Other week out on my 848 SBK watching the rain clouds in the distance getting closer and closer , I eventually got to LBS , turned bike off and ran across the road and the heavens opened , 5 minutes of absolute pissing rain , up there beside the worst I have ever seen. Returned to start the bike approx. 20mins later after the wind and sun had dried everything pretty quick and turned the bike on , weird slight lag between ignition on and the actual clocks/lights coming alive , thumbed the starter ...... nothing , tried again and nothing. took my lid off and earplugs out and tried again , nothing but now I could hear the fuel pump working as soon as key was turned and the slight click when pushing the starter. Back into shop and asked for some help , NB this is just Local shop not a Ducati Dealer , anyway eventually got it started after a bit of a play about with the immobiliser antenna. Shop owner turned a bit nylon on a lathe to hold the antenna in place. Repeated the start a few times and all was good until he replaced the carbon fibre ignition cover , removed it and started , replaced again no start. A couple of thin nuts on the studs that hold the cover in place sorted it , possibly by keeping the carbon fibre from touching the antenna , conducts electricity ???? Bike was fine the next couple of times out , till I filled with petrol and then it wouldn't start , pushed to the side as I had lifted a 4mm allen key just incase but then it started , done a couple of hundred miles with a few stops an starter never faltered. Got home washed the bike and then it wouldn't start , removed ignition cover a faffed about with immobiliser antenna , no joy. Removed fairing , battery side , checked connection , still not starting. Went to my Mum's for Sunday dinner for an hour or so , tried again and it started. Fairing back on , wouldn't start , mucked about with antenna still not start. The things I have noticed is that the fuel pump always primes as soon as the key is turned , sometimes the clocks and lights come on straight away , other times there is a slight lag , not even a second but still noticeable , I'm not sure as this might have been my previous bike , GSX-R 750 , that there is no sweep of the rev counter , ie as if the bike is revving from zero to past redline and down to zero , this happened as the fuel pump went through it's motions , there is a definite click when you push the starter. Is there any coincidence that this happens when the bike is wet ??? wasn't in the petrol station though , and I never go out if I know it will rain. Anyone shed any light on what the problem might be as I am now at a low point with my bikes having just had another big problem with a KTM 640 Supermoto , I didn't even get it fixed as I am sick spending on it , sold it and bought a VFR 800 , great bike , hopefully , so I NEED to try and fix this problem with my pride and joy Ducati 848 as fast and cheaply as possible so any advice would be much appreciated and you would be restoring some faith I am rapidly losing with European motorcycles. Thanks in advance chz
Known issue on the 848/1098/1198. Water ingress to the immo antenna under the ignition lock surround. once dried out the bike will start. You need to check the antenna for Verdi Gris and signs of water damage. I replaced my antenna with a new one at £27. What I should have done first is put two washers onto the ignition shroud bolts and refit it. This raises the antenna up towards the key a couple of mm. Since doing this I have not had a repeat of the non-starting.
Had same problems with my mate Walter monster 1000 and replaced aerial several times. Would work for a while and then immobilised. Several visits to ducati Glasgow and expense checking wiring etc many times and problem persisted even with adjusting height etc. In the end we sent the ecu to avanti racing and for around £100 they removed the immobiliser code. Problem sorted and zero concerns after that. Look at the bike thefts no one cares if they got key or not especially keyless fobs. It's a great idea in theory but not in practice. Take disc locks with buried pins making cutting almost impossible. They sacrifice the disc by cutting the lock out.
Out of curiosity have you fitted a carbon key guard, if yes then its the immobilser ring keeps droping and therefore more distance between ignition and ring gives weaker signal. Had no end of grief with this on my 848 Evo, I have now fixed the ring in place with a bit of tape on the inside of the key guard, 10/10 for tech bodge job. Keep saying I am going to do a neater version but not got round to it yet. As an aside to this I did have a std 848, the immo wire actually snapped on that from corrosion.
The bike has lay since Sunday and still won't start , so I'll check for water damage. In the 1st instance with the antenna problem I needed to move the ignition cover up and away from the antenna as carbon fibre will conduct electricity
I am sure I remember issues with carbon key guards on these before. Think it doesn't sit properly and creates an issue. And was the reason I never changed mine.
Stranded us for an extra day in Italy. 1098S with carbon key shroud. Idiot mate fitting it had replaced the oem shroud with the carbon one instead of fitting it over the top. He'd just let the aerial dangle as it wouldn't clip to the new carbon shroud
Hiya Cupid , yes I have a Carbon fibre cover over the ignition switch , same as you I bodged it with tape. Guy in bike shop sorted this by turning a bit nylon on a lathe so it fitted over the ignition switch and then stepped the top so the antenna fitted over without slipping down.
View attachment 95957 View attachment 95958 Hiya Cupid , yes I have a Carbon fibre cover over the ignition switch , same as you I bodged it with tape. Guy in bike shop sorted this by turning a bit nylon on a lathe so it fitted over the ignition switch and then stepped the top so the antenna fitted over without slipping down. Open files above for a couple of foto's
Even with the Carbon Fibre cover removed it still wont start. Clipped the antenna back onto the original cover and still nothing. @ Nelson , what are the two relays of which you speak , is one the starter solenoid ?? what is the other one ?? chz
