Many of the questions I get are from first-time Ducati owners. This gentleman has spent a lot of time and money trying to get rid of the clutch “rattle” on his newish Ducati. I’ve helped him out, but have also explained that a dry clutch will always make more noise than a wet clutch for obvious reasons. More of his questions follow.
LT,
What’s up with this M1100 shop manual? How come you can’t even get it in pdf form? I never saw such waste of ink and paper as in their user manual; you know, they refer you to the dealer for a chain adjustment!!!: but I will go to italy if I have to in order to get it. Not even Mercedes is this zealous with theirs! Also, what’s up with this exhaust valve? I installed the tail tidy and had to disconnect the cable and upon reconnecting it, i thought i made a little experiment and left it open all the time; the bike seems to run smoother in the low RPM’ range!!! with check engine light and all. I’m thinking they probably have to reset the computer when I bring it for the 600 mile service, and God knows what kind of verbal abuse I’m gonna be subjected to. I had seen a picture of the bike with a full termignoni system and it does not have it. It is there probably just to mitigate noise at certain RPM’s, and to annoy me, right?
Hello, the M1100 shop manual will be available in PDF soon, but it usually takes a year or so after a new model release to become available. Yes, the latest manuals refer you to the dealer for chain adjustments. You can guess why – repeated instances of owners mis-adjusting the chain tension themselves. Usually, customers will OVER tension the chain, which places increased wear on drivetrain items and added stress to the transmission. The exhaust valve is to reduce noise levels. Yes, the check engine light will come on if you disconnect it. You can only get rid of it if you install the termi system with the race ECU. Because of the new Siemens ECU, no other exhaust manufacturer has made full systems for the bike to eliminate the exhaust valve.
We had several nice rides this past weekend. I rode the 888 on Saturday to the Oasis with Brad, Daryl, and Daryl Sr. On Sunday 7 of us did a Blackwater ride. I rode the MTS1000 2-up at a sedate pace. The MTS front brakes are pulsing again even after the rotor upgrade. I never did get around to fixing it at the master cylinder.
All of the bikes are road-worthy again except for the dead battery on the GC. I need to order one this week as I’m planning an out of town excursion on her in a few weeks.
This week ‘ll also wait – for the ST4S coolant hoses to get to the silicon hose vendor, for the painter to finish my bodywork, and for a lot of backordered parts to arrive.
On another note, I’m toying with the idea of a Ducati maintenance seminar. I’ve had a few people send me emails asking for it. I’m shooting for hosting one the first Saturday in April. Registration is limited to 10 people. First come, first serve. It will be an all-day affair starting at 0900 and running until 1700. Lunch provided. $75 registration fee that includes lunch. Email me for details. Seminar will be custom-designed based on the models of bikes that attendees own.
Enjoy your week.