Ducati introduced its entry-level Scrambler motorcycle in 2015. Ten years on, these bikes are popping up used on Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist at unbelievably low prices. But budget-minded buyers who order an affordable Italian motorcycle to go may soon be crying “Mamma mia!” Like many Ducatis, the Scrambler requires a valve service every 7,500 miles that some dealerships charge $1,300-$2,000 for. Turns out you can’t eat Carbone at Olive Garden prices after all.

How much will you pay for a Ducati Scrambler valve adjustment?

One Scrambler owner took to the Reddit Ducati forum with exactly this concern. He’d picked up a used Scrambler, but bought it at the dealership. So imagine his surprise when he brought it in for a 7,500-mile service and was quoted $1,300. And it gets worse. “Was expecting ~$600-$700, as this was the range the dealer and I discussed when I got her, about 2 years ago.”

You know what rude Italian waiters say. If you must ask what “market price” is, you probably can’t afford it.

A bunch of Ducati Scrambler riders weighed in. One said, “Desmo gonna cost me $2k here in LA. I’d take $1300 in a heartbeat.” Another added, “I paid $1400 but I used to live in San Francisco…” A third commenter said, “Mine was 1800…” At these prices, Ducati dealerships should throw in a bottle of Chianti and a violinist.

Not everyone had the same experience. One rider said, “I was quoted $6-800 max for a full 15k desmo service.” Perhaps this Scrambler rider found a good private mechanic who doesn’t charge Ducati dealership prices. But even $750 every 7,500 miles means you’ll pay 10 cents for every mile you ride your Scrambler–just for valve adjustments. That doesn’t include other services/parts.

The consensus seemed to be: if you want to save a lot of money, you must do the work yourself. But like attempting homemade Cacio e Pepe, it’s not for the faint of heart.

“Air cooled ducati 2v valve adjustments aren’t that bad if you are mechanically inclined. There are Ducati specialty tool and shim kit rental companies and tons of support information available. The first time i did my Monster, i was beyond frustrated. I learned alot, and now I have done 4 or 5 valve adjustments on my bike and a friend’s bike in an afternoon.”

Why are Ducati desmo valve adjustments so expensive?

One of Ducati’s signature technologies is the “desmodromic” valve. While most motors rely on a spring to snap each cylinder’s valves shut, Ducati’s camshaft forces the valves open and closed again. You might call this stiffer system… al dente. When Ducati rolled out the system in 1956, it really was the only way to create a reliable, high-revving engine.

Today, valve springs have come a long way. They rarely break. And automakers can design them to snap a valve shut reliably at 15,000 RPM. Ducati riders all have their own opinions on how much “desmo valves” do or don’t improve modern performance. But everyone agrees they’re expensive to maintain. Some more expensive Ducati engines are designed to have longer service intervals and require valve adjustments much less often. But not the Scrambler.

Turns out that cheap Ducati comes with a spicy meat-a-ball of a service bill. See how Ducati’s “desmo valves” work in the video embedded below: