"Lower Maintenance" on Ducatis?

[Rogue]

Get outta here!  Seriously, I do prefer Aprilia over Ducati with or without the conceited Ducait owners.  

[burnergold2B]

 with or without the conceited Ducait owners.  

Bahh, you're just jealous you never had any style!?  

[atadaskew]

Get outta here!  Seriously, I do prefer Aprilia over Ducati with or without the conceited Ducait owners.  

No you don't.

[prince_ruben]

I read a few posts and....

I think the valve service schedule for Ducati desmodromic valve train is over exaggerated. I've owned 2 Ducatis'; both averaging 10k miles/year.
I've performed valve checks on two bikes covering a total of 39k miles and once each the valves were out of spec.

Another interesting point is that I recently took valve clearance measurements, found they were out of "Ducatis' spec" and dropped it off at a dealer (withholding that I took measurements AND triple checked). They returned the bike to me and told me the valves were within spec! I asked what the valve clearances were and he couldn't remember!

I've also accumulated 20k miles on an timing belts and replaced them only because they had signs of wear. In the end, It'd be wise to learn to service your motorcycle yourself. Become familiar with your bike so you don't have to run to a dealer when little things happen. Besides, learning things yourself increases confidence and instills within one that your personal time is worth the $90/hour some shops bill.

Besides, you need to save your dough for all the interesting aftermarket bits available!

R.



"check" valves

[ZED]

Some good points, but the moral of that story is you took it to a crappy dealer that wasn't ethical.  Either that or your mechanical skills aren't what you think they are, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt as many dealers have really crappy service departments. 

I don't actually subscribe to a particular interval for a number of things.  It's all about how the bike is running.  I also have a really good dealer which I trust, so when it's not running right, it goes in.  When it comes back, it's exactly how it should be.

Now, we do have a fleet of 7 motorcycles plus other antiques so any maintenance that we can have someone else reliably do is a bonus!


Welcome aboard by the way.  What color is your monster?  I really like the tri-color ones.  My wife's is silver, but it's getting changed soon.

[prince_ruben]

Some good points, but the moral of that story is you took it to a crappy dealer that wasn't ethical.  Either that or your mechanical skills aren't what you think they are, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt as many dealers have really crappy service departments. 

I don't actually subscribe to a particular interval for a number of things.  It's all about how the bike is running.  I also have a really good dealer which I trust, so when it's not running right, it goes in.  When it comes back, it's exactly how it should be.

Now, we do have a fleet of 7 motorcycles plus other antiques so any maintenance that we can have someone else reliably do is a bonus!


Welcome aboard by the way.  What color is your monster?  I really like the tri-color ones.  My wife's is silver, but it's getting changed soon.

I'm not buying into the "scheduled" maintenance any longer either.
Here's my S4. Modified to hell and still under construction.

[canyonchaser]

I don't actually subscribe to a particular interval for a number of things.  It's all about how the bike is running.  I also have a really good dealer which I trust, so when it's not running right, it goes in.  When it comes back, it's exactly how it should be.

When it comes to valve adjustments thats playing with fire.  Even when out of "spec" they'll run fine, for quite some time even. But when valves are tight, they are not closing all the way, allowing hot gasses/exploding fuel past the valve - eroding the valve seat and damaging the valve seal.  The longer the valve is left tight, the more irreparable damage you are doing to your head.

I've seen a Ducati that went over 50k miles without a single bit of maintenance - he only brought it in because one of the belts broke. The bike still ran fine, but I can't imagine it would have for much longer.  The valve seats and valve face was most completely eroded away and its amazing that the valve guide seals were sealing as well as they were.

dp

[ZED]

I was meaning to imply that just because they say you can go x before such and such servicing, doesn't mean you should.  Maybe I wasn't obvious enough.  Sorry for the confusion

Just because my WRX has valve check intervals of 26,000miles doesn't mean I'm going to wait that long.  My Ducati tends to go in about every 10,000km or so.  Does it need it then?  Yes it does, I can feel the differences.  Do I know when the valves or doohickey are out on my KLR?  Yes I do and the adjustment makes a difference.  My Z1000 is in with an independent mechanic that I trust (I'm too busy to deal with it myself right at the moment).  I expect that I have a tight exhaust valve.

If you listen your machinery, you can come to learn their language.  They will tell you what is happening.  It comes in the form of noise, feel, temperament, exhaust, milage, etc.  That is why I think it is best in general to do ones own maintenance such as valve checks.  It helps learn the language.  As John Muir said; "Come kindly to terms with your ass, for it bears you.  However, if a person has no feel for the machine, or patience to learn it, then a person should likely take it in somewhere very often.  If a person can't 'hear' what the machine is telling them, then they will have no warning and issues can certainly creep up before their 'scheduled' maintenance interval.

[prince_ruben]

If you listen your machinery, you can come to learn their language.  They will tell you what is happening.  It comes in the form of noise, feel, temperament, exhaust, milage, etc.  That is why I think it is best in general to do ones own maintenance such as valve checks.  

+1