Changing belts and lines

[Dochunt]

I got my M796 a 2 weeks ago.
It is a 2012 with only 700 miles.
I have put 400 mile in 2 weeks on it and now I have 1100 miles on it roughly.
Even thou the bike has low miles I was wondering if I have to do any belt or line changes given the bike is 3 years old now.
Once again thanks for the education

[Dirty Duc]

Belts are recommended at 2 years.

[koko64]

It seems it is even more critical for a bike that has been sitting from what I've read and heard.

[Dochunt]

thanks, the bike has to go to the shop for chaining the bar and putting on a 14t sprocket,
I should get it all done at the same time

[jduke]

No time like the present to start working on your own bike.
Otherwise you'll need a second mortgage to afford the dealer.
Belts are really easy, seriously.
Go to YOUTUBE.COM and search for Ducatitech

[Curmudgeon]

Opinions on this will vary.  Your bike is probably 3 years old. It has the newer kevlar reinforced belts. Ducati is cautious on the time interval for warranty reasons, otherwise they say: "(1) Operation to be performed only if set distance interval is reached".

According to my dealer, the belt manufacturer warrants the belt for ten years, NOT in a Ducati of course.  Totally your call here. My dealer also mentioned that 4-valve engines were harder on belts.

If it were mine and I was going to rack up the miles to 7,500 by the end of the season, I'd wait for that as long as the bike you bought looks very clean and appears to have lived indoors.

FWIW, on my older Pantah-based engines, those belts were changed when they started throwing black dust. No mention of time in those days.  None threw a belt. Maybe I was lucky but I think not. Those were not kevlar reinforced belts either.

Ask Eraldo Ferracci what he thinks. You have the number. 

[Dochunt]

The bike is very clean.
Showroom condition when I bought it.
The guy who had it before had a bunch of other bikes and thats why he put only 700 miles in 2 years.
The bike runs great.
I think I will ask the guys at Ferraci to check it out when I take it over for the sprocket and bar change.
Thanks again guys

[Dochunt]

Checked out the youtube videos.
Good stuff.
I will have to work into it over time.

[d3vi@nt]

If you run into Hoak at Ferracci, please thank him for me --he hooked me up with a pair of exhaust hangers for my ST2. Seemed like good people 

[Dochunt]

I have only dealt with them over the phone so far, haven't had the chance to go there but I will go this weekend.
From everything I hear, they are good guys.

[Langanobob]

<snip>
FWIW, on my older Pantah-based engines, those belts were changed when they started throwing black dust. No mention of time in those days.  None threw a belt. Maybe I was lucky but I think not. Those were not kevlar reinforced belts either.

Ask Eraldo Ferracci what he thinks. You have the number. 

I had a friend with a 500cc Pantah.  He was a Ducati tech and  dealer and had a lot of bikes so this was another bike with low annual miles.  He rode it for 20 years and over 25,000 miles before changing the belts for the first time.

[Kev M]

Oh man, point of reference.

We bought a 696 new from FBF 4 years ago and a Guzzi V7 2 years ago.

Hoak and Jim seem like decent people.

Eraldo has been a complete and utter prick to us.

We gave them business on 2 bikes, and about 2 times at bat with 3 strikes each.

Things they have screwed up (some minor, but it all adds up):

1. Brought a Guzzi Big-Block to them under warranty with a complaint about pinging. They agreed to look at it, claimed it needed the valves reset (it didn't). Not only did that not fix the problem, they didn't oil the valve cover gaskets (standard practice on a Guzzi) and they baked on requiring an hour or two of gasket scraping to remove the old gasket (normally they can be reused for multiple valve-checks/years).

2. At time of purchase were unable to sell me the correct crush washers or grade of Agip (both learned only after I got the 50 miles home). Were still unable to sell me correct size crush washers on my return visit a week later to get the maintenance light reset.

3. Were pricks about me paying to reset the maintenance light on the 696 after I performed the break-in service. In the end charged me an HOUR shop time for that. I went along to get along.

4. Went to demo Guzzi V7, was the first to ride it, clutch horribly mis-adjusted (read, not bothered to set from factory). Had to pull over on side of road and fix.

5. Bought new V7 I ordered from them, same non-attention to clutch. Wanted to buy filters/washers/oil etc. at time of purchase, literally stood around the showroom for 20-30 minutes (WITH THE SALESMAN) before anyone could be found to look for filters and take our money.

6. Brought the new V7 back to them due to a cold-idle stumble problem (well documented in Guzzi community) and asked them to check with the factory scan tool to see if there was an update map (told by dealer who is friend of mine that a new map was available). Eraldo personally gave me a bullshyte song and dance that he wouldn't/couldn't do that unless I paid him to do a full service on the bike, pointed to the Ducati/Guzzi signs on the building and mumbled some horseshyte about endangering his franchise if he didn't. I wasn't asking for a handout, I was WILLING to pay shop time for the scan tool time.

Screw it, 2 outs, no need to send another batter into the box.

Just towed the wife's FOUR YEAR OLD (original timing belts, but used relatively regularly at 6800 miles) the full 80 miles (past FBF) up to Coopersburg Eurosports and will pay them $1k+ to do the work.

SCREW FBF....

Only one datapoint - use as you see fit.

[Kev M]

Aw hell, follow-up.

I was looking at some of your other posts, are you really in Monroe Twp, NJ?

If so, you're probably AS CLOSE (if not closer) to Coopersburg than you are to FBF.

Trust, me, do yourself a favor and call their service manager - Massimo (service manager) at their direct service #

610-282-9303

http://www.eurosports.net/

[Dochunt]

Thanks Kev.
I am in Monroe Twp.
All input is welcome.
This is my first non-japanese Bike so I am not used to dealing with these dealers.
I will check out the other Dealer as well.

[Kev M]

I'm down in Medford now BTW, don't be a stranger if you are down this way...