Wotcha, It took me a year or 2 to make those changes to my bike due to short funds, but it allowed plenty of research time. Spend the winter learning about the bike on this forum, there are other ducati info sites out there too, some created by garages etc. the save up for the bits you want. Where are you based? You'll robably find some knowledgeable folk near you on this forum, and if not I'm not too far from Reading :smile:
He probably could return the bike for a refund if he so desired, as it was sold as an SS, but it's a Sport, it has a steel swing arm, non adjustable front suspension, three spoke wheels etc, etc..., but if you're enjoying the bike why bother, just ride it and have fun !!!
Took the bike for a spin with a bunch of friends today, an r6 cbr 600, kawasaki zr 1400, and a suzuki vfr 800, I was quite surprised that the r6 and cbr were having a hard time keeping up with me around twisties, guess it is more the rider than the bike. Anyways I did the run without the rubber trumpets, it was a 3 hour ride about 120 miles, let the bike cool down for a few hours, the heat level was only about 1/4 way up, so quite normal. I'm attaching a picture of what the spark plug looked like, I'm assuming this means the mixture is too weak, too much air? I'm really enjoying how the bike sounds with no trumpets and my friends are noticing it too while riding, but I don't wanna 'hurt' the bike in any way. I'ma put the trumpets back, unless you guys think this is fine for what the spark plug looks like. (don't know if the picture is very clear, the plug was completely dry, the part surrounding the little middle bit was light orange, but as it was dry I assumed it was too dry) Also I have only checked one of the spark plugs (assuming there are 2 as there are 2 cylinders?) as only one was readily accessible without taking the fairings off.
Looks slightly lean ok. A well ridden R6 would leave your well ridden Ducati for dead in all situations I'm afraid to say.
And btw, I have had a good look at my bike, it is definitely Injected, when I turn the ignition on I can hear it inject fuel, also I have found the cables for injecting the fuel into the cylinder. However the switch is not a fast idle control, it is a proper choke, which I've never seen before, the bike, when cold, will not start without the choke, as normal carbed model, it has the proper choke symbol on it,
That's what I assumed, as the R6 is a track bike while the duke is more of a tourer as well, I would not switch my ducati for the r6... but I was quite surprised that the duke didn't do too bad
I'm sorry to say that you are getting confused and need to learn a bit more about bikes particularly the Ducati.... Your plugs need to look roughly the same....they need to look a bit rust colour on that central porcelain insulator.....I think your plugs are fairly new or they are indicating the mixture has got a bit too weak......by taking those trumpets out you have significantly increased the amount of air entering.....you only have to do simple maths to see by how much. The noise you hear if you just switch the ignition on is probably the fuel pump....if it is anything like the carbed ess-esses it runs all the time. A carbed SS that starts without the choke when cold is probably running a bit rich on the idle circuit, hence it will start without it.... Mine used to start without choke, but now that I have fiddled, it needs the choke when cold.... Whatever the choke arrangement of an IE actually is, I anticipate it would be some sort of butterfly / strangler because injection can't have the same set-up as a carbed model, however even with a butterfly, the choking arrangement probably is a fast idle as well..... ...and the carbed SS actually has the word CHOKE printed on the lever.... And if I were you I would chuck those Champion plugs and fit NGK.....I have four new Champions here and the spark they produce is nowhere near a big a spark as four year old NGK ones. AL
Thanks AL, I know and understand that I have a lot to learn about, and that's exactly what I'm doing right now And thanks for the tip on the NGK spark plugs, quite cheap to pick up from what I've seen, I'll get some. Any suggestion on which NGK model plugs provide best performance? I found on the NGK site that the DCR8EIX will fit my bike. Also on the K&N air filter, I have looked on the K&N site, looks like the DU-9098 would fit my bike, any better suggestions? Can I fit the plugs and the K&N airfilter in without worrying about the ECU remap / power commander or anything like that? And lastly, would it be worth the £70 I spend on the spark plugs and air filter, any visible performance upgrade? Especially as it seems that those are some of the most basic first performance upgrades. I see the spark plugs I can get for around £6 each, the airfilter K&N is about £50. B
I don't know which plugs will fit the IE but don't forget when you check out which NGK plugs, that your bike isn't an SS it's a Sport.....could be a difference. Mine I think are NGK R DCPR8, but I will check that.... Other people on here will tell you that not only Champion are alright, but NGK are cr*p, however, based on my experience with NGK since the 80s, I will stick with them until they let me down. Filter wise. I can't comment......some people use K&N some people use BMC....however a Porsche one will fit at a quarter of the cost....you will have to do some searches for that.....it may be in the Alternative Parts section on this forum.... If you do your own oil filter change, I would use the K&N one because you can wire the nut on the bottom to stop it coming undone, plus they are easy to get off compared with the OEM one sometimes. If I were you I would spend some time getting to know the bike well before spending tons of dosh on it.......I can't recall if you said the belts had been changed just before you bought it.........if they haven't, check back through documents etc and try and establish how old they are. AL. Checked my spark plugs....NGK DCPR8E..........and these would appear to fit many bikes within the Supersport range including yours, so I would check your reference again. http://www.ngkpartfinder.co.uk/partfinder.php
Ok, as an ex 900ss ie owner I know a fair bit about these. First off the bike is not an SS and is an S. it's still fuel injected and the choke you mention is just a fast idle if I remember correctly. Got really pissed off a few years back seeing dealers mainly on eBay saying they were SS bikes. Without double checking the only difference I can remember is the the swingarm is Steel rather than ally and did not have the Ohlins rear shock and five spoke wheels the last of the SS models had Not sure if the the forks were lower spec and obviously the matte black paint. Sure there are stil are few unregistered of these knocking about. Loved mine btw
His wheels are the early SSIE type (and Monster).....three spoke with a slightly raised rib along the sides of the spoke...and the spoke widens at opposite ends to the carb SS wheels. AL
Seems did not see page 2 of this thread before posting so apologies for the repeat of some of the previous points. the one thing I would urge you to do is give the dealer a massive hard time about a complete miss sell and at the very least demand a set of new tyres as what you have will be lethal as tyres really go off. I can tell you that from a similar experience from a miss sell of a laverda 650 sport I fell in love with at a dealer and did not do my research
Thanks for the tip 749, I would not give the bike back and I think it would be quite a job to try and win that one, as mentioned before, probably slightly my fault for not doing my research, however you would not plan to get mis sold a bike by a dealer. Just out of curiosity is there anything I can threaten the dealer with as a push to give me something back for the mis selling? after all to an extent I went to a registered dealer who told me i'm getting a yamaha, and signed a piece of paper that I'm getting this and sold me a honda. The 2002 bike vs saying it's 2011, but not been used, is one thing, and then selling it as an ss is another. I believe on the sell slip it says it is a 2011 900ss/cr if that makes any difference. Just want to know if there is any leverage I can somewhat blackmail him with to see if I can get anything out of him. And on your note AL, when looking for parts then I should be looking for parts for a 900 sport 2001/02 ? will most ss parts fit as well for the same year, air filters/spark plugs/pipes?
Other people on here will tell you that not only Champion are alright, but NGK are cr*p, however, based on my experience with NGK since the 80s, I will stick with them until they let me down. I will say stick with NGK or ND dont go near a Champion plug ! they are anything but the name suggests, been using NGK since the late 70's
The biggest issue I'm having with researching online is that I cannot find my bike on most sites like the one you quoted for finding out what parts fit on it... I can see the 900ss on here, and the 900 monster s and such... but no 900 sport... does not help a noobie to ducatis on finding out which bits and bobs to fit onto the bike.
Any SS part will fit. Seriously threaten ( if you don't need the dealer again ) with trade descriptions act etc etc unless they at least chuck in some Michelin pilot powers which are cheap but really suit the bike.
Thanks for the tips I will give him a call. I dont really need him for anything, and as much as I love the bike and there is no flaw with it, I really hate the fact that I didn't get what I thought I was getting... just had a good read through the Trades Descriptions act and will see what he does btw that is a really nice looking bike! and as this thread might seem like I wanna throw cash at my bike not knowing anything, it's a learning experience for me. I will definitely replace the spark plugs on the bike, just need to make sure I know which ones ... :S Thinking of getting the K&N airfilter but not quite sure again if the 900ss model will fit, and lastly from the thread I think I've been made to understand that If I put the k&n filter I might need an ECU remap to avoid weak mixture?
