umm oh there it is .....

err... hello.....again

OK straight back in with the questions

I am putting my 748 back on the road in the next month.
since the EOSM 2003 it has done ooh about 6 miles. It's been garaged all
the time. It's last service then was about April 2003, in the period
from April to the EOSM it did about 600miles.

Basically it will need an MOT (no problems there) but I am wondering
about a service.

I can only just about afford to put it back on the road and maybe have a
w/end run one or so a month.

Servicing myself (stop sniggering) is something I am not really willing
to do.

Should I just not bother about a service or have a basic oil/plugs and
check over done? (which should cost in the region of?)


Oh and just in case I didn't make it clear - I have just enough to
tax/insure it.

I want to keep the costs down as much as possible.

(oh and hello to AndrewR - your help was appreciated muchly)

 

Hi Colin.

Lots, because getting the fairing off and back on a 748 is a pain in the
arse. 606 miles is **** all. Just Ride The Bloody Thing.

Sell it and get a cheaper to maintain bike that uses less fuel. Then you'll
be able to afford to ride three times a month instead of once.

 

I'd change the oil at least. Someone once told me that you need to be
a bit anal about servicing Ducatis or it gets expensive.

SWK will be along soon.

 

I'm still in this shithole of a world is about as good as it can be
described.

Seriously need a job and some money and some other stuff too.

nah this was way way earlier this year

 

well It did go through my mind, but I decided against that as it is all
paid for etc. and tax/insurance isn't that much, I like the bike etc.

 

I think If I had your attitude (meant nicely), the last year would not
have gotten to me so much.

I'm not going to let the cunts stop me from having a life. Thats why I
want the bike back on the road.

I know nothing about them.

 

Good. Keep in touch.

 

Service it - no questions at all.

The belts should be replaced every 12K miles OR 2 years.
The yearly bit is because the run of the belts is very tight
and leaving it standing for any long period of time will mean
that the belts harden around the tightest part. Start it up
and chances are you'll jump some teeth and you *really* don't
want that to happen.

Don't worry, it's not an easy job, requires a few specialist
tools and the cambelt tension is not something you want to guess.

Unfortunately the cost of a full service including belts is
in the region of 4-500 quid all in. It's not the cost of the
belts as they're only 22 quid each, but the 4+ hours of labour
it takes to fit and then another 4+ for the rest of the service.

There's no need for a full service unless you're really anal.
This would change all the fluids (oil, water, brake, clutch,
fork oil) and give the bike a real going over. A minor service
may be enough but you've hit the 2-year limit and was it a
full service last time? It could have been 4 years since your
brake fluid was last changed.

Depending on where in the country you are, there are plenty
of really good recommended unofficial Ducati service places
which charge about half the superstore rate and probably do
a better job. Remember that your average UJM servicing place
will either not touch it or not have a clue what they're
doing anyway.

Having a bike like a Ducati and then scrimping on servicing is
false economy. Pay the service bill or you may be either writing
off the bike or buying a new engine, and that's not cheap.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news!

 

Modern?!? The racebike is a 1997 FFS! That's not modern!

;-)

 

oh it has'nt just sat in the garage, it's been turned over and ran very
few weeks. also, its a 2001 bike and the April 2003 service was about
that price...in fact......

got the "invoice/work" schedule here:-

11/4/03 - cam belts,fuel/oil filter,shim,nut,spark plugs, brake fluid,
air filters, coolant, decal (injection/ecu under seat - don't know what
they did) and new tyre (puncture)

total 612 inc. vat

So I would say that was big service, but do you really think it needs
doing again after only 600 miles?

I know what you mean, and If I were working it would have the care it
deserves but I'm not and need to keep the costs to a minimum.

 

Service intervals are 12 Miles OR 2 years.

It's your gamble!

 

antonye says...

And they say Kawasakis have short service intervals

 

Col. Don't take advice from people without bikes.

 

Heh.

I'd say if Colin has turned it over every few weeks, and only done 606 miles
since the cam belts were replaced, he could easy put another 10k miles on the
bike without worrying. Change the oil after another 500 miles though as it
may have a bit of condensation buildup

 

You might get away with that on a decent Jap bike - not on an Italian
one.

 

ISTR HONDA vfr's having cam drive 'issues' not so long back.

FWIW I liked the old desmo Ducati engines. Quality valve control.

I don't suppose the belts in a ducati are any different to the belts in a
japper though.

 

Not really, only the crank sprocket/pulley is quite small and the belts
have to turn through quite a tight bend. I think if you had a DOHC Jap
sports bike with belt drive to the cams, then they'd need frequent
replacement too.

 

tallbloke wrote

Not so long back and stretching into the distant past.

Prolly all made by the same firm in Nuneaton/China anyway.

 

A mere wink of an eye for you and me Steve.