Ducati Monster Forum

so I haven't ridden in the rain in several years.

I don't have a real problem riding in the rain and I have ridden through some real storms in the past on my past bikes, but my biggest concern is the goddamn monster gauges.

I know I can just throw a plastic bag over them to be safe, but I am looking for firsthand experience from the 2002+ (or is it 2001+) monster riders with the electronic gauges.

How many of you ride your monsters regularly in the rain (calling you Seattle riders) without any issues with the gauges or any other electronic gremlins that may show up?

I never had any issues with mine when I had it, and it saw LOTS of rain.

I'm a moto courier and rocked my 02' 620 to 45k in SE PA weather, she'll be fine

Ran my 03 620 through its first downpour earlier this year (think boots=swimming pools) and didn't have any problems.

Ditto no problems yet with my 05 620.

Due to the tail chop my ass gets ferociously wet so I don't think about it too long before donning my rain gear.

its fine ride the bike as long as there are no cracks or breaks in the plastic of the gauges.

if youve cracked opened your gauges, chances are they dont seal anymore (that band is pretty much 1 time use if you arent super careful). i ride in the rain a lot, and my bike was in the rain for about 6+ hours today. Slept over someoens house at 2am and rode home at 8am.


I dont recommend that you ride in the rain if the guages arent sealed. Water gets in there and your LCD gets nuts, and the gauges sometimes wont read right etc. Ive had the bike not start on me and start throiwng EOAB lights or watever its called.

A simple fix is to just take the gauges apart and run a bead of caulking on it then close it. you should tape a bag of those dry silicate bags to keep it from sucking to much moisture in when the air is humid.

Sadly mine gets left out in the rain uncovered most of the time (I'm not home to cover it) and it's never had a problem.

i've never had a problem with gauges.  only issue i've ever had with the rain is that the key gets sticky the day after if i dont spray some wd-40 in the barrel to displace the water.

No problems to report so far. 

Good question.

Mine (07 S4Rs) has seen a fair bit of rain on trips that the gauges have survived - tho I'm leery of even saying that. (Compulsively grabs wooden desktop.)

Lots of grief from water getting into a connector and corroding it until it shorted. Details here (http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=42736.0) (second post from top).

I like the look of the Monster without the flyscreen but have been holding off removing it partly from the suspicion it keeps water out of the gauges. Would welcome thoughts on that one.

My Monster has seen many miles in the rain and many nights in the parking lot at work while raining.  I have never had an issue.  +1 on the sticky key cover.  WD40 fixes that right up though. 

All motocycles are designed to work in rain, so don't lose any more sleep over it.

The only issue with rain I've had is my wife's monster wass left out in the rain a few days by a local shop and the cut airbox filled, along with the carbs. Needless to say we don't go there anymore...

I've commuted almost everyday for the last two years on my '05 620, no windscreen, no cover, in Portland Oregon downpours. Never had a problem due to rain, no gauges going out, no corrosion, no sticky key (that really happens), but I do keep it overnight in my garage, so it does get a chance to dry out every night for at least 8-12 hours. Maybe that helps a bit, ahh, a bit of security in my not-so-nice part of town where things get stolen a lot. Nobody could twitch a finger inside my shop once I close the door without me knowing about it immediately. And its all wireless, so cutting power or lines has no effect.

The Doc

It almost never rains here in san diego, but when it does, I ride in it. My gauges lasted about a year and a half...probably about 6 real days of rain...before they were completely make the beast with two backsed. The immobilizer would randomly strand me, the tachometer rear 2k low and the speedometer read about 20mph high.

I only had issues with the connection for the oil temp sensor a couple of times.  Then again, my bike was routinely parked out in the rain because MrI was blocking the garage. I was also commuting on it so much I didn't feel like bothering with a cover.  :P

my bike sputters and runs like crap every time it gets rained on while parked...I suspect water is getting in the fuel tank. It eventually clears out over a few rides, once I burn off the fueal.......anyone else experience this?

I used to have problems with my 750 sputtering and stalling when riding in heavy rain.  Always seemed to be remedied by topping off the gas tank.

I've had no problems in heavy rains with my M750 (carbed) or my 900SS (FI) so far ~

JM

My bike lives outside and gets ridden year round in portland, never had an issue in the year and half ive had it.

contrary to the belief of many owners, ducatis do not melt in the rain.

ditto; yes - i suspect its the design of the non sealed gas flap and the recessed aluminum ring and the tank breather hole and rubber seal; the recess gets water in it and if it doesn't dry out or the breather isn't seating properly or you open the locking gas flap with water sitting in there guess what ...

Why didn't ducati make a sealed gas flap???

Ducati - UOM  1 free motorcycle for that technical troubleshooting on your design flaw ... (do you think Ducati designers read these posts? read english?)

 [moto]

My gauges quit lighting up when it was only a few months old. I parked near the ocean for a job and sometimes I would leave around 2am. The humidity from the marine layer was real bad. My gauges were all fogged up for a few nights before they eventually flickered and died.

Yep, Seattle here and I've missed one day of riding since last Oct. on my 2010 696.   No problems to report.   

And no, I havent done the tail chop either.    ;D

Same bike.  Rode it in the rain for a year in Seattle.  Never had any issues.

my 796 has already seen a good share of rain. and the gauges are good so far.