Ducati Monster Forum

I took my 2011 Ducati Monster to my local dealer to have the 14 tooth sprocket installed. While I was there I went ahead and told them to go ahead and change the oil since they had the bike in the shop. When they finished everything the tech went to take it for a test drive and the clutch would not engage. I rode the bike to the shop with no problems and to/from work the week prior. They took the clutch cover off and found out that my clutch was not fully disengaging when the lever was in its nuetral position and that my clutch lever may not have been machined correctly and was causing fluid to back up in the clutch system. I have never heard of this problem before. they said the simple remedy was to buy a new clutch lever. I have a set of rizomo break and clutch levers on the bike. Is there anyway I can modify the levers to avoid purchasing new ones or any other kind of solution you guys can think of to avoid this problem in the future?

On many levers there is an adjustment for the plunger.

I figured that much. Isn't that something the shop would know about? And I was wrong on the brand they are Ride It shorty levers not Rizomo. Where would I find the adjustment for the plunger?

Do they sell levers?  A pretty easy upsell... and then they still have the "wrong" take off to fix some crashed bike....

Which Monster do you have?  Depending on the model, the adjuster might be slightly different.  The Ride It website does not show pictures of the appropriate part of the lever... pictures would definitely help here.


This description is a little less than accurate, so if that is what they told you I'd find another shop.  The fluid isn't "backing up," it is doing what it is supposed to do... transfer energy from the lever to the clutch actuator rod through the hydraulic system that is the master/slave/hose arrangement.  If your lever is not adjusted properly it will hold the master cylinder in a "squeezed" or partially squeezed position... and hold the clutch in the disengaged or partially disengaged position.

If it didn't do it before, and now it does, then they adjusted it out of spec (through lack of knowledge or to bump up their profit margin) or otherwise boogered it. 

its a 2011 monster 796. im picking it up on saturday ill try and get more details when i pick it up. they said they fixed it but if i continue to use that clutch lever it will happen again even though i never had an issue with the clutch or lever

This sounds like bullshit to me.  I'm not sure what master cylinder you have but the bleed back adjustment is usually on the master not the lever.  Any adjustment on the lever is only for lever travel and shouldn't have any effect on the master.

Bleed back screw is in the lever on coffins.

Still doesn't explain the 'poorly machined lever' excuse for a set-up that was working until the shop got to it.

No doubt.

I emailed ride it moto and they sent me a diagram of how to adjust the screw to alleviate the problem. I pick it up tomorrow morning so we will see if that solves the problem. The parts department did happen to have "one stock clutch lever" in stock apparently. Sounds like I need to find a new shop.

(https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=4305161966179&set=a.1281731622310.40330.1800675018&type=3&src=https%3A%2F%2Ffbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net%2Fhphotos-ak-prn2%2F969648_4305161966179_411156155_n.jpg&size=640%2C872)

so according to the dealer the nut and pin is not coming out all the way when the clutch is released. i took the entire thing apart and checked under the fluid cap and nothing looked out of ordinary. put it all back together and test drove around the block. it is really hard to kick into nuetral with the bike is running but kicks into n easily as soon as i shut it off. not sure if its fully engaging or disengaging now. see photo and any tips?

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/969648_4305161966179_411156155_n.jpg)

As it's' adjusted now, it's likely not pushing the plunger (pin in the rubber) deep enough.

Try 'a few' turns in  [thumbsup]

If you want to do it properly:
http://www.ducatisuite.com/leverchange.html (http://www.ducatisuite.com/leverchange.html)
(scroll down)

+1
Having problems finding neutral with it running is usually a symptom of not fully disengaging

i cannot get it to screw in any farther than that. I will probably have to take it all a part and follow the instructions posted by stopntime. Thanks for all the help guys

I don't think the pushrod is properly seated in the screw or the piston.

That's also known to happen (been there, done that)

Theory: there's a spring on the left of the adjuster screw - it works like a set screw to prevent the adjuster from moving. Maybe you backed out the adjuster too far... letting the spring into the path of the adjuster and blocking it from it's path...  :-\

Also, maybe you need to bleed it.

Clutch bleeding is fun.

Tons of fun [evil] [bang] [bang] [thumbsup]

stopntime this is exactly what happened. now i just need to find my inner mcgyver to figure out how to move the spring out of the way to get the screw closer to the push rod

problem solved!!!! thanks to everyone for their input. no more ducati dealership

 [thumbsup]

So I apparently have discovered the REAL problem here. The clutch was fine (yes the screw needed to be pushed in a bit more closer to the pushrod) but the initial cause was the dealer barely put 2 liters of oil in the bike. I went to do an oil change on it over the weekend and I was shocked how much (or little) came out. After changing the oil and filter there was a worlds difference in response to the clutch and engine temp. Damn dealers do not have a clue what they're doing these days.

Interesting.