If I spend 5 mins on fast idle it's OK, once properly warm I can potter along in traffic with a bit of hands on clutch control. The thing is designed to fly higher up the rev range.
When I shut off from 9k and use engine braking down to 6k there is an amazing boom, like a large artillery piece. In my mind there is a huge flame of blue light as well…...
I run a 996s - I've found it needs proper warming up. If nothing else to get the oil round properly. There's an interesting story here http://www.sigmaperformance.com/rockers.html that explains how it can take 90 secs to get oil up and around the oil channels to the heads... So a nice gentle start with no revving is the procedure I use from cold. I also run that slightly heaver 15w50 oil as recommended.
That 90s oil thing is a legend… I posted about this some time ago. Please take a look at the video below.
Every day is a school day! I have been using that “knowledge” about oil circulation since the 1990’s!
Some people are more curious than others. Critical thinkers. This guy decided that it didn’t make sense to engineer a motor that would function 90s cold without oil. He decided to check. And now we have a pretty nice visual testimony that rockers are not oil starved for that long. This myth was probably born when rockers were flacking. People tried to find some explanation. When it was more about poor valve lash adjustments and oil quality, I believe.
My bike (996S) is also extremely grumpy when cold. Coughs and splutters and bangs for the first 1-2mins. Asked an ex Ducati race engineer and he said it’s likely running rich (throttle body set up). Once you’re up to temp the ECU sorts it out so smooth as butter. Could well be this?
Getting into neutral as you keep moving is much easier. I remember collecting my first 748 and having to cross London holding the clutch because I couldn't find neutral. If you put neutral before stopping it is way easier. Have a go with it in the rain. There is no better work out for your buttocks that will be continually clinching. Gets you to save on gym membership!!
Bought my first Duc from the dealer who used to be in that closed up shop on the corner of Dimsdale St back in 2002.
The only new bike I've ever had (2004 749) came from Bob Hills, spent many times staring at bikes through windows in 80s as kid!
