I'm off for a ride at lunchtime today, and there's a nice hairpin bend just near home, I always crank it up and then go in hot hard on the brake and downshift.
Except today, when I downshift and the bike revs sky high and takes off.
quick thinking I clutch in, and almost lock up the front, as I emergency stop the bike. It's still bouncing off the limiter and I kill the engine.
Now feeling a bit concerned I run through the full throttle opening range and i feel it catch again, but it immediately springs shut when I release.
Gingerly I crank it over again and ride the last km home. on the straight before home I rip it open again, this time prepared - just to see if it happens again.
sure enough, it sticks. immediately clutch in and on the brakes while I wrestle with the throttle grip, and it snaps shut again.
putt home the last 200m on low throttle, and park it.
The cable has frayed at the throttle body, just on the edge of the cable sheath where it screws into the holder on the side of the TB.
damn. [bang]
I just checked this only 4 days ago. it was fine.
Starting to think I should stop looking at the bike, because everything I look at becomes a problem a few days later.
might have to call this bike Christine…
Is there a better alternative to the standard S4 throttle? it's a single cable, not like the old thomaselli ones i'm used to.
did wifey just take a life insurance policy out on you?
sleep with one eye open dude :o
Scary...
Quote from: scaramanga on February 27, 2013, 01:48:03 PM
did wifey just take a life insurance policy out on you?
sleep with one eye open dude :o
haha. I'm not sure. She does watch the Crime & investigation channel A LOT… [roll]
I've not seen any frayed cables on that family of throttles.
Likely got kinked during a service.
Replace with new and carry on.
well It looks like I'll be off the road for a while until a new cable arrives from ITALY, because the part is not available in stock here. Not even a second hand one.
Not at all uncommon that a part needs to come from Italy. Ducati used to maintain decent inventory of many parts in the USA, but they changed their strategy a few years ago and now it seems most things need to make the journey. In my experience parts get to the USA pretty efficiently, but some of that depends on the dealer you use, etc. Just be glad this is not the month of AUGUST when everything seems to grind to a halt!
BK
Faced with the fact that I could possibly be stuck without a bike to ride, I decided to take some measures to alleviate the potential issue by going to see a guy who manufactures throttle cables among other types.
WHen he saw the cable I offered up he took one look at it and said.. oh it just needs a new inner, nothing wrong with the rest of it--
he goes and gets a cable and gives me an inner. Tells me that all ducati cables have a smaller cylinder on the end and that I should grind the end with a dremel.
well, the cable is much better quality than the ducati part, so I'll silver solder the end on and see how we go… at least until a new throttle assembly arrives.
While I was at the dealer this afternoon, I had a look at all the 695's and noted the cable and assembly is exactly the same.
Now, I'm not being facetious, but you would think that as the parts are absolutely identical, and that the monster has been in injected form for over 10 years that the main importer would carry stock….. well you would be forgiven for thinking so. but no.
alas. the wait begins.
i would prob order it from the usa and have it in a few days
over a long wait for the boat to come from italy to aus
Aus not USA - yeah, that probably makes a difference!
BK
So I spent most of the day (well from about 1pm till 6pm) out on the bike after a bit of fiddly work making a new throttle cable.
When I inspected the old cable, I was amazed and shocked to find that it was badly kinked at both ends where the cable sheath stops AND the cable was severely frayed at the lower end (TB end). It was not noticeable until the cable was actually removed from the bike and the cable was pulled through to the stop on each end, and then the frayed cable was easily seen.
The new cable is far better quality after close examination of the original. More wires, better twist and slightly thicker. After removing the throttle body end and drilling the cable remnant out, The new cable was threaded through and checked for length and any binding.
I had cleaned and lubed the cable outer, and plenty of zinc grease was run on the new cable before assembly and soldering the end on.
refit and check the play and adjustment, and voila. fixed. No need for a new cable - well probably not for another 10 years anyway.
And bugger me the difference was astounding. It was very strange to have only a slightly firm and smooth throttle, after riding this bike for about 4 months and wondering why the throttle felt 'elastic'.
Keep the old cable for evidence.
I'm telling you its gonna be exhibit "A" at your divorce hearing!
sleep with one eye open dude
LOL, I always keep 'the evidence'.
btw love the av.
I always liked Scaramanga, He was one of the cool Bond Villians. So much more entertaining than Blofeld. [popcorn]
tres cool.
i'm a big fan of the oldies but i must admit daniel craig is doing a great job
cheers