[monoog]

Looking for some past experience. My tricolor would not start today as I was preparing to put it indoors for winter. After hitting the start, the engine was turning but did not catch. I tried a few more times and now it stops it's attempt to start very quickly. Two questions: 1 - If the battery is going, is that what happens on the 1098? It just stops trying to catch, and 2 - Never had any problems with this bike, could it be the cold that stopped it from starting? About -4 celcius or 25 Far. It started fine last week.

What do you all think?

monoog

 

[mrinflux]

battery woes

My tricolor would not start today. After hitting the start, the engine was turning but did not catch. I tried a few more times and now it stops its attempt to start very quickly. What do you all think?

Monoog,

I think your battery is weak. Do you keep your bike on a battery tender?

Elton

 

[von1098]

Open the throttle.

Monoog,

I think your battery is weak. Do you keep your bike on a battery tender?

Elton

I'll take this Elton.

Open up the throttle while attempting to start the engine, bc it's a :freezing:cold start. Once it turns over get your hand off the throttle.

I don't think it has to do with the battery bc the engine was turning.

 

[Allan Gibbs]

I'll take this Elton.

Open up the throttle while attempting to start the engine, bc it's a :freezing:cold start. Once it turns over get your hand off the throttle.

I don't think it has to do with the battery bc the engine was turning.

That's what I've been doing every morning to start my 1098 otherwise, it's just turning and turning. It's about 37 to 42 degrees in Glendale, CA.

 

[monoog]

Tried it again with the throttle open and I think it is the battery now. The engine isn't turning now, did not have it on a tender and it has been awhile in this cold. Will charge and try again tomorrow.

cheers

 

[mrinflux]

battery tender

The engine isn't turning now, did not have it on a tender and it has been awhile in this cold.

monoog,

Lots of people don't want to believe it, but Ducatis, (even brand new Ducatis!), need to be on battery tenders all the time! That's why so many dealers deliver them with a battery tender jack already wired in. Buy yourself a battery tender and you'll be good to go.

Elton

 

[monoog]

Thanks

I am looking for one as we speak. I think perhaps it was a combination of both suggestions I got for this problem. She might have started with the open throttle idea the first pop, but you could tell it lost juice fast after a few tries. There is almost nothing there now. I'm pulling her inside tomorrow so I'll charge and warm her up then.

The Ducati is so different than any other bike I've had. It was hard to tell at first it was losing juice.

Thanks for the help guys.

cheers

 

[mwlhrh]

I second the battery tender suggestion...before I received my tender, as it cooled in the fall, my 1098 would struggle to start and even before pressing the starter, the voltmeter would be down to 11.4-11.6, even if I had ridden the day before. Since I have used the battery tender, it starts with ease and the voltmeter reads 12.2v. The battery tender is a must have for ducatis in cold/cool places.

rob

 

[Jet]

I wouldn't say mine starts with ease even with the tender but I have learned to never leave it without being hooked up, especially in cold weather. Get the battery tender and keep it on it anytime you aren't riding.

Jet

 

[monoog]

Thanks again guys for the feedback

It was pretty cold here, and hadn't been started for a bit. I'm sure that's all it is.

cheers to all

 

[ducatidave]

I dont think it is the battery actually. The battery may be low, but the main thing that causes that - is the bad starter. What you describe happened to me - while I stopped the bike after a 30 minute ride. Tried to start a few minutes later and got exactly what you describe.

The issue is that early model '07s had a different starter. Have the dealer check your VIN number - you may be eligible for the upgraded starter.

-d

 

[jamilsiddique]

Hi All, Interesting thread. I live in Singapore where it's about - degrees centigrade on a daily basis. So no issues ref cold. However I have had sometimes an issue with the bike similar to described by Monoog. Hit the starter, crank turns very slowly upto 3 or 4 times then catches and starts. It's really strange but eventually never fails to start. I kind of got used to it and thought it's normal. Even if the engine is hot sometimes it does this but other times fires up immediately. I never have used throttle to start her up.

So do you reckon I should keep a battery tender also considering i live in a hot country. never heard of this before but I think I get the idea of what it should do.

 

[jamilsiddique]

Ahh what a plonker I am, it was supposed to say 28-35 degrees centigrade on a daily basis.
Cheers

 

[FirstDuc-1098]

heat will degrade a battery charge as bad as cold.

 

[jamilsiddique]

Will it really, I never heard that before. And perhaps you are right cos my mate with the Harley also has a monster S1000 and a 900SS and the SS keeps losing it's charge. no matter, I'll be interested to see what anyone else has to say and in the meantime look for a tender

cheers

 

[mrinflux]

Battery maintenance

Do you reckon I should keep a battery tender also considering I live in a hot country?

Jamil,

Yes! All Ducs need to be on battery tenders, regardless of where you live. It's part of the, "Ducati experience," (along with the foggy lens!). Lots of Ducati newbies have been on here all summer saying, "My bike is brand new, it starts just fine, I don't need a battery tender!" They'll learn the hard way.

A battery tender costs so little and does so much. Why not err on the side of caution?

Elton

 

[panman]

Mine has been sitting for 3 weeks and I decided to put a tender on it this weekend. It showed a full charge so I put the tender back in the cabinet.

I did have to put it on the VROD for 45 min to get it bacxk to full.

 

[mrinflux]

Cabezon

Mine has been sitting for 3 weeks and I decided to put a tender on it this weekend. It showed a full charge so I put the tender back in the cabinet.

Jamil,

Panman is one of those stubburn Ducati newbies I was referring to. That's alright. He has a history of this. (Ask him about his exhaust!) I predict that when he buys that new battery he'll be needing in the not-to-distant future, he'll be taking the battery tender out of the cabinet.

An electrical engineer once explained to me why it is that discharging a battery, even once, does irreparable harm to the battery. After even only one discharge, a battery is incapable of taking a full charge. I lack the knowledge to intelligently repeat his explanation, but it made perfect sense to me. Something about electrodes sticking to lead plates. Anyway, the point is, you need to keep a battery tender on your battery to keep it fully charged rather than using it to recharge a partially depleted, (an irreparably damaged), battery.

Elton

Panman,

How's tricks? You staying warm up there in New England? Have a great Holiday and stay warm, my fellow Ducatista!

Elton

 

[panman]

Elton,

You are again correct, however if the design is good it won't need full Termi's to prevent stalling and I think that with the stock ecu that may be the case. I still question the slip-on ecu at this point since mine still stalled with the latest update.

BTW; every time you start the motor you discharge the battery and it has to be recharged by riding or a tender. If you don't let it get very low between cycles it is about the same. Which is at least longer than (3) weeks. I heard the same thing on the VROD forum and never used a tender and my battery lasted (5) years.

If I were going to let it discharge for more than a month and couldn't bring it back to full charge periodically I would definitely leave the tender on all the time.

 

[monoog]

This has become an interesting thread. I will charge battery today and store the bike in a warm spot. If it starts after that, we'll know what it is. The starter issue is interesting because it has always seemed to struggle to start and I took it as normal.

This winter I'll be able to deal with all of this and get a handle on it.

cheers