I took my 696 to the Ducati dealer and had them do the full 600 mile service with the oil, filter change, chain cleaned and adjusted, tires, fluids checked and all that good stuff.
I mentioned that I had a hard time starting my bike if I didn't use it for a day and needed to use the cold-start lever even in the current 90 degree weather.
They said they were going to do a computer check on it, but the mentioned later that the 696 has some type of "self-diagnostic" system in it and all they did was reset it. Okay...does that mean they can't adjust anything on it or find out why it isn't starting correctly?
Of course when I too my bike in, it was already warmed up, so it obviously started up right away for them.
I don't know if it would be required that I leave my bike at the dealer overnight so they can see for themselves that my bike doesn't start easily when the bike hasn't been used for a day.
What could/needs to be adjusted or checked that the Ducati techs could of done in the first place, but didn't?
To me, the engine is performing the way it should when I'm riding. I am not experiencing anything like the engine is bogging down, running on one cylinder or anything like that.
I can't say it could be anything in the starting system, because it starts up just fine after the engine had been running and warmed up.
Question is why the engine has to be so warmed up on a hot weather day in order to start easily.
I thought maybe the idle needs to be adjusted, but after the engine has been running a few minutes, it idles fine, so I don't know if it makes sense to have the idle raised.
Don't have a 696, but if your bike starts fine with using your fast idle lever, I don't see it as a problem. Even if it's 90 degrees out, the bike itself hasn't been running and hasn't been warmed up yet, so you would still need the cold start lever since your BIKE is cold, not the weather....if that makes sense. If the bike runs/idles fine then who cares if you have to use the fast idle lever. just ride the damn thing man! [thumbsup] [moto]
Your bike haven't had many miles on it yet. It is still braking in. I too have a 696 (Stock) and experience the same issue within the first 1K miles. Mine is approacking 4k at the moment and had started up just fine after the 1k mark.
Now go out there and put some miles on it..... safely [moto]
With my '08 695, I've had the same problem. I live in San Diego and if I don't use the lever my bike will die. I do notice now that I'm in the thousand plus miles I need it less and less. So as the others posted it might get better with miles.
I had similar problems when I first got my bike (for the first week or so)
I find that if I follow this procedure I have a successful start (usually one push of the start button)
1. turn on ignition
2. as the instrument panel goes through the usual start-up, I move the fast idle lever to full
3. wait about 5 seconds
4. press the engine start button (99.9% of the time starts right away)
5. adjust fast idle to about 1400 rpms (you have to experiment where the lever should be to get the 1400 rpm range)
sometimes I push the mode button down to display the rpms in numerical format
6. let engine warm up at 1400 rpm for a couple minutes or as long as it takes me to put on my helmet, sunglasses, gloves and adjust any gear
7. slowly close the fast idle - engine should be at a constant idle now
8. go for a ride
I find that this works for me - even in The Great White North, Canada
Hope this helps
By a few of the responses, it does look like the 696 starts easier after it has been broken in a little bit.
Can anyone tell me why this is? How is this different from say another model of motorcycle or engine that starts up easy right off the assembly line?
Is is a Desmodromic engine thing? Are the engine parts just too new with tight specs and the engine doesn't crank over as easily as an engine that has been used and abused a bit?
.... there is a dirty joke in there somewhere, but I won't go there... ;)