June 26, 2010

The name Ducati is synonymous with Championships, Speed, and Style. It is very much a beautiful, sexy, coveted motorcycle. But if you ask someone in China about Ducati, they will most likely respond with a blank stare. Soon the Ducati brand will be widely recognized with the newly launched Ducati store in Shanghai. They opened in November of 2009 with a nice selection of the Ducati line; Monster, Hypermotard, 848, 1198, even an 1198S and also the first 2010 MS1200S released to all of Asia. The pricing is like that of all the upscale motorized vehicles in China, very expensive. The price tag is almost twice as much compared to the US. This is due to the heavy taxes and government fees levied on the manufactures. The average annual wage is around 30,000RMB. The bikes are from 150,000RMB to 350,000RMB and there is no Ducati financing. These bikes are not for the masses but truly exotics.

Before Ducati opened, BMW, Harley-Davidson and Benelli all have launched stores in Shanghai. Harley is a well known American brand. BMW is known for their cars in China. These two are dominating the big bore motorcycle market, selling about 100 units each annually since 2005. The Italians have a lot of catching up to do. Ducati has only sold one Monster since opening and just before I left at the end of June, a 2010 Street Fighter. Ducati Beijing will open its doors in July.

On this day, the Sales Manager Jason Fu and the General Manager Evan held a dedication and delivery of the first Ducati Streetfighter in China to its owner. And also, the shop had a launch party for the new Monster 696. Here are some pictures.

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