Ducati offers full year of free maintenance on new bikes

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Seemingly taking a cue from BMW, Ducati USA has jumped on the treat-your-customers-right bandwagon, kicking off a factory-backed service campaign for newly purchased street bikes. And while changing the oil on a motorcycle isn’t what most would consider overly technical, having someone else do it for you -- free of charge -- is plenty incentive to purchase a shiny new Italian street menace.

Motorcycles are purchased by most as weekend indulgence. Sales have trailed off sharply thus far throughout 2009. Case in point -- sales of new motorcycles in Europe have declined so drastically that the Italian government has implemented a sort of ‘Cash for Clunkers’ motorcycle campaign, in which riders are eligible for incentives of up to 500 euros. For the potential new motorcycle shoppers, a free year’s maintenance just might be enough to persuade them to pull the trigger, especially considering the first service comes up at just 600 miles.

Looking to appeal to such on-the-fence consumers, Ducati USA is now offering the first year’s service, free. All 2008 and 2009 Ducati models purchased from dealers between now and August 31 are eligible for the program. For more information, check out www.ducatiusa.com.

-- Brian Alexander

Brian Alexander is a staff writer for Driverside.com