So I just bought a 2007 Ducati 1098S. I've only previously owned a 2-stroke 125cc Cagiva, so I'm pretty sure I'm going to get killed, but before that I'd like my bike to be mechanically sound. I've alwayst lusted over Italian bikes and that's probably why I bought the Gagiva Mito '916 look-a-like' as a teenager. I had been looking at early MV Agusta F4s, but the 1098S was just so much more bike for the money. So I booked a ferry to Estonia and bought one from a Ducati dealership in Tallinn and had it shipped to Helsinki where I live. As soon as I saw it live, I knew I had to buy it. I tried to haggle, but I'm pretty sure the once the sales rep saw the excitement on my face he knew I was done for. Still think I got a pretty good deal out of it. It had been sold new in Italy, then spent most of it's life with one owner in Tallinn and now it's with me. It's got 18000 km on the clock and has a "full service manual", which in my case meant that the dealership didn't actually have the manual, but just got some manual they had lying around and plastered it with stamps trying to please me. Since I heard that it's better to assume that a used bike has never seen serviced rather than to trust the seller, I've decided that I will do the 24k km/15k mile service before the spring. I'm hopefully keeping this bike until I'm an old man (23 at the moment) so I thought it's better to learn how to maintain it myself rather than letting some else to do it. My 24000km/15000mile checklist: -Engine oil and filter (duh...) I bought a gallon of Shell Advance Ultra 10w-40, since that is what the pirated 1098 workshop manual tells me to use. Seems like the viscosity is a highly debated subject, but I think the cooler climate will like the runnier stuff as opposed to 15w-50. Then I bought a HiFlo Filtro 153 oil filter - some say it's crap, some say it's good. I guess I'll find out. I also got a 10€ strap type wrench, since I wasn't sure if my current filter had a hex top nut or not. -Check the engine oil pressure Uhhh... How is this done? No flashing lights on the dash=great pressure? -Check and adjust valve clearances I've been reading on this, watching videos and following how-to-do's, but nobody does it in the same way as they do in the manual? Most seem to check loaded and unloaded clearance for the closers and what not, but the workshop manual just simply measures it between the closing camlobe and rocker arm? No compressing springs or fiddeling about with a screw driver. Seems simple enough? Same procedure for the openers. For the job I bought a 5€ feeler gauge from a local autoparts store. The clearances are confusing as hell on manual however.. Opening rocker arm intake and exhaust: Operation: 0.13 to 0.18 mm Checking clearance: 0.10 to 0.25 mm Closing rocker arm intake and exhaust: Operation: 0.05 to 0.10 mm Checking clearance: 0.05 to 0.25 mm So what am I shooting for? Am I fine if the clearances are within 'checking clearance' specs? If they are beyond that, then should I aim to be within 'operation' clearances? I heard it's better to be too loose than too tight? If I have to take the cams out, then I should just mark the position of the cam pulleys and be very careful not to turn the engine? Is that enough of a precaution to prevent messing up the timing? Also how do I figure which TDC is the right one? Both openers are pointing away from engine? I figured I will first just check them and them buy shims if I need to. This is probably a stupid question, but do I need to drain any fluids for the valve job or belt change? There is no coolant circulating in the walls of the rocker cover, right? -Belt change Bought OEM belts from eBay. Confused again. In some videos, for example the California cycleworks tutorial, they don't loosen the cam pulleys which is what the workshop manual tells you to do. In the manual they lock the camshafts in position with a tool and then loosen the pulleys and let them wiggle about while retensioning the new belts. This makes sense to me, as you not just tightening the belt between two pulleys, but distributing the load evenly across the belt as the pulleys are free to rotate. Obviously the method where you don't loosen the pulleys seems more straightforward and has less variables, but I'm worried if it will put uneven tension on the cams and ever so slightly change the timing? I also downloaded an app for tensioning the belt. That was free. -Spark plugs Self-explanatory, but any tips on which plugs to buy? My bike has full Termis and the accompanying "race" ecu. I don't know if need to run cooler plugs because of that? -Air filter Again pretty self-explanatory, but I'll take suggestions. I think my bike has whatever came with the Termis and if its rewashable I'll probably do that. -Check throttle body synchronisation and idle speed setting No idea what this means. Probably need to read the workshop manual again. -Change clutch fluid Just get some hydraylic fluid? Do they sell oils for this specific purpose? -Brake fluids The fronts seem okay and the reservoir has clear fluid, but you never know if the dealership just siphoned some out the top and filled it up with clear fluid. DOT 4 is what these bikes like? The rear is hopeless though, It barely slows down the bike from walking speed and the pedal is all mushy. I guess there is some air in the system. Should I get all the air out if I just flush it through with new fluid? -Coolant I think I got this. -Adjusting cables and controls and lubing cables I bought a Motion Pro cable luber and I am waiting for it to arrive. Apparently it makes lubing the cables pretty easy. As far as adjustments go, I don't know that 'adjusting clutch cable' means. I mean it's hydraulic right? Cold start cable? Where is this? -Check steering head bearings Is it enough to clamp the front wheel between your legs and try to see if there is any play in thr handlle bars? A front stand would probably make this easier. -Check clutch disk pack Apparently my bike has a CNC Racing Mastertech slipperclutch. Difficult to find any info on it, but I heard CNC Racing supplies some WSBK teams so I guess that's good because I'll certainly need MotoGP level stuff to go with my expert riding.... I just hope it still accepts OEM plates. -Check wheelhub bearings Uhh.. I think I'll just check these the next time the wheels come off for a tyre change. The bike has some pretty squared out Michelin Pilot Power 2CTs with 1 inch chicken strips on each side. -Checking nuts and bolts I just bought 3/8-inch and a 1/4-inch Hazet ratchet sets which were bloody expensive, but I expect them to last for life. I'll probably have to get two torque wrenches as well. One from 10-60Nm and one from 60Nm to 300Nm+. -Forks and suspension I know this is pretty important, but I have no idea how I'd like the bike to handle yet so I'll probably just ride it for a while in the spring and see how it feels. I am about 225lbs so I will probably have to get the forks re-sprung and re-valved by a pro, then take a few track days and try to dial them in with somebody who knows what their doing. It's a bit scary how much money I've spent on stuff before I've even taken the fairings off, but I guess over time it will even off as I get more use out of the tools. Costs so far: Hazet 882 ratchet set 300€ Bike-Lift rear stand and pin 160€ OEM Belts 90€ Shell Advance Ultra 4L 55€ HiFlo oil filter 13€ Spring hook 5€ Snap ring pliers 20€ Strap type oil filter wrench 10€ Feeler gauge 5€ Exhaust gaskets and spring hook 15€ (I've got to temporarily swap the stock exhaust for MOT) Motion Pro cable luber 10€ Chainlube 5€ Crank shaft turning tool 60€ Rear wheel nut 30€ =778€ That's not even everything I need, but the 24k service here runs around 1500€ so I'm still saving money and I get to learn a hell of a lot more about my bike. I'll post updates as I tackle the easiest jobs first.
Here's a suggestion. Don't post 40 questions all at once and expect somebody to answer them all at once. If you post one question at a time, some of the many helpful folk on here will be sure to give you the answer. And good luck with your bike.
Another suggestion: go find a nice independent (or even local family-owned Ducati dealer) and ask if they will show you while they service it. You pay once, but get to learn from someone who does it every day
Congratz on the bike! Yeah, why not? I also had a cagiva mito when i was younger, then a lot of years without a bike and now I own an 848. If your head isnt up to it, even a scooter can be too much
