Winter Vs. Ducati

Domo · 28 Nov 2017 at 23:33

It's my first winter on the Panigale. While the trusty old YBR125 has endured 4 winters sat outside, I've been warned about taking the Ducati out of the garage and onto roads which have been treated with salt - for fear of rust.

Is this just a tongue-in-cheek poke because of the Italian heritage (and the well proven fact Italian cars and bikes once had a reputation for rust). Or is it a real problem?

Domo · 29 Nov 2017 at 21:31

OK thanks for the tip guys. Think I'll retire it for the winter. Just need to invest in a trickle charger (the dealer attached a connector to it - just need to find a compatible unit).
Do I need to start it up even though the battery is charging? If so how often? It's done @ 400 miles.

Domo · 3 Dec 2017 at 23:28

quad said:
don't use a duc in winter. buy something (anything) else. a 250 or whatever. unless it's a duc you don't love

Oh I do love my Panigale, the Mrs describes it as an ornament since I rarely use it. When I do take it out she worries in case it upsets the neighbours (Akrapovic exhaust is v. noisy to be fair!).

I still have my trusty YBR125 which is absolutely bullet proof. 61 plate and sails through MOTs + still puts a smile on my face.

Domo · 22 Dec 2017 at 00:22

For anyone who might be interested. I spoke to the Ducati dealer where I purchased my Panigale and they provided the following advice:

- No need for paddock stands, I even mentioned the potential for tyre flat spots and they advised this won't be a problem when resting the bike for the winter. Only occurs after much longer durations (like a year).
- I've taken delivery of an Optimate battery conditioner. They advised I plug this into a timer, so the battery only receives 7 hours of charge per week, else there's a risk the battery becomes 'dependent' on the charge and will lost its ability to stay charged.
- No need to fill the tank pre-storage, but the first thing I should do when ready to ride come the spring is take it to a pump and fill it up. As stated earlier, not sure if this correlates to the age of the bike or low mileage.