Howdy all :)
I'm a newb to Ducati ownership, previously came from a vtr250 v-twin.
I've got an 02 M620ie and i'm finding that when taking off and accelerating from low speed any revs under 4000 produces a large and damn uncomfortable shake in the bars. The bike does have a set of bar risers on it, perhaps that's amplifying the shake a bit?
Is this normal for a bike of this age?
The front forks are quite stiff and i'm fairly certain they need a rebuild, they don't seem to absorb a great deal of road-conditions also. Perhaps that plays a part?
Anyone god any advice?
cheers!
What's your tire pressure at? Front/Rear.
There's quite a few possible causes such as loose engine mounts, drive chain probs BUT maybe it's yer habits from the Honda 250 where you can let the clutch out at low revs and then wind up the motor.
Ducs don't have much grunt at low revs. Try taking the motor to 3,000 rpm and then let the clutch out fairly slowly without letting the revs drop. If it still shakes and judders you had better look further........
You sir are probably right! Once it's up over 3k it settles right on down..
I've already checked the engine mounts and they are torqued up to spec which is good.
The clutch seems to slip a little when cold so perhaps it needs replacing.
I think the biggest thing is the damping, I might send the shocks away to get serviced I think. It's got 40,000k's on it
The first thing that I'd do is check your clutch fluid level and bleed the system. When I first got my M750, I thought that it shook quite a lot at low RPM's and taking off, but I just figured it was normal because everyone says that those engines aren't really that happy until they're up to 3-3.5k or so. That wasn't it, though. The real issue was that the clutch fluid was low and air bubbles had gotten in the lines. I only realized that after the clutch started really acting up, though (almost impossible to get it into neutral, wanted to pull the bike a little when it was stopped and in gear). The fact that I was used to a different bike wasn't helping anything, either. Once I bled the system and added fresh fluid, the issue got much better, and once I got more used to the bike, it took off smooth as anything, and I certainly don't rev it up to anywhere near 3k when I'm letting out the clutch.
Perhaps your front forks need servicing, but that's a different issue in my opinion. If the shake that you're describing is much higher in frequency than 1-2Hz (cycles/second), I think the effects of the suspension would be negligible.
Chances are the solution is in your right wrist and the need to bend it more... aka give it more gas. Monsters/Ducs are known to judder and shake if you're too far down in the RPM band. Wind it up a bit more more before letting out the clutch and you'll probably find smoother starts.
Another thing folks commonly do is change the gearing. These bikes are usually geared tall from the factory to meet emissions. The quick and inexpensive way is to change from a 15tooth front sprocket to a 14t. About $40 and 30min of your time if you know the job. The better way is to add 3 teeth to the rear sprocket - but this will require a longer chain adding to the cost a good bit. Soooo if your chain and sprox are new, do the 14t swap. If they are old and shabby - ride 'em out and when it comes time to replace them get a larger rear sprocket and retain the 15tooth from size.
Now, the advice given about service shouldn't be ignored either. One should replace the hydraulic fluids in the brakes and clutch annually or even more often if you're in a hot or damp areas. Unless you know for sure it's been done recently I'd flush the front and rear brake as well as the clutch. A bottle or two of DOT4 4 fluid and a one man bleeder kit can be had cheep and it's an easy DIY job.
Your forks could probably stand for a new dose of oil too. Unless that's been changed up in the last two years it could stand to go. It's hard to say about suspension set ups - but having it up to date on service would give you a good base line. The suspension on a 620 is the most basic one offered, far from the greatest. Also, they are sprung for a rider around 165-170 pounds. So if you're over or under than by much it can detract from the ride a good bit. You might want to talk to a reputable shop in your area about adjustments. Another option would to buy be nicer forks, then dealing with service and adjustment on those. Forks from an M1000, S2R1000, M900, S4R (with axial calipers) and a few other donors are drop in replacements forks and offer more and easier adjustment. For instance your 620 has no external preload adjustment, those bikes do.
And while I'm on my maintenance/mod pulpet - do you know when the cam belts where last changed? if they are more than two years old they are due up for replacement.
Thanks for the replies guys! Much appreciated.
It just had it's 40,000k service, valves done, belts done and so on. I'm trying to get the full details from the dealer who sold the bike new and serviced it, see how i go in a couple of days.
I've got a couple of litres of motul dot 4 so i'll give that a run! Is there a tutorial round here somewhere for doing the brakes and clutch? i've got a fair idea having done my cars over the years but any duc specific info is always welcome.
Will also look into a fork swap out too! Though there aren't toooo many wrecked ones round here in Australia that i've seen!
The procedure on pages 37-40 in the manual linked to here (http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=55015.0) should cover your bike as well.
The Ducs just don't have much grunt below 3,500 RPM. You can trundle along down there in 1st at slow speeds, just don't try to accelerate past a tractor-trailer if there's oncoming traffic...
See if there's a difference in the symptoms going downhill vs uphill...that might differentiate between HP and other possible causes.