order progress. Ask Ducati Pune to show your order on the inventory system and tracking progress.

If you have not paid any deposit, and just a gentleman's agreement, then Ducati Pune has probably not made any actual booking for you. They are hoping that someone cancels a pre-existing order and then the dealer can put you instead on the list and hand you the bike. This is a fairly standard process in many dealerships globally. However the dealer needs to communicate openly with you and let you know that it is a matter of luck and you may not get the bike. They should not lead you on or make false promises.

From what you have written - I am guessing that you have a verbal agreement with the dealer on the booking and didn't actually pay any deposit. Feel free to correct me on this. If this is the case, then Pune Ducati is in the wrong and should have been transparent with you right from the beginning. This is not good dealer behaviour.

Originally Posted by Rajiv0909

Legacy too has escalated my concerns to the superman who allocates DDX.

There is no superman who allocates DDX. Order process is not controlled by 1 single individual. There is a dedicated order inventory tool / software along with email confirmations sent to Ducati regional HQ (Thailand) for Asia + Italy. Allocation is done on first come first served basis. Orders are only logged in after customer has paid a booking deposit / advance payment.

Originally Posted by Rajiv0909

these incidents are purely dealership issues, it is expected of Ducati to control these repeated behaviors.

They are. Ducati is trying to build a strong brand in India and they are passionate about it. But dealerships in India are not mom / pop shops. Majority are business conglomerates who have immense financial backing and political power and can strong-arm brands like Ducati / Audi / Porsche also.

Trying to control poor behaviour goes only a limited way. Customers hold the power. Raising these issues on forums and communicating directly to the brand helps companies to hold sway over errant dealerships.

[Rajiv0909]

Originally Posted by no_fear

This is factually incorrect. OP 7.83 Hz bike is not from launch lot. The first 3 bikes that came to Ducati launch are all in Delhi

That's an interpretation issue, I never said his was from the launch lot, 1 of the 3 delivered since the announcement (in April) was Jan mfg/ launch lot.

Originally Posted by no_fear

Yes, for all the pre-orders made by customers. This is normal business continuity.

Then how come?

Originally Posted by no_fear

DesertX was sold out in India by April 2023 - Ducati globally allocated only 50 units for India for 2023.

Anyhow let's move on

Originally Posted by no_fear

Feel free to correct me on this. If this is the case, then Pune Ducati is in the wrong and should have been transparent with you right from the beginning. This is not good dealer behaviour.

That assumption is incorrect. Here's the timeline of events:
1. 11th April: Deposit paid
2. 14th April Booking confirmed via email (from the dealer, no Ducati acknowledgment)
3. 15th April: OG delivery estimate of June provided. I had specifically highlighted OPs incident and emphasized that I don't want a repeat of this as I don't really need the bike sooner than June.
4. 4th May: Allocation confirmation with delivery estimate of 1st week of June. 20th May was agreed as the pay by date
5. 19th May: Information that allocation has been retracted. No delivery estimate.
6. Multiple attempts to reach Ducati via the stated options have not received any response.

So I don't see any reason for the dealer to demonstrate "bad" behavior when I hadn't pressed them for delivery. Especially as they were warned upfront that such behavior shall not be accepted.

I see you have probed in every direction but not in the direction of the problem - Ducati India HQ. I want you to be assured that the diligence expected in purchasing the motorcycle has been followed hence finding a crack may not be worthwhile. Just so that everyone here can stay focussed on the real challenge, I will summarize it one last time:

1. Ducati doesn't have a way to acknowledge customer orders (either by the way of a booking ID or an email confirmation. So the customer would never know whether the order has been punched. aka no transparency

2. Ducati retracted the allocation after a fortnight. Dealer had no motivation to make any false commitment as they were warned upfront.

3. Even if there was a secret reason for the dealer to do so, Ducati has made no attempts to correct or even contact since the issue came out.

4. Ducati/dealer relationship is not unique; I am sure the cultural/ political pressures are common to all it's peers in the category. Removing friction points in the sales process is a common activity across the industry. Inability to cope up or respond is unique to Ducati.

It's been a week since this is going on, if the timeline to ship the bike down to India is exactly a week then they could have made it happen acknowledging the miss from their end. For a premium product, one expects a white glove treatment, here we are dealing with arrogance.

[no_fear]

Originally Posted by Rajiv0909

1. Ducati doesn't have a way to acknowledge customer orders (either by the way of a booking ID or an email confirmation. So the customer would never know whether the order has been punched. aka no transparency

This is incorrect - there is full transparency. There is email confirmation between dealer and HQ and order tracking on their portal. You can argue with me on this, but I have seen this first hand and in action.

If you have paid deposit, then yes, 100% you should get the bike and Ducati India should reply in earnest to you, contact you and clarify matters. There is no defence. If Ducati India HQ is the culprit, they should remediate the matter. How they do it, is a separate matter.

[VellVector]

Originally Posted by no_fear

I am a Ducati sympathizer and a fanatical brand loyalist. But I am also a realist and often there are 2 sides of the story. I don't think Ducati even knows that the dealer took your order and made false promises of getting you a bike that is not available in India right now.

I think this is a major point where most brand loyalists tend to excuse all issues - the dealer is an extension of the brand. Dismissing the blame of the OEM by pointing the finger is incorrect. The dealership has been appointed as the representative of the brand.

The board at the dealer says Ducati and the buyer is buying a Ducati bike - not a Legacy Motors Desert X.

Any false commitments, etc by the dealer are to the public face the same as a commitment from Ducati. (This applies to any OEM - Ducati is just the context of this discussion).

So anything else like the dealer not punching the order - or whatever other reasons have to be considered internal issues of the OEM and not something the buyer has to take responsibility for.

Originally Posted by no_fear

DesertX was sold out in India by April 2023 - Ducati globally allocated only 50 units for India for 2023. Did the dealer tell you? This is public information and was mentioned in several news articles back in April. Moreover there are no DesertX at Ducati warehouse in India. I am surprised the local dealer will make such promises fully knowing that they cannot sell you any DesertX until Ducati HQ allocates more bikes to India.

Again, why should the buyer question a brand if they are agreeing to sell a product. I understand for our own safety and with all the shady players in the market it's just good sense.

But if the dealer promised a delivery that is for Ducati to sort out. Why should the buyer question this?

Originally Posted by no_fear

This is incorrect - there is full transparency. There is email confirmation between dealer and HQ and order tracking on their portal.

To clarify, does this email confirmation come to the buyer as well? And would you happen to know if it is indicated on any of the booking forms that you will get a confirmation?

If this is only internal between HQ and the dealer then again the buyer has no choice but to trust whatever the dealer tells him.

For example, on one of my BMW bikes, I got the booking email only the day before delivery even though it was booked months in advance. So that ends up being completely useless in a situation like this.

[VellVector]

Originally Posted by Rajiv0909

Come May, like a month after the booking date, I was informed that a bike has been “allocated” and that I should expect the bike to be available by end May/ early June.

How were you informed the bike was allocated? Through a system generated mail from Ducati or from the dealer?

Originally Posted by Rajiv0909

Finally, I was told that the “allocation“ information was a miscommunication. Wow!! I fail to understand when someone has to allocate like 3-4 bikes in a month to maybe 10 odd waiting customers (going by the wait times mentioned) and they still go wrong with it? No one notices this mess for like a fortnight till the payment date arrives. That’s the story I am asked to believe.

Just an assumption - Looks like the dealer was hoping you would pay up so that the money could be rotated for some other bike.

[Rajiv0909]

Originally Posted by VellVector

How were you informed the bike was allocated? Through a system generated mail from Ducati or from the dealer?



Just an assumption - Looks like the dealer was hoping you would pay up so that the money could be rotated for some other bike.

Through phone. It is likely that the dealer may also have ulterior motives however like you pointed out, as a customer, I shouldn’t care who screwed up.

Update : After a Twitter escalation to the global CEO, an acknowledgment email from Ducati customer service. Wow! My lucky day it seems

[Cyborg]

Originally Posted by Rajiv0909

Update : After a Twitter escalation to the global CEO, an acknowledgment email from Ducati customer service. Wow! My lucky day it seems

Would be interesting to know what they have to say. Let me tell you, once these issues are resolved and you twist the throttle, this will be easily forgotten.

Hope your issues get resolved and you ride soonest.

Cheers

[Rajiv0909]

Originally Posted by Cyborg

Would be interesting to know what they have to say. Let me tell you, once these issues are resolved and you twist the throttle, this will be easily forgotten.

Hope your issues get resolved and you ride soonest.

Cheers

An acknowledgment at the moment (that’s a start!), I have insisted that I would like to speak to someone in Ducati regarding this

I just hope that the ecosystem supports the product upon delivery.

[Turbanator]

Why will a dealer sell an allocated bike to someone else? Most dealers won't give a paisa off, so this allocation change seems a little far-fetched. I mean, how many guys who come into the category of influencers ( politicians, high-rank officials or ...?) will be looking to buy a Ducati - and that too a specific model? I understand such a rush for a LandCruiser or a Maybach but a Bike?

What I think is happening at Ducati is they have a fixed number of bikes coming to India, and such free stocks are given to all dealers. Internally they might have a total number of bikes allocated to India for a particular variant or period( may or may not be shared with dealers). Upon receipt of booking/ advance, dealers will block that bike with Ducati(in-transit or allocation). But if, at any point, there are multiple bookings for the same bike (newer model/ high demand etc.), then either Ducati is not conveying dealers on time or Ducati India officials, instead of refusing sales, try to get more bikes from the plant, sit on such bike orders delaying confirmation to the dealer. This is quite possible as no company would like to lose sales.

Some dealers, like the one in Delhi, understand this better based on their experience (the person heading the Ducati dealership is a veteran in this field) and also forthright. He will tell clearly that deliveries are subject to extra allocation for such bikes and no fixed dates can be given, whereas at other places, maybe the sales guys are not that experienced and take chances and mess up things.

Not paying total monies and making peace with longer deliveries is something I will suggest to everyone if one is sold on a particular type. Perhaps go through the booking threads from Rennlist (911 GT3RS/ TTS)