Hypermotard is dead :-(

Scort

Scort

Scort

Soldato
Joined
28 Feb 2006
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5,050
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No longer riding an Italian
Well, I've gotta say, this shift to Ducati hasn't been as plain sailing as I'd hoped:

Dropped it on my second day of ownership (slipping on gravel at home) - resulting in a broken right hand guard, scratched mirror and snapped brake lever.

Fixed the above and opted to fit shorty Titax levers... thought I had wound the adjustment screw out enough on the lever, test ride was ok, but riding to work the next day the front brakes lock on solid! Though thankfully I'd felt something coming and had slowed down and pulled over the the side of the road.

Starting issue developed when the temperatures dropped - starting took about 6-8 seconds of thumbing the starter, as you heard a very lethargic attempt to fire up... replaced the battery with a high torque version, and changed the plugs at the same time (new HiCap leads to arrive from the States still).

Then the day after fitting the new battery and finding she started up in under a second, I am riding home, get about 10 miles into my journey - give way at a roundabout and.... silence! The engine just dies, but the dash remained lit...

Couldn't get her started at the roadside, and nor could the recovery guy - he checked the bike over and fuel pump/battery were fine, eventually got the error 'PKUP' on the dash; had to be recovered home.

Spent yesterday tracing wires, checking connectors and cleaning them - no blown fuses, no error on the dash any more - but the bugger still won't fire up; the starter motor just tries and tries.

So I'm now waiting for a call from Ducati in Bristol, for an idea on whether they can get the bike in for fixing - but despite all this, I still love the thing to bloody bits, and can't wait to hear that noisy *** V twin again :D
 
Is there a number after PKUP? Doing a search others report different numbers after that so seems like thats only half of the error code?
 
MowyTone said:
Is there a number after PKUP? Doing a search others report different numbers after that so seems like thats only half of the error code?
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Afraid not - seems the sports bikes show 'PK.UP 34', pick up sensor from what I've read, but mine simply shows 'Error' and 'PKUP' on the bottom row :(
 
its telling you to phone for a pickup:p standard ducati breakdown message:eek:


hopefully its something simple
 
I would love a Ducati, but simply won't buy one because I know it will let me down at some point.

I wanted a 916 for years, then I realised I would only ever look it and not ride it.
 
atpbx said:
I would love a Ducati, but simply won't buy one because I know it will let me down at some point.

I wanted a 916 for years, then I realised I would only ever look it and not ride it.
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That's a silly position to take, there are numerous Ducatis used every single day without problems.

I work with a chap who commutes on his 916 in rain or shine, takes it on several long trips every year with his wife on the back, rarely if ever washes it and just sticks to the standard service schedule and it has never let him down.
 
Well, she was taken off to Ducati Bristol yesterday - the chap collecting her on behalf of Green Flag was actually keen on sorting it himself, which would have probably happened had he not got another job!

Bit more investigation was done before she was loaded into the van and taken away, and the guy found that there's no spark on the plugs - unfortunately the cabling for the coil/distributor/whatever it's called is under the tank - and isn't like a sports bike; it needs a bit more to take it off.

Oh well, hopefully it is simply a cable that's worked loose - I have heard rattling from the front for some time, but assumed it was an infill screw that was missing, and replaced it.

Expecting a fair bill, hopefully they wont take the wee wee with it, as their service for other things has always been brilliant, also asked them to removed a seized rear caliper bolt and repair the thread for the rear brake lever, in the hanger (damaged in the drop).

Here's hoping I will be on two wheels again soon - getting withdrawal and the sun keeps coming out to play!!!
 
atpbx said:
I would love a Ducati, but simply won't buy one because I know it will let me down at some point.

I wanted a 916 for years, then I realised I would only ever look it and not ride it.
Click to expand...

To be fair, when I was going through i4s and then my Triple, I heard nothing but horror stories about Ducati's - but only ever saw one konk out (excluding mine now :p) - that was an old 748 iirc; with some frankly appalling wiring and overheating issues.

Without researching it myself, I thought that getting a Ducati would mean instant breakdowns aplenty - hopefully this fear won't prove a reality during my time with the Hyper! But I have heard a lot of stories to the contrary and a lot about the newer bikes (1098, 848, 1198 etc etc) having longer service periods; due to being more reliable.

It's a tough call though, as you heart might be saying 'go' but your head 'no' - but for me at least, I'm glad I followed my heart... at the moment at least :D
 
I keep hearing horror stories about Ducati reliability from forums and general public and even mechanics who worked at ducati dealerships. But I still really want a ducati oneday. I have 2 choices for me to follow my head and get the bmw gs1200 adventure or follow my heart and get a ducati multristrada.

Let us know how you get on OP, Riders are really good, we have a Bridgwater branch:)
 
ive only owned one Italian machine a cagive mito 7 speed,it was enough for me,worst bike I owned,it even broke down riding it away from the shop where Id just bought it from

nothing can touch Italians for styling but nothing can touch Japanese for reliability (you can thrape them all day and it doesn't touch them)

ive seen a fair few ducati's leaking fork oil aswell while standing on the showroom floor,large puddles of oil
 
Well Tirumph had the best engines and Norton had the best frames. People made Tritons. Why don't people make Honatis or Yamahatis?
 
hehe japan nicked/stole/copied all our idea's/bikes in the first place

suppose you could put a jap engine and electrics in a ducati frame/bodywork,then it would be made good
 
One said:
Well Tirumph had the best engines and Norton had the best frames. People made Tritons. Why don't people make Honatis or Yamahatis?
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Because the engine is the primary part that defines a Ducati. What 90 degree V Twin do the Japs make that's even remotely the same the the Ducati "L" engine?

wazza300 said:
hehe japan nicked/stole/copied all our idea's/bikes in the first place
suppose you could put a jap engine and electrics in a ducati frame/bodywork,then it would be made good
Click to expand...

It would simply remove the character of the bike and turn it into another soulless Japanese machine.

Japan did effectively make (reliable and oil tight) clones of British bikes for quite a while, but then they started innovating and left us in the dust.
 
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The frames are not in any way comparable now either.

They were single/double steel cradle frames that were pretty much just a loop of metal with some brackets on.

No steel/Alu trellis using the engine as a stressed member nonsense either.
 
Scort said:
To be fair, when I was going through i4s and then my Triple, I heard nothing but horror stories about Ducati's - but only ever saw one konk out (excluding mine now :p) - that was an old 748 iirc; with some frankly appalling wiring and overheating issues.
Click to expand...

At a Silverstone track day recently there were 3 or 4 breakdowns. All new era Ducatis (1198, new Monster and Panigale from memory)

Doesn't fill me with confidence.
 
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