only joking,, i want a set of radials ... didnt know the 749 s came with them as standard,,, enjoy mate..
Look up the lithium grease mod on this forum. Greasing a clutch seems like a crazy thing to do but is supposed to make the clutch much smoother. I have no real problem with my clutch, so haven't done this yet but will when I replace my clutch springs, caps, bolts, pressure plate and cover this winter. One big advantage of the Ducati dry clutch is that it is really easy to work on and access, you just need to remove the right side fairing, which is easy peasy, and then you can get at the clutch cover. While you're in there, you can do the quiet clutch mod which, as the name suggests, makes the clutch quieter but also stops it bashing itself to bits, so the clutch plates and basket last a lot longer. I have done this and highly recommend it. Having come from an SS, I find the lock on my 999 to be excellent. It's all a matter of what you're used to...
The allen bolts for the clutch cover are not all the same length and when you come to reassemble it is not totally obvious which ones go where, so it's a good idea to lay them out or even push them through a piece of card in the pattern in which they came out. Are you reasonably handy with a spanner, do you have a fair idea how a motorcycle multi-plate clutch works??
never had one open but not bad with the spanners. i used to race 2 stroke go karts so did a lot of work on engines and clutches on them but i suspect they are different. do you apply the lithium grease to the plates?
I suspect Kart engines have very similar clutches. A friend of mine once had a Bultaco engine rebuilt by a kart specialist because they used Bultaco engines in Karts in those days. It was a long time ago but I'd be surprised if karts don't still use bike engines. Not actually done this yet but yes, you apply white lithium grease to the friction plates. As I understand it, you smear it on or in and then wipe off the excess. Some people advocate then heating up the plates in an oven or with a heat gun. Others say it works fine without. You may get some slip initially but that doesn't last long. The quiet clutch mod involves placing an extra friction plate below the existing stack. The first plate at the bottom of the stack is normally a plain plate and the slots for the plain plates have a flat, square end to the bottom of the slot, so all the plates are free to move about between the sides of the slots, not only when the clutch is 'actuated' but also when the engine is driving the wheels via the clutch and gearbox. This is not too bad with a new clutch but the tangs hitting the slides of the slots when accelerating and decelerating soon produce wear and before long the clutch will start to 'chatter' even when riding along on a neutral throttle. Wear then accelerates and the clutch becomes really noisy as the plates and basket batter each other into submission. You then have to replace the clutch, long before the friction surfaces themselves are worn out. The solution utilises the fact that the slots for the friction plates actually have a rounded, curved end to the bottom of the slots. As the plain plates normally go in first, and these curved ends are below the bottom of the square-ended plain plate slots, the friction plates don't, as standard, go near those curved ends. However, if you put an extra friction plate below the first plain plate, that friction plate then 'jams' into the curve at the bottom of the slot. This then damps the movement of the entire stack, preventing the oscillation or chattering and this cuts out the racket and considerably reduces wear as well. With the quiet clutch mod, clutches reportedly last 3 times as long. Win, win! The effective height of the stack needs to be as close as you can get it to the original. If it's too high, you will be increasing the pre-load on the springs and a plate might jump out of its slots, if its too low you will be reducing the pre-load on the springs, so you might get slipping. Some people with some bikes manage to fit two friction plates under the first plain plate, I could only fit one in. Other people just rearrange the existing stack so a friction plate goes in first. They say it works fine but it has to reduce the effective height of the stack, so it must reduce spring preload. This might just give a lighter lever but may also be more prone to slipping, especially as the friction surface start to wear.
I'd find out if there's anything wrong with it first before gooping anything on the plates , personally I've never had a problem with "excessive" wear & tear on either stock parts (748) or Yoyodyne slipper (998). Can't see me ever doing a quiet clutch mod TBH I need that rattle
Each to his own... I personally hate the sound of metal trying to destroy metal, especially when it's inside my motorbike engine. It's the sound of exhaust and intake that I love about the Ducati, not mechanical chatter. Judging from my own bike, I'd say a 999 clutch would normally need replacing at around 10,000miles. Derek reports, if I remember correctly, that he's had 30,000 miles from a 'quiet' clutch. People who've done the lithium grease thing reckon it makes the clutch buttery and smooth with either no slip at all or just initial slip that soon goes away. It also stops the clutch getting 'grabby' when hot. Most bike clutches run in an oil bath...
No quiet mod for me on my 999s. I like clattering. So far - 38500 miles, with one clutch refresh (at around 10000 mi).
These claim to really last and work better than anything else, bit pricey though; Lightweight Pro Clutch
Thanks for all the comments. the bike only ha 1800 miles and has been stood for a while so i might get it looked at by someone who knows what they are doing first. I ws just surprised that the clutch was like an on off switch and had no real slipping when setting off
^ That's not right. If it's been stood it could be something as simple as the/some plates stuck together. I'd take it apart, clean and check he stack height . Maybe a a bleed and new fluid. Bish bosh minimal dosh!
