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Just got my first Ducati, and need a little help...

3K views 22 replies 13 participants last post by  Mtech 
#1 · (Edited)
Forum newbie here :) I just got my first Ducati after riding Japanese bikes for the good part of the last 15 years. Its a 2010 1198s Corse with 20,600 kms. I have a few questions though,

1.) The battery voltage reads around 12.+ volts, but when i crank her from cold, she chugs 5 or 6 times like its barely able to turn over. Is this normal?

2.) My god, this thing burns my thighs! I was caught in traffic recently, and could not stand the radiating heat (temp was stable at 104 celsius), so i turned off the engine. When traffic started to move, i tried to start her, but she wouldnt crank over. Luckily the road was at an incline, so i coasted then basically bump started her on 2nd gear. Is it normal that starting while at running temp, is not so easy?

Im trying to figure out if my 2 experiences with starting is not uncommon for a Ducati, or should i be worried about my starter or battery needing to be replaced?

Thanks for any wisdom you can throw my way:)


 
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#2 ·
Congrats on the bike - I do like the paint scheme on that edition of the 1198.

Heat from the engine is quite normal on these bikes . The engine temp rises quickly when you're not moving. Having said that, if the bike is new to you then it's probably not a bad idea to check the coolant level.

As for the starting issue, these twins do need a health battery to turn them over. A voltage of around 12.5v is normal (with the engine off) but it is possible that whilst the voltage looks OK, the battery cannot supply enough current to crank properly. If the battery is more than a couple of years old then swapping that out would be a good starting point. Before changing the battery, check the voltage with the engine running (should be steady around 14.4v) as the voltage regulators on these bikes seem to be a weak spot. If the VR is suspect then change that before swapping the battery.
 
#3 ·
First thing you'll find is this bike is not happy stuck in traffic. The gas tank is small enough to make highway travel acceptable (you'll be stopping often to fill up, and stretch your body). I have found the dry clutch to be inconsistent and grabby when hot. For city riding, I'm extremely happy with my 821 Monster.
 
#4 ·
Again, congrats on the bike. 1098/1198 was a good model that changed the appearance from the 999 models the years prior. As for the battery, I completely agree with Throbbler. As for the heat, let's just say that you're going to have to get used to it on all models that are Superbike. Even when you have an after market exhaust and have it wrapped. That's one of the reasons I hate riding freeways or streets out here in So Cal. May I suggest "Track". [emoji1] and a secondary small CC bike for commuting. Enjoy the Bike. Ducati is deff another wave of enthusiast.
 
#5 ·
first things first, its a race bike so it won't be happy in traffic, etc. my 1098s gets damned hot just sitting in traffic. They like the open road. These big twins don't have a starter button, they have a "luck" button. I'm happy to report that the newer ones have a cyl decompresion valve i think. ours does not.

lovely machine.
 
#9 ·
My voltage is about 14.4v when running stationary. If I didn't wear leather pants I don't think I could stand the heat in a city commute. In the mountains would be okay. Took me a little while to get the start technique but as Mtech said open the throttle a little and it should fire every time. My battery/regulator must be pretty good because it turns quite strongly nothing weak or slow about it at all. Hitting 104 degrees in the city perfectly normal, around 84 deg whilst flying through the mountains on a hot day. Nice bike sounds normal to what I'm used to.
 
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