Ducati/Vespa of Santa Barbara

Reviews

Reviews are sorted by relevance, with the most helpful and insightful feedback listed first for easy reference.

  David Moorman
a month ago
I've window shopped at this shop in it's various locations throughout Santa Barbara over the years, always dreaming of a Ducati. I'm still dreaming but the reality is a lot closer. I currently ride a Triumph and have to take it to L.A. for factory service and that gets old after the 3rd or 4th time. I took my bike to Ducati SB for an oil and brake service. Bike was ready before I got off of work. Last week I took it in for tires (Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV's) and new brake pads. They actually treated me and my bike better than the dealer I used to go to, and they're local. I see the staff in town and on the weekly rides and just out in the community. It's awesome on a hot day to roll into the shop, say hi to Maria and get a nice cold bottle of water while dreaming of a Hypermotard. In the interim I'll never second guess where to take my motorcycles for parts and service, my experience with the shop is always excellent. If you're in the area I'd highly recommend you stop by, your next dream bike is waiting for you.Just had an annual service done on the bike, when I picked her up they had even cleaned it, it looked as good as it ran. Which is phenomenal. Those Hypermotards are calling.

  Barry Blythe
a month ago
Called in at Santa Barbara Ducati at the weekend with a problem with my 2023 Panigale V4S.Despite only 2500 miles on the clock and less than 8 months old my bike was running like crap and kept wanting to stall once the bike got hot.Despite not having an appointment the guys managed to get my bike plugged in for a fault diagnosis. 1 hour later and several cups of coffee and my bike had been re programmed software updated and now runs perfectly better than when it was new last year.Great job guys thanks for taking care of it and thanks for topping up my fuel on the test ride.SB Ducati aren t my local dealer but it s worth the extra miles to get the excellent service you guys deliver.Special shout out to their master tech for sorting things out.Thanks again

  theodore sisco
a month ago
I bought my dream bike, a Panigale 1299s back in October 2023. Sam and Kim were both extremely polite and helpful. During the purchase Sam promised me to send out a Ducati garage mat to my house in the following weeks because he had none in stock that were clean and he didn't want to send me home with a dirty one (which I expressed I was 100% fine with). Due to financing, I was still in email communication with Sam and Kim after we had left Santa Barbara. I mentioned SEVERAL times about the mat (which I was especially excited for because I broke my foot FOUR DAYS after buying the motorcycle and I could no longer ride it), each time being ignored about the promise that was made with the sale.My first thought after buying the motorcycle was that this is the best dealership I've been to. After the weeks have gone by, I am realizing I am let down with them because they avoided keeping their word on delivering the garage mat. Since I was no longer standing in front of them with thousands of dollars, my customer experience no longer mattered to them.

  Reid LeDonne
a year ago
15,000 miles into a year long trip around the US! Lost my torque wrench along the way and haven t been able to adjust my chain since. Called up SB Ducati and asked if I could borrow the necessary tools to do the job myself. Service manager told me to come on over and borrow whatever.I get to SB Ducati and the master technician Rory insists that he adjust the chain for me! He also cleaned and lubed my chain and read my fault codes .. all free of charge!Talk about awesome experience. Very evident that that staff here love what they do & put you as the customer first.

  Nick Fields
3 years ago
Update:Almost immediately after posting about my experience, Victor (the owner) called me directly to apologize and better understand what happened. He listened intently, asked me for more details, and refunded the fee I was charged. I'm impressed with his response and appreciate his follow up. I wish them luck in turning things around in the future.Original review:If you have a Vespa, I highly recommend that you avoid coming here for service. I m not writing this review in resentment, I simply want to share my experience so other people can avoid having the poor experience that I had.TLDRThey kept my Vespa LX150 in the shop for about a month before they even looked at it, when they initially told me 1-2 weeks. They returned my Vespa to me more damaged than when I brought it in, couldn t give me a straight answer about what happened to it, tried to buy it back from me for far less than its value, and still charged me $100 of diagnostic fees when I turned down their offer and decided to take it somewhere else.While they sounded nice on the phone, it s pretty obvious as soon as you walk into this store that the staff is indifferent to your existence. On top of that, once you utter the word Vespa , their indifference is transformed into annoyance. They clearly only want to work on Ducatis, and couldn t care less about anything else. If you have a Ducati, your experience will probably be different. If you don t, seriously consider taking your business elsewhere.Long VersionI called and asked if they service Vespas. Preston answered and said of course, bring it in. My drive belt broke and needed replacement. I dropped off the scooter around December 27th. They told me they d call within a week. They never called me, so I called after 8 days, and then once a week for 3 weeks while they kept apologizing for being busy. Finally, on January 21, John (the service manager) calls me back and says it s a simple fix to replace my drive belt. He said that I should replace my rollers soon too, but it s not necessary right now, so he d save me some money by not doing it. He then said they just need to test drive it, and it should be ready to go the next day. 30 minutes later, Preston called me and asked if I can come in to talk in person because they found another issue.I went in the next morning, and Preston proceeded to tell me that they discovered my clutch was also broken, and that my engine casing was broken. He said I need to replace the entire engine, and estimated the cost at over $2k. Instead, they offered me $300 to buy it for parts. I'm not sure why they insisted I come in person to have this conversation, or how John failed to mention these issues when he told me they were going to test drive it.I left for a second opinion. After talking to other mechanics, it became clear this was not so simple. What was unclear, is how they could test drive it with a broken clutch. When I returned, I asked John about this, and he looked me in the eye and claimed that he never said that.After denying any fault, he quickly offered me discounts and claimed he would help me out . All of a sudden he figured out a way to avoid replacing the engine and fixing it for much cheaper! Why couldn t he have thought of that in the first place? In the end, it s pretty clear they probably broke the clutch by mistake and denied it. After a frustrating conversation, I ended up having to pay of the diagnostic fee ($100) just to get my scooter out of there. I ended up walking it a mile and a half up the road to Ooty s, where they were perfectly accommodating and completely unsurprised to hear about my interaction. So it goes!

  Josh Munsch
5 years ago
Final update; the dealership made it work.I've got all the bags mounted and usable, with the right color panels, and the keys all matched up. Trevor searched all over, and brought tumblers from PA, to fix this.The final part (gear sensor) was slow to arrive, due to Ducati itself and it's the least worrisome, as it's just the gear indicator. Nevertheless, Trevor went above and beyond to make sure it was installed for my trip!The bags were key and they are on and working beautifully, with minimal airflow impact!Love the look and feel, love the bike and will thoroughly enjoy on my 6k mi trip! Overall; good, even if complicated by a short timeline and parts shortages.

  Fernando Foodnando Castillo
5 years ago
I was doing some service on a gt200 Vespa. I noticed that it was missing the washer on the variator. Of course on a Friday and it would have took to the next week to get the part. So I went down to Santa Barbara Ducati and Vespa to see if they had it. And lucky me they had it in stock. Staff was super nice got me in and out. Thank you Santa Barbara Vespa.

  Vukman Guberinic
4 months ago
Great shop!Extremely helpful staff,Knowledgeable mechanics went beyond to repair my Vespa!Highly recommended!

  Cameron DeAragon
3 years ago
I recently purchased a Ducati V2 through Ducati of SB. Trevor and Preston were patient, educational, and let me ride a variety of bikes to help me come to my decision. I rarely write reviews, but felt compelled to for these guys, as dealership experiences are rarely so enjoyable and low pressure. If you think a Ducati isn t an option for whatever reason, I highly recommend you visit Ducati of SB and see what they have to offer!

  Fernando Arizaga
9 months ago
Very negative purchase experience. I purchased a bike on their site, which seemed pretty straight forward. Their site charhged me in full immediately and took my contact information. The next day I received a call from someone at the shop reconfirming that my purchase was final, which seemed odd since they had already charged me. The person on the phone seemed confused and said I would be contacted to set up the delivery. When I was contacted the red flags started to raise up. 1) they asked me for contact information as a requirement to ship ( which I had already given upon booking online ) 2) they said that they would need to calculate shipping to quote it separately ( when I had already paid online where it clearly asked for zip code to calculate shipping and did so in the summary of the transaction ). 3) They said that they had not received my payment 4) Out of the blue I received a refund email from their shop withtout any explanation. I contacted them immediately to ask why and they gave me a clearly madeup excuse for cancelling ( Bike had to go through a DMV thing ). And they had the nerve to try to sell me one of their other bikes!In my considered opinion this was a scam. They lure you in with the prospect of a great bike and then they cancel in a very shady way in order to sell you inventory they actually have in stock.My recommendation is not not trust their site. They do not know how to manage it and they use in unprofessionally. Go to their shop directly and deal with them in person. I live outside of Santa Barbara so I made the mistake of using their site. They should only sell to locals.

  Ace Walker
11 months ago
Bought a monster about a year ago and just traded it in for the 2022 multi V4S. Both times the process was painless. Anytime I need service they can get me in very quickly and have it completed in a day or two. If you are in the market for an amazing bike you should visit Ducati of Santa Barbara.

  Amara Leclaire
3 years ago
Working with Trevor was great! We did everything over the phone and the process was smooth and easy. The bike arrived in great condition. Trevor always responded quickly and was very helpful with any questions I had. The guys here seem like they actually care which makes a big difference when buying. I would 100% recommend Ducati of Santa Barbara!

  liza downer
3 years ago
Wow!!! Wow! Wow! Amazing consistent service, Victor, the owner of shop came over to say hello to my boyfriend, Hector, and me, so awesome that he took the time to point out that if we had any questions or concerns to ask for him.Trevor is a great salesperson, very professional and made the buying experience of a Streetfighter very easy and streamlined. Preston is always very polite, acknowledging and greeting customers as they walk into the bike shop. And fabulous Rory the main mechanic is always so great to talk to, takes a moment to answer any question we have and always a great sense of humor. This is my boyfriend s 3rd Ducati he has purchased from this dealership, and we plan on continuing to bring his bikes up from Los Angeles for service at this dealership. We are sold on this dealership. Thank you! Ducati of SB! And to all your staff for the awesome experience. We are proud to join your family with the new Streetfighter!

  Hector Orozco
3 years ago
Just bought a 2021 street fighter form this dealership, I was treated like family. Victor, the owner greeted me and asked if I should have any questions or concerns to ask for him and he would do whatever was necessary To streamline purchase of bike.Enter Trevor, what a great salesperson, made buying of bike super easy and fun! Great sense of humor.Person is also a great asset to team, immediately greets customers as they walk into bike shop.Then enter Roaring Rory! What an awesome technician and master of the machines that give us so much thrills, he s very polite and a skilled mechanic, and what a great sense of humor! Love this place, as I do my Ducati s, I m a proud owner of 3 Ducati s and only trust this place to have them serviced, my complete trust of my bikes are in their hands.i drive up from Los Angeles, I ve dealt with others dealerships, none can compare to this gem in SB.

  Brook Rice
6 years ago
Unfortunately I didn't buy my Multistrada from these folks. But I did get all of my service from them when I lived in the area. They offered a pickup service that saved me a bunch of time. The other times, I dropped it off and enjoyed time at the beach. The staff was always friendly. Trevor also has so many stories to share. Despite living in an area with one of the largest Ducati dealers, I still miss this place.

  Mammoth Moving
10 years ago
This is a really clean and well put together Moto shop. I was in store for a new Ducati as my previous bike had seen enough miles. First impression was how nice the show room was, and for a Santa Barbara motorcycle shop I was very impressed with how good the selection was. I showed up right before they were going to close and Trevor spent over a hour with me explaining what would be the better bike for my uses. After sleeping on it over night I went back first thing in the morning and had everything done and rode away on my brand new Multistrada 1200 an hour later. Carlin was the one to help me in the morning and gave me a great price on the bike and some new gear! I could not be more happy with the the experience and customer service!

  Lonnie Cavenee
7 years ago
Haven't bought anything yet but people are nice and seem very interested in you as a person and fellow rider, not just another commission. Willing to deal unlike other snobby high end cycle dealers. Nice selection of apparel too but no service or parts for older 60s and 70s two cycle Vespa scooters like the old Vespa shop though Wonder what happened to his stock of vintage parts, that the guy had EVERYTHING. Ah well nothing is permanent.

  Arcelio Ortez
9 years ago
I purchased a motorcycle from this dealer and drove down from the Bay Area to pick it up. I reached out to every single dealer in California and Ducati of Santa Barbara was immediate with their responses and were serious about doing business. No pony show!Anytime I have reached out to them since I have received the same treatment post sales as I did pre-sale and they treat all their customers this way. They have a great shop and the ambiance is unmatched.They are a specialty shop, a boutique of sorts, and truly have a passion for what they sale. I highly recommend them!!!

  Marcel C
6 years ago
I think they treat you well if you are a regular, buy multiple bikes from them, can leave your bike for service until they are ready to work on it, or have a million in the bank. If you're a DUC owner who makes a service appointment and something simple, you may be ignored. That was my experience, and like I say, I bet they are great but I'm not a millionaire, I wouldn't know.

  Brent Fridrich
6 years ago
I rode my 04 Multi Strada to LA for Christmas from WA state and realized once down there my rear tire was not going to last for the trip home. Trevor and his tech John had a tire on my bike and out the door heading north in under an hour. John went over the bike and found a few additional things that needed attention.I can't say enough about the knowledge and passion for motorcycles in this shop. They will get my business at every opportunity.

  Richard Weedn
9 years ago
I have purchased two Ducatis from these guys. Great service, authentic shop. No BS just solid product knowledge based upon years of racing. Trevor Dunne the elder having years of racing victories and Carlin Dunne, the recent king of Pike's Peak bring real know how. What a motorcycle shop should be.

  Quintin Campbell
3 months ago
Very pleasant people with a lot of knowledge about motorcycles.

  R
8 years ago
You can tell the shop deals with very high quality and expensive bikes, and just like anything, they are a business. I think they are the best solution if you need to keep and maintain your vehicle, but it is unfortunate that they are the only ones that are truly qualified to do it in the area. That being said, I can say it's difficult to talk to them about how they break down their charges for service, which to me shouldn't be something I should worry about with a professional mechanic. I felt pressured into accepting the figure they came up with for the job they did, and they couldn't guarantee that the work would get my bike back to running condition. I was pretty amazed that they told me this at all, I've never experienced that from a dealer. It could have just been the person I spoke with, or it could be the way he was trained to handle customers, either way it felt unsettling. I like trevor, but not all of the staff. If there were other options I would go elsewhere.

  Steve Plenge
9 months ago
Just bought a Ducati Scrambler from Sam. Amazingly great experience. Great people very easy to work w and enjoyable!

  Sleep Disorder Center of Santa Maria
3 years ago
This is a real motorcycle shop/dealership. Personal service from people that actually ride Ducati's. They know there stuff and they care. Yes, its small...but intimate. You can come in, hang out, and bench race with these guys. Perfect.

  Alex Guillen
7 years ago
Excellent dealership that makes you feel right! Not only they sell motorcycles but they also follow up with weekly rides, monthly BBQ's and monthly track days which is great because it involves all aspects of motorcycle riding!!!Kudos!

  Mohamed Batarse
9 years ago
Trevor the owner is a liar and will take advantage of the costumer if your not carefull by adding labor and parts you don't need, I purchase a motorcycle there and multiple times I had to argue with him about charges on work I never authorized, also try to charge me parts and labor cover by warranty after the mechanic had told me it was no cost. And try to cover with a lie. He is rude and only wants to make a sale like a used car sales man will tell you anything to close the deal.BEWARE!!!!!! go to another DUCATI shop. I know I will even if I have to drive few hoursCarlin is a nice guy but to bad he's not the owner and is limited on what he can do to control trevor.

  Carlos Orozco
6 years ago
Carlin s superior customer service accommodated to my every request and question. This is by far the best Ducati and Vespa dealership in the area. Believe me, I own both brands.

  Cindy Nelson
6 years ago
I can't say enough about this dealership! We brought in 2 older 900SS bikes from Utah that had been sitting for several years. Thank you for getting us on the road in So Cal!!

  mike smith
6 years ago
I ve been ignored here too ready to buy a bike and the(multiple) employees rather small talk one guy and ignore a prospective buyer.Does it really take all your employees to talk to one person on a slow business day while ignoring other people in the shop on a slow business day?