Is this a common enough issue with the Diavel for the bottom end to go without any warning? How would you know your engines about to go boom https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/183272844141 modern enough bikes don’t se to be lasting at all(not my bike just spotted on eBay)
That's a very sweeping generalisation, don't you think? One poorly bike and millions of bikes manufactured and sold annually are all shit?
Just asking as I was reading on one of the American sites about only asking as I’ve seen another one on American Facebook page with the same issue. Seams to be common over there
Firstly, there aren’t millions of diavels. Secondly, given since 1098 the bottom ends and gearboxes have been failing fairly frequently really, and other than panigale the motors all started as 1098. So no surprise really.
Didn't say there was. The OP referred to "modern enough bikes" so I read it as a "catch all statement" encompassing all makes and models. But even two in the thousands of Diavels that Ducati have made hardly makes it an epidemic. A sense of perspective needs to be applied don't you think?
Perspective indeed. Given it’s a diavel, there won’t be many and those won’t do many miles, so failure rate per mile would be interesting to know. At least a multi seems to do 12-20k before it lets go
Plenty of bearing failures across bikes with the same basic engine design. As Bradders said, 1098/1198, Diavel, Multi. All the same engine and there have been more than 2 failures across that engine range. Not saying other bikes don’t have issues, but bearings are a pretty big thing to get wrong and most of these are put down to improper assembly in the factory and at some point they just go.
I think that’s the bigger problem. It’s not a small failure, even gearbox can be sorted easy enough, it’s a full of 5k rebuild or another motor and lots more risk. And once rebuilt, they seem less likely (can see why gimlet had his done as it’s a keeper) but they still go. I want a 1198, but won’t buy one, as I expect it to happen at some point. I have seen so many.
In some of these cases I'd ask whether the owners are not partly to blame? I've seen no end of riders jump on a cold bike and rev the nuts off it, cold. Either that or stand the thing on the drive running stationary for ages while blipping the throttle continually. With all vehicles there should be a warming period where the engine isn't lugged or revved out, and is driven gently and smoothly until the engine is warmed through and has reached a good working temperature. Even with modern lubricants there is still a need to warm engines considerately, it's good practice if you want to enjoy your bike for many years. That said, with PCP and the relegation of motorcycles to "toy" status most folk will have moved on by problems manifest themselves. I was taught to start the engine and pull away as soon as possible, take it gently and let the engine and tyres warm for a good 5-10 minutes before giving it any kind of berries. Seems to have served me well for 25+ years.
I remember a conversation with a couple of Ducati mechanics years ago, talking big ends and gearbox failures. Over a beer, the view that seemed to fit was Ducati motors are too tractable. Many a 1098 rider would say ‘use the revs? Nah, Ulster lovely in 4th anywhere, I just leave it there’. Same with multi: sub 3k full throttle rollons in4th and 5th. Too many vibes, too low revs.
It knackers them, not so much the vibes as the load on the big end bearings. VW engines (flat 4) were the same story.
May explain why you get far less on 848 models. Moral of this story? Buy new, rag stupid, have a great long lasting motor
