I want to replace the normal key guard on my 1098 for the carbon one I bought from Conquest (very nice it is too), but does anybody know what the Magneti Marelli wire attached to the original guard does? I have feeling its something to do with the coding within the key? Any ideas? If I replace the guard, could I just slip the attached plastic ring around the top of the ignition barrel so it sits underneath the new guard? or will that cause more trouble than its worth?
Yep, its the sensor for the key chip thingie! I wound some double sided tape around the ignition barrel cover and stuck it on there, near enough exactly where it would have been with the standard cover! Go for it!
Yep. That's the antenna for your immobiliser. I have heard a few stories of folks having issues when fitting a carbon cover, but this has normally been due to where they have positioned the ring. Just make sure is is in as close to the original position as possible and not too far down. Also make sure that it can't move, as if it did slip down I'm not sure if this could make the bike cut out.
It's the antennae to recognise the key and code used to override the immobiliser and START the engine. They degrade over time anyway. It will NOT cut the engine if it slips as it is only needed at startup. It should be replaced as close to original position or higher so the key can be read.
The posts above say it all but i've done the same thing with replacing the key cover with a carbon one on my Ducati 1098s and 999s and both have worked as normal with no problems at all.
Just beware that if it does fall out of place, it won't read your key's chip and the bike won't start! Happened to me when I replaced the standard plastic one with a carbon version, as it didn't have the lip to hold the ring in place, so I ended up using hot-melt glue to keep it in place instead.
As Stretta pointed out, it is the antenna of RFID you have into the key, without it your immobilizer woldn't feel the key, I did exacly the same on a 999 of a friend. An advice: be careful, it's easy to break
