Monday 30 June 2008

The advantage of a Ducati dry clutch, even with clatter noise

Last week on the way home, I started to hear noises from my clutch area. If you have heard a Ducati close up. This is not unusual, but for me the noise was slightly mechanical when pulling the lever in. A few more miles and the bike jumped unusually. The clutch lever became locked and I could not use the clutch.
I pulled up at the side of the road. Took out my tool kit and started to investigate. I took off the side fairing, 6 dzuzs pins, 5 allen screws to show the clutch cover.
In one way it is a advantage, with all the bikes I have owned if there is a problem with the clutch it means you are stranded. Although in my history of bikes it has only been slipping plates.
As I pulled the parts off I could see the issue. The 6 allen bolts holding the springs on the retaining plate removed. The clutch centre nut had loosened. This had caused the clutch plates to work their way out of the clutch basket.
As I hand tightened the clutch nut. Put all the parts together, I made my way home.

A visit to Pats in Herne Hill after checking the torque value from the Ducati manual. 180 to 190 nms with loctite. The whole job probably took 30 mins and with the nut at the correct torque and with plenty of loctite. I look forward to hearing only the clatter of the dry clutch, not the clutch lever refusing to dis-engage.

Vinny

Wednesday 4 June 2008


Its fixed now, i have had a new stator fitted at Pats viking motorcycles. O208 671 9915. The voltage at the battery is now around 13 volts. That's higher than its ever been since i owned the bike. I know now there is very little chance that the battery will loose its charge now.

Vinny