Throttle jerks like ON and OFF

[Orangettes]

I have owned 2 Ducati (996&Monster S2r1000) since 2001 and both of them are jerky when opening/closing the throttle.  No matter how careful or how smooth I tried, the engine response KICKS (not smooth) like switching a button to ON.  Vice-versa on closing the throttle.   I have improved this issue by tightening the chain and the throttle cable but I am not happy with they way it still jerks.  I have better experiences with other twins or 4 bangers compare to Ducati in general.     

Does any of you have a good solution or fix tip?  Many thanks!   

[ducpainter]

I have owned 2 Ducati (996&Monster S2r1000) since 2001 and both of them are jerky when opening/closing the throttle.  No matter how careful or how smooth I tried, the engine response KICKS (not smooth) like switching a button to ON.  Vice-versa on closing the throttle.   I have improved this issue by tightening the chain and the throttle cable but I am not happy with they way it still jerks.  I have better experiences with other twins or 4 bangers compare to Ducati in general.     

Does any of you have a good solution or fix tip?  Many thanks!   

What rpms do you usually run at?

You might try a gear higher.

[Orangettes]

I agreed, higher gear with lower torque.  The kick is less significant but still exist, but sometimes the RPM gets too low and the bike start to shake.  I have aftermarket exhaust, weakening the torque in lower RPM.  I found the stock setting is actually most ride-able setting but I sold the stock pipe already and I am a believer of loud pipe save lives. 

So, ducpainter you have experienced the ON and OFF engine response as well right? 

[Howie]

Over the internet, knowing if what you are experiencing is normal or not is difficult, but first I would check for any throttle binding and I would check base settings, particularly TPS.

[ducpainter]

I agreed, higher gear with lower torque.  The kick is less significant but still exist, but sometimes the RPM gets too low and the bike start to shake.  I have aftermarket exhaust, weakening the torque in lower RPM.  I found the stock setting is actually most ride-able setting but I sold the stock pipe already and I am a believer of loud pipe save lives. 

So, ducpainter you have experienced the ON and OFF engine response as well right? 

I wouldn't describe it as on/off, plus my street bike is carburated...

the bike is just so much less nervous in the 4K rpm range as opposed to say 6-7K.

All throttle inputs are just smoother.

[mihama01]

For what it is worth both my M1000 and my S4Rs had that on/off throttle kind of feeling. This is just my personal experience.

For my M1000 (this was a few years ago) I spoke to the garage and they said if they richen up the mixture it will soften the power and reduce the on/off sensation.

The computerized S4Rs is more difficult, I tend to try to ride around the issue, by never actually closing the throttle completely. Its biggest impact is when opening the throttle exiting a corner, the power comes on with a bang, so now I hold higer revs (Say 5000) around the corner on a neutral (trailing?) throttle, (not closed) and then it picks real smooth as I gradually open the throttle. Since power can be applied and removed smoothly, it also gives you a method to control speed mid corner if you need to change lines.

If I tried using low revs? well pickup is slow and the bike feels like it is going to shake itself apart, also I had no way of reducing speed mid corner, without running out of revs and needing to change gear.

I find it ironic that a low reving twin needed to be reved like a four!
 

[Jetbrett]

My M695 was the same.  I just assumed that it was my technique that was bad until I installed Termi's, air box, and most importantly the ECU.  I immediately noticed a huge improvement rolling the throttle on and off.   

[Orangettes]

any ECU for S2r1000 yet?  I would love to try.

[mihama01]

So getting the Ducati Performance muffler & ECU fixed the on/off throttle response.

Can anyone here tell me if it does the same for the S4Rs?

[professor_pro]

So getting the Ducati Performance muffler & ECU fixed the on/off throttle response.

Can anyone here tell me if it does the same for the S4Rs?

It much alleviated (but not totally cured) the transition between closed & cracked open throttle for my 08 S4Rs. It's definitely like 90% better now, and I don't have to worry about dumping it in a slow turn because my hand moved an extra .00001mm. I felt it made the bike much more realistically ride-able in traffic/low speeds. I'd have to say it's a 'must do' for full enjoyment.

[Oldfisti]

Camshaft timing also plays a factor. My S4R for example was also real twitchy with the throttle like that. Amongst other things I retarded the intake cams 6deg or so. It moved the powerband up a bit higher and contributed to smoothing the low end throttle inputs.

[topangster]

Orangettes:

I installed a RapidBike 02 Emulator on my 2008 s2r 1K, and it made a pretty significant difference on the jerky on/off throttle issue (I hate that, btw!)  It's not perfect, but it's a helluva lot better than it was stock.  The RB 02 Emulator may or may not still be available (I think Desmoworks might sell them -- around $250.) 

There's also a new product which I haven't tried but have heard good things about on the board called the Fat Duc 02 Manipulator.  It costs $90 and comes with a 30 day money-back guarantee, so that might be a good bet.  Everyone who has tried it appears to be very impressed with the results.  It basically does the same thing as the RB unit, it tricks the ECU into believing that the 02 sensor is telling it to richen the mixture.  That helps with the overly lean condition the 02 sensor/closed loop system causes on the new bikes.

I've since installed a Spark mid pipe and a pair of cored cans on my bike, and it runs AWESOME.  I wouldn't say it's perfect, I'd still like it to be even smoother, but the improvement from stock has been really dramatic.

[Orangettes]

I will give that Fat Duc 02 Manipulator a try!!  thanks!!

Orangettes:

I installed a RapidBike 02 Emulator on my 2008 s2r 1K, and it made a pretty significant difference on the jerky on/off throttle issue (I hate that, btw!)  It's not perfect, but it's a helluva lot better than it was stock.  The RB 02 Emulator may or may not still be available (I think Desmoworks might sell them -- around $250.) 

There's also a new product which I haven't tried but have heard good things about on the board called the Fat Duc 02 Manipulator.  It costs $90 and comes with a 30 day money-back guarantee, so that might be a good bet.  Everyone who has tried it appears to be very impressed with the results.  It basically does the same thing as the RB unit, it tricks the ECU into believing that the 02 sensor is telling it to richen the mixture.  That helps with the overly lean condition the 02 sensor/closed loop system causes on the new bikes.

I've since installed a Spark mid pipe and a pair of cored cans on my bike, and it runs AWESOME.  I wouldn't say it's perfect, I'd still like it to be even smoother, but the improvement from stock has been really dramatic.

[hypurone]

So getting the Ducati Performance muffler & ECU fixed the on/off throttle response.

Can anyone here tell me if it does the same for the S4Rs?

The installation of the Full 50mm Termi system (w/ ECU & open airbox) put the bike at 90% for me. The on/off throttle is def tied to A/F mixture. Lean bikes are very "nervous" and unhappy (at least mine was). I got the last 10% by installing a PCIII and having some dyno work done. We went with a 13:1 A/F mix which is perfect for mid/high but a little fat on the low end. I made a faceplate adjustment of one bar (down/lean) and is now perfect for me.

I just ran a trackday on the 27th and it was absolutely flawless. I was able to pick up the throttle early and hard and even get away with the occasional hamfisting of it while engineering a "pass" out of said corner... All w/o the abrupt "hit" you refer to and that my bike was once exhibited.

Do it, it will transform the bike! 

[Orangettes]

I just found out PC5 with auto-tune is coming next year!!  It could be a good fix for this issue.