My '05 M1000 has 6800 miles on it. At 4800 miles it needed major warrantee work after one of my crankshafts busted (long story, some of you know, about a "friend" who "helped" me with an oil change. Ask & I'll dish the whole dirt). October of 2007 she got properly stored for 18 months. Now I'm riding as hard as ever but I have concerns. Were my valves adjusted when they cracked open the engine? What about all the other crap they do at the 6000 mile service which I have not gotten? Can I ride my baby to 12000 miles before I need another service?
-Dan
Did you get an invoice/work order/receipt for the work that was done?
Usually it's listed on there.
Hey Dan,
If the answer to the above is "no" then take it to ECS (http://www.europeancycleservices.com/) and have them take a look and most likely at least replace the belts.
Hope all is well otherwise.
~Terry
I found the original receipt. It was actually 3553 miles when my baby got broke. I dunno what the thingy is called but the joint that meets the camshaft to the piston was busted. All my receipt says is "extreme bottom end noise". I never got an itemized receipt. I suppose that was because it was all under warrantee ??? What all this means I know not. Can I assume that as they had to rebuild my engine they would've done the valves? It seems to make sense, but so did that clown who ruined my bike seem to make sense right before he trashed her.
Hiya Terry! What/where the hell is ECS?
-Dan
It sounds to me like you need new belts and that you need the valve clearances checked. Don't put off the belt change. You could end up with some serious valve issues if you snap one, and it's most likely to happen on Ducatis that have sat for a long time with belts that are more than two years old.
Quote from: Razzo Bolognese on August 11, 2009, 03:34:56 PM
What/where the hell is ECS?
They're in Middletown NY, not too far from Bear Mtn.
http://www.europeancycleservices.com/index.asp (http://www.europeancycleservices.com/index.asp)
I second taking the bike to ECS. Two years on the belts is new belt time, and, if they did not do head work the valves were not touched. Bring all your maintenance and repair records there and do whatever they recommend, like, for instance, brake fluid should be flushed every year.
I just wanna ride. :'( Can I flog on her for just one more weekend or am I being a fool? I was thinking of going to the Desmo BBQ and hitting some twisties with an old buddy this weekend. Are there any telltale signs that I'm experiencing belt problems? Should I pop the covers off an visually inspect them? She has been running hotter 'n hell lately, regularly 250's around town. Sometimes even higher. I'd assumed it was the NY summer compounded by me being a nut.
Sometimes I feel too poor & ignorant to own a Duc. At least I keep her clean! Ooh! I can clean somebody's bike if they look at mine! No? Lobster? Steak? Vodka??
BTW hi to Nick, Howie & Scott too!
-Dan
Hey, Dan! [beer]
Visual inspection of belts isn't very definitive, other than if they're hella loose or on the verge of failing.
Doesn't hurt to take the covers off and give 'em a look, make sure the tensioner rollers spin easily.
My belts
3 years 12,000 miles, open belt covers rode through rain, salted snow roads, sun. and stored for 3 months without starting. twice.
The new belts are pretty strong. you can always check them for cracks. changing them yourself isnt hard at all at all. I just did my 12,000 service on my S2R1000, same motor basically.
Valves are a bit tricky but once u understand the whole process its cake.
If you run ur bike HARD (i ride like a maniac on the streets all the time) your vlaves are going to be out of spec for sure.
Dan, the belts are supposed to be changed every two years regardless of mileage. Since changing belts is preventative maintenance I'm sure the interval is very conservative. Some folks have gone many years and miles over the interval without incident, others haven't. Unfortunately the call has to be yours. It would be a good idea to pull the covers and take a look see, but that is still not a guarantee.
Quote from: howie on August 12, 2009, 05:53:31 AM
Dan, the belts are supposed to be changed every two years regardless of mileage. Since changing belts is preventative maintenance I'm sure the interval is very conservative. Some folks have gone many years and miles over the interval without incident, others haven't.
I've discussed the cam belt issue several times with a Ducati mechanic who has seen his share of broken belts and the resulting damage. The worst possible thing for the belts is letting them sit in one position for a long time. The belts develop a hard spot where they are bent around the rollers and that's where they fail. If a bike is ridden regularly you can easily get away with three years if you haven't managed to put 12,000 miles on it. But if the bike has sat unused, it's a huge gamble.
Quote from: ScottRNelson on August 12, 2009, 06:50:14 AM
I've discussed the cam belt issue several times with a Ducati mechanic who has seen his share of broken belts and the resulting damage. The worst possible thing for the belts is letting them sit in one position for a long time. The belts develop a hard spot where they are bent around the rollers and that's where they fail. If a bike is ridden regularly you can easily get away with three years if you haven't managed to put 12,000 miles on it. But if the bike has sat unused, it's a huge gamble.
Do the belts move when the bike moves? The bike was rolled once per week to avoid flat spots on the tires.
-Dan
Quote from: Razzo Bolognese on August 12, 2009, 07:06:11 AM
Do the belts move when the bike moves? The bike was rolled once per week to avoid flat spots on the tires.
The belts move when the engine moves. If the bike had been left in top gear when it was moved, and moved without using the clutch, that would have helped with the belts.
From all that has been said, I would
strongly recommend that you get the belts changed.
if you order them from ca-cycle works today (its still 9am there right now) they will get it out today, make sure you use priority, and youll get it friday. install them in a pinch and be done with it. they are $58 per belt when i bought them.
I'll get them belts in a heartbeat! Anybody wanna help me put 'em in?
-Dan
where do u live?
Harlem, but I have a motorcycle and will travel. I'll order the belts, just in case.
-Dan
Measuring laser?!? The dude at Duc Soho says you need a measuring laser to do the belts properly...OR ELSE!!! He-Man? Comments?
-Dan
While adjusting the valves is a little invloved measuring them is pretty easy. Sometimes you don't even need new valve cover gaskets. Replace the belts, the cost of something going wrong if they snap is very high.
Scott
Ya I'm gonna play this dead center between safe and sorry. I'm gonna ride my a$$ off on Sunday, then go to ECS on Wednesday of next week. In the interim, no wheelies between each stoplight [evil]
Thanks everybody for the advice!
-Dan
lol im in brooklyn. you can ride by one night and i can swap them out for you. it'll only take about 15 mins, the only problem is, i dont have a way to lift the rear of your bike. i need to spin the rear wheel to get tdc. unless you want to put it in 6th roll foward, clutch in...roll back. clutch out roll foward. lolol
eitherway, if you ordered them today you would get them very quickly and you can have them installed very quickly. Ofcourse, tensioning them is something else.... if you want to be anal, you need a special tool. I just jam a 3mm key in there lock it tight and pull it out. call it a day.
i dont know what a measuring laser is used for. Im not a duc tech. im a duct tape tech. :p
Quote from: He Man on August 12, 2009, 03:21:39 PM
i dont know what a measuring laser is used for...
Measuring stuff I would imagine ;D I thank you for the offer but when I called Duc Soho to price the belts (81 clams each!) they threw the whole hellfire & brimstone warnings at me about not using one. I've decided that if I can't afford the maintenance on my baby I DEFINITELY can't afford a catastrophic breakdown somewhere north of East Bummake the beast with two backs. I'll just play it safe for another week.
-Dan
still dont know waht the measuring laser is for. I only know that they use an audio device to find the tension of the belts.
eitherway, offers still up if you need a hand chaning the belts. i changed mine and then went on a 1,000 mile trip. they are fine.
This is what you are looking for.
http://www.motoreva.com/item.cfm?itemid=111&categoryid=171 (http://www.motoreva.com/item.cfm?itemid=111&categoryid=171)
that and any other tools you will need for doing the belts or valve adjustment can be found at www.desmotimes.com (//http://)
So far I've purchased several tuning tools and a few parts from them, nothing but good things to say.
Quote from: extra330 on August 14, 2009, 07:54:24 AM
...that and any other tools you will need for doing the belts or valve adjustment can be found at...
[/quote
I beg to differ. There are three tools not available in any catalog that I do not possess:
1. A work area/garage
2. Experience wrenching on anything, let alone my most prized posession.
3. The confidence I'd need to even begin such a task. (#3 depends on #2, and they both depend on #1)
My neighbor has a Multistrada and he loaned me his Desmo Times repair manual. Great book! As I read it, I became even more positive that I don't have the moxie to fix my own bike. Hell, I can't even bring myself to make a decision on tire pressure!
-Dan
yep +1 for LTs manuals.
Quote from: extra330 on August 14, 2009, 07:54:24 AM
This is what you are looking for.
http://www.motoreva.com/item.cfm?itemid=111&categoryid=171 (http://www.motoreva.com/item.cfm?itemid=111&categoryid=171)
that and any other tools you will need for doing the belts or valve adjustment can be found at www.desmotimes.com (//http://) (//http://) (//http://)
So far I've purchased several tuning tools and a few parts from them, nothing but good things to say.
thats an over priced mic.
Quote from: He Man on August 14, 2009, 04:22:33 PM
thats an over priced mic.
True, but it's a nicely built stand alone unit that works very well. The same goes for Snap On tools but if you have them those will be the one you go for every time..
that would be true if you used the mic as often as you use a set of wrenches.
I suppose all them fancy tools is what I paid for. I went to European Cycle Services and did everything they told me to. My baby had a lot of little things wrong with her. I pulled the trigger on the whole 6K service. My belts were CHEWED UP and a few bearings were seized. She was DESPERATE to be put on a computer and thanks to whoever improperly installed it my blingy clutch plate cover was effed up (they sold me a garbage used one for 30 clams!) My valves did need work, my brake fluid was yucky and a host of minor problems needed addressing. She's running much better. Not four figures better, but better nonetheless Damn! Peace of mind is PRICEY!
-Dan
Some fancy tools are great, some aren't really necessary. I have TechnoResearch's VDSTS to tune my 800. Something like that is essential if you want to do the work yourself. But that much coin for a tool that I only ever use to set belt tension on a 2V? I just use a 5mm allen.
I did consider using some of the free or low cost audio software but it was more trouble to get it rolling than I cared for and I was more curious to see how it worked than serious about using it long term.
Scott
QuoteMy belts were CHEWED UP and a few bearings were seized.
At 6,000 miles? Wow. Don't know the whole story but from my armchair quarterback position it sounds like someone screwed up by getting the belts too tight, either at the factory or the 600 mile service. Seems like the cost of the belts and bearings should have been covered under warranty. But again, I don't have the whole story.
Edit: I went back and re-read page one and saw that it's an '05 so the warranty question is kind of out of the picture. But it still seems not right, and they may have screwed up the belt tension when they did the earlier warranty work on the crank. And, I know this is all water under the bridge and nothing positive to do about it now, but still...
I thought there was some type of guitar tuner you can use in place of that harmonic tool?
no?
Quote from: Langanobob on August 20, 2009, 01:17:34 PM
At 6,000 miles? Wow. Don't know the whole story but from my armchair quarterback position it sounds like someone screwed up by getting the belts too tight, either at the factory or the 600 mile service...
Exactly what Jay the mechanic said. They, like many things on my bike, were torqued WAAAY incorrectly.
-Dan
Quote from: Razzo Bolognese on August 20, 2009, 10:25:12 PM
Exactly what Jay the mechanic said. They, like many things on my bike, were torqued WAAAY incorrectly.
-Dan
Hmmm, wonder who did that. [roll]
The 5mm thing doesn't work with DS motors. It's not even close. You shouldn't guess at the belt tension.
I knew the 4v motors were picky, didn't realize the dual sparks were as well. Thanks for the clarification.
Scott