The company I worked for acquired an Italian company a few years back. Some of the Italian book keeping practices are uh... creative. The case has now been in court for 2 years...
Here's what happened. I'm a bit apprehensive about posting it to the internet but I will. I might decide to take it down later after I've reflected on it a bit.
Director of the FBI Chris Wray has been a lifelong motorcycle enthusiast. But above all, he's been a diehard "Ducatisto" since he was in his teens. In fact, he's so passionate about the brand that he'd only ever ridden Ducati and a few various HD for his entire time on motorcycles. Late last fall one of his Ducs was in the shop yet again and the dealer gave him the only loaner they had. A BMW. Wray started to get a bit suspicious that weekend but overall remained unperturbed about the BMW and went on about his way once his Duc was repaired. Turn the page to the first week of December last year. An unseasonable warm snap in Washington saw Wray and a group of like minded federal employees out carving some back roads in Maryland and West Virginia. At one lunch stop Wray got invited to try a Honda. Then a Yamaha and next a Kawasaki and even a Suzuki. At this point Wray knew full well that Ducati was an Italian mafia scam hellbent or ripping off the American consumer.
Ducati is the perfect date, so long as you don't mind a bit of back hair.
Ive had great experiences with Ducati. Why anyone would spend almost as much on a used bike and end up with a honda/suzuki/kawasaki/yamaha (I've had dozens of all but a kawi) is beyond me. Its lie if Ferraris were 5 grand more than camrys and almost as reliable. (Well, And camrys were just as fast lol).
I'm confused. Is this a tongue in cheek story about a die-hard Desmo fan trying other bikes, and liking them? Or a jab at how they aren't as reliable as a Honda Goldwing?
One of the first motorcycles I ever rode was a 650 Cagiva (basically an air-cooled Duc) with proper Termi exhaust. It left an indelible mark, and I always lusted after a Ducati twin. 20 years later I finally bought an ST4S Duc... and it was an utter disappointment. With the exception of the sound, everything about it was inferior to the less expensive Japanese machines I had owned. It even had the distinction of the first motorcycle in decades to leave me stranded a the roadside. I eventually discovered that Japanese twins with the right exhaust make the same glorious noises, with none of the ownership misery.
What the Italians call 'character', the Japanese engineer out, and the Germans deny implicitly...
I ran a 900 SS up and down Mt Equinox a few times, did my first ever crossed up wheelie! Great bikes but in a straight line at highway speeds fro an hour? Pass.
Appleseed said:I'm confused. Is this a tongue in cheek story about a die-hard Desmo fan trying other bikes, and liking them? Or a jab at how they aren't as reliable as a Honda Goldwing?
I think the joke is that after discovering that less expensive bikes were just as fun, somebody launched an investigation into the origin of the Ducati Tax.
FBI got a tip they were manufacturing speed.
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