Even after my horrible experience last year with The Duc Pond in VA I wasn't going to badmouth them because they at least attempted to make things right. But after finding several more items this past week that point to carelessness on their part I simply have to speak up before someone else makes the mistake of leaving a bike in their hands.
I dropped my Ducati off at Duc Pond Motorsports in Winchester, VA (
DucPond Motorsports) for service last fall and spoke with Donnie the proprietor who seemed very knowledgable about Ducati's. I took it in for a valve adjustment, it needed the forks rebuilt and a new pair of tires. I was quoted $250 for the valve adjustment and another $250 for the forks and then whatever tires I wanted, which I got the Metzler Sportec M3's, about $350 for the set. While the forks were apart I also okay'd putting RaceTech springs in them.
They had it for 2 weeks then called me and said they found some other stuff wrong, the steering head bearings were shot and it had an oil leak around the clutch. I told them I had just replaced the clutch pushrod O-rings and the oil they were seeing was probably just leftover residue but they assured me that it was still leaking from another seal. I asked how much it would be and they told me as they had replaced the belts and it needed 6 shims I was already at $1200 with the work they'd done so far, and to do the bearings and replace the seal would be another $400. I okay'd the additional work.
Another 2 weeks and no phone call so I call them and they say oh yeah it's been done for a week. So I schedule to go pick it up and when I get down there it won't start. They claim they don't understand, it always started right up for them. They start taking things apart trying to figure out what's wrong, try adjusting some things, finally Donnie comes out and says he's gonna put a new starter sprag on it. I have no idea what that is but I figured as long as it wasn't a whole new starter it shouldn't be that much right? No mention of price is made nor am I asked to okay the additional work.
Like 4 hours later they finally say it's done and oh by the way that'll be another $350. So my total is just shy of $2000, I was pissed. But I'm like okay whatever, at least it's done and it's fixed right. So I start driving back home, by this time it's 4:30 and getting dark and cold (this is Nov) and the whole way home the bike is surging and when I stop it's idling up at like 3000 rpm. When I get home the oil cooler is hanging down to the ground, the bolts that held it in place are gone. I also found it's leaking oil because they didn't tighten the side cover bolts and one was missing completely. I also found some rubber piece lying on top of the motor and I can't figure out where it's supposed to go. I think maybe it's a boot for the choke slide?
I called up Donnie and complained to him and long story short he sent me replacement bolts for the oil cooler and a gift certificate for $150. He wouldn't refund any money, although he offered to "make it right" but I'm not about to have it go back down there again and be charged even more money. I said I already spent too much and I can't afford to sink any more money into this bike.
So I had to replace 3 bolts that were lost, tighten a whole bunch more that they left loose, add oil, take apart the choke lever because they didn't get it back together right when they reassembled the forks (was causing the high idle/surging) lube it and fix it because now it's cracked, replace 2 screws that they stripped out and basically give the whole thing a good cleaning because there was dirty/greasy fingerprints and oil over everything.
Now that we've had some warmer weather and I got to take the bike out for a full length ride I found some additional things to complain about.
I had to fiddle with the idle adjustment because it was still running up around 2500rpm once warmed up. It took 2 or 3 turns out to bring it down to where it should be. They had messed with it trying to get the idle right from when they had the choke all bitched up.
My speedometer quit working and I discovered that when they reassembled the front axle they must have let the sending unit twist around and put a crimp right at the end of the cable and broke the fitting. They also had the fitting cross-threaded at the back of the gauge, so it was only on by a thread or two and at a angle. It cost me $25 to replace it with a good used cable. (thanks to Mike at Gotham for the cable)
While I was down there swapping that out I noticed different bolts holding the fender on, they were loose and the fender was about to fall off. Removed those to discover they had hogged out the bolt holes and used the different bolts in order to fit the 120/70 tire under the stock fender, which they claimed would handle better than the stock 120/60. I've noticed no appreciable difference in the handling with the taller profile tire, and now I have a fender that doesn't fit right. The fact that the 120/70 would cause fitment issues was never mentioned to me, nor their modification of the fender.
My front brake lever switch that activates the brake light quit working. The wiring doesn't appear damaged in any way however it's awful coincidental that a switch that worked for 14 years quit working after they had the forks out. Cost me $20 to replace it with a used switch off eBay.
The level of carelessness and half-assed service that I received from The Duc Pond continues to infuriate me. Nearly every bolt that they touched that I have checked has been loose or has fallen out. What really scares me is if the same shoddy workmanship went into the rebuilding of the forks or the valve adjustment. I can only imagine I have not yet seen the end of the problems as a result of leaving the bike in their hands.
The Duc Pond
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