Hugger

Discussion in 'Multistrada' started by t965m, May 11, 2012.

  1. Has anyone else found that water pools in the recess on the hugger? What are the thoughts on maybe drilling a hole or holes to allow the water to drain?
     
    #1 t965m, May 11, 2012
    Last edited: May 11, 2012
  2. There already is a drain hole off memory. Is yours already blocked??
     
  3. I had the smaller one fitted when I picked up the bike, has that got a drain hole too?

    I'll check to see if it's blocked in the morning - its now Gin o'clock .
     
  4. The hole blocks very easily with road dirt when riding in the wet, just make sure you give it a good wash when cleaning.
     
  5. I think you mean the recess under the yellow rear shock spring....mine is very dirty and I must say difficult to clean....(that is the recess before anyone starts talking and thinking dirty :biggrin:) I thought there would be a drain hole, but have not discovered it yet....

    Any one got any tips on how to get big clumsy fingers in there to clean it?


    As for the drain hole....would that not drain directly onto the chain?
     
  6. Correct MR. It's a right pain and topped up with water after cleaning.

    I'm gonna have a look at it later. Good point on the chain thing.
     
    #6 t965m, May 12, 2012
    Last edited: May 12, 2012
  7. In fact it wasn't the Hugger, as MR correctly pointed out, its the swing arm. So no drilling of drain holes then :)

    Pretty pants design, not really sure there is anything that can be done about it.
     
  8. Its no big deal, just wash it out with a ringing wet soapy sponge when you wash the bike and I have never had a problem.
     
  9. i keep my pet goldfish in there.

    fastest goldfish in the area,

    am on my 35th though as its a little difficult for them to hang on in the corners too...
     
  10. Whatever you've been smoking Bugs I could do with some right now :tongue:
     
  11. toothbrush for cleaning (yes an old one!) and a dry small sponge for drying. Works ok for me.
     
  12. The thing that I've found (and others might want to check) is that you could well have a nice little indoor swimming pool on your bike too. :eek:

    When the water doesn't run away easily through the drain hole discussed earlier in this thread, it will find its way INSIDE the swinging arm (this is a problem that is not unique to the MTS) and there is a another drain hole on the underside of the swinging arm near the hub that is supposed to let it out.

    If you wash your bike, put it away on the side stand, and find a puddle on the floor by the back wheel, then that's where it comes from.

    But the drain hole doesn't work properly, and despite it being a poor setup Ducati UK's reply to my dealer was "it's working as designed" :mad:

    It would be interesting if a few people did a little check by removing the rearmost allen bolt from the lower rubber chain guide and seeing if a load of water pours out.

    I solved the problem with my bike by getting a spare bolt, drilling a hole through the centre, and trimming the end with a dremmel.
    The result is a far more effective drain hole than Ducati's pathetic attempts and a swinging arm that no longer holds water.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  13. The number of times I've wondered about that dripping water after washing the bike......thanks Steve :D
     
  14. Hi Steve sorry for being a bit thick here but I don't understand how/what you did with the bolt....any chance of a picture?
     
  15. This has been copied to the RSPCA as it would appear that you are not providing your fish with protective equipment :smile:
     
  16. Not with the bike today, so can't provide a picture, but the process is;


    1. Remove the bolt
    2. Use a pillar drill or similar to drill a small hole which hollows out the centre of the bolt right the way through (giving the water a way to drain through).
    3. Optionally dremmel off most of the un-threaded portion on the end of the bolt**
    4. If you've done step 3, then paint the cut end to stop it rusting.

    ** The bolt isn't threaded right to the end, it has a narrow smoothed part which I guess helps to locate it as you fit it through the chain guide. I figured the total length of threaded part plus guide would mean some of the bolt sticking up inside the swing arm casing, meaning that a small amount of water would still be left as it would be below the lip of the hollow bolt.
    If you do this, DO NOT dremel right to the thread unless you've put a nut onto the bolt first, otherwise you risk damaging the thread. (Having the nut on there first means that if you do catch the thread, it will get cleaned up when you take the nut off).

    Hope this helps :wink:

    If I'm still not making sense, post up again, and I'll snap a picture this evening or over the weekend :upyeah:
     
    • Like Like x 1
  17. multistrada fish commandos - only the elite make it to live in a mts 1200 swingarm pool...

    are fully furnished with protective equipment which includes a helmet, pair of left and right and rear fin glove/mufflers (for road rash and keeping them warm) and of course very small safety lines which they attach to several parts of the rear assembly of the bike.

    the issue seems to be that when the rider speeds up or goes round corners at 'reasonable' speeds or indeed 'does a wheelie', they are flung out of the exclusive pool.

    the safety lines do work however we have lost quite a few when the line got caught up in the chain and in the spinning wheel.

    to date only a couple of fish have survived that were flung out of the pool were found still dangling by the safety line on return to the garage - in quite a state but having survived the 20 or so miles from work to home - they were placed back but died anyway due to complications.

    bugs :)
     
  18. Some pics.

    Allen key is in the bolt I'm talking about so you can see where to look on your bike.
    Plus a picture of either end of the bolt with the hole drilled through it.
    Not use of proper Ducati red paint after dremmeling :biggrin:

    P1020207.JPG

    P1020206.JPG

    P1020205.JPG
     
    • Like Like x 1
  19. Well done SPL, very clear instructions and pictures, cheers
     
  20. Thicko gets it now....thanks for the pics....will check it out....have my Scott oiler there so may be an added complication. Thanks a million!
     
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