Funny thing happened on the way to street today... rolled the bike out of the garage, flipped out the kickstand to set it down.... and WOAH! The bolt that secures the kickstand to the motor had ejected on my last ride the night before. I'm lucky the bike didn't a) break the aluminum bracket, and b) flop on the ground like a fish. As it turned out, a quick trip to Homer got a suitable bolt... and a little Loctite.
How often do you notice a missing bolt or such? I've never really had problems with any of my other bikes, including 2 dirt bikes, losing fasteners. Is this something I need to pay attention to with a Ducati? ...or was this just an isolated experience?
This happened to me in 2010. (skip to 3:38)
Monster tail chop video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBnleaYzhwo&index=4&list=UUx6R6ZDEd9-y1eqQNxGD56A#)
This is the only time I've dropped the license plate off of my bike.
Once in 130,000 km (gear change lever shoulder bolt)
Once a loose top triple screw.
This is a problem I have more often with my two Harleys than with my two Ducatis. In fact, once I figure out where to use red Loctite on the Harleys (everywhere!) it's problem I just don't have any more at all!
Get down get funky! [thumbsup] I thought I was watching Starsky and Hutch [laugh].
My old Shovelhead and T140 Bonnie dropped lots of metal. The Monster nothing, but I grease or Loctite all the bolts I touch.
I had an old BSA that used to shed large parts, never mind bolts.
The Duc has lost nothing.
I see sidestand bolts as you've found, and the shift linkage bolts that attach the rod-ends, as the only ones that are loose with any regularity on customer bikes.