Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > Sport Touring: ST4 / ST3 / ST2 > Topping up ST engine oil with panels on

[John W]

they do come with the mounting kit.

What I'm waiting for now though is the DP racing exhaust kit with carbon pipes, chip, filter, and sprockets. Hopefully they will arrive by the end of the week


Thanks for the tip about the locking nut. Mine is already shedding bits. When I got home the two bolts under the seat that hold on the rear plastics were missing !
No marks on the paint, so don't think they were ever fitted

The chap who is buying my 98 VFR showed his missus a pic of my new bike. She has told him to sell his newish blade and buy one like mine too

[Jools]

Dunno how it'll go with a newish engine, which might use a bit more oil until it beds in, but my bike doesn't seem to use much oil and will quite happily go from one oil change to the next without top ups. Of course the 4 valvers may be different.

[Monty]

Going back to the top up question, I use a plastic milk bottle cut in half so that I end up with a long tray with a thin spout where the handle was-works every time. For travelling I have a 1ltr oil container with a plastic spout, the container fits(with a bit of a squeeze) into the side pod and the spout will reach the filler-job done.

John

[adamH]

I use an old scotoil bottle long thin plastic tube, and you can carry some oil around in on long trip abroard.

[BDG]

John,

Over the course of a combined 24,000 miles both my st4 and st4s used oil, especially on long FAST trips abroad. I get through a litre bottle in an average 2500 mile trip. Oil consumption seems better when you reached about 10,000 miles, and it only seems to use much oil when really thrashing it.

I always take a bottle of Mobil1 15/50 with me as its cheaper here and saves either mixing different oils, or searching for your prefered brew.

If you're really worried about the space split the oil into smaller plastic bottles and thow away when used. Might sound mad but i also take old socks etc. and throw them away when used as its less to pack and bring home, more room for wine.

[John W]

Well guys, I thought I'd report back what happened.

Trip was a total of 10 days (9 on the bike) and 3k3 miles.
All of this was twisty stuff, no motorways or major main roads.

I checked the oil every day to see if it was using any. First 3 days
very little at all. Then one major day with lots of 1st/2nd gear
work in the Pyrenees, and she used over a litre !
Next couple of days not much. Then, on the way back up through
similar roads in the pyrenees another litre in a day.

It seems as commented above that lots of revs and lots of
engine braking sees the oil consumption go up considerably.

I cut up a plastic water bottle to do the job, which is now tucked
in one of the side pods. Need to experiment with the plastic milk
bottle idea, as it sounds far less messy.

I'll be changing oil every 3k. It needs doing now and will need
doing again in a month or so after a trip to france.
Anyone know where I can buy oil in bulk ?
Recomended Shell oil prefered.
(If it helps it can be a company purchase).

Cheers all,
John.

[Rushjob]

Speak to Nelly...he's got good contacts with Shell & may be able to assist!

[Athelstan]

John
I've followed the progress of your posts ever since you got your Duc, and quiet frankly I am begining to wonder about the provenance of the bike.

Why, well I have not known any other ST4s owner who has had all the niggles and that you have unfortunately experiencd. This last posting re oil consumption really has me wondering, as I live up in the alps and whilst engine oil is changed every 3K (that's just sound practice) and "topping-up" is only done when I've won the lottery, which is...................almost never!

Who did you buy it from???Text

[Rushjob]

Although it was only a day, mine was caned around Cadwell on Friday and didn'tuse a drop!
Similarly, on my run to Italy & back, same again...no oil used!

[John W]

Athelstan,

it was a brand new bike from P&H in Crawley.

I ran it in ensuring I kept the revs down for the first 600 miles, then
allowed 1k extra revs per 100 miles.
Not strictly to the book as the book says 7k5 (I think) until 1500 miles,
but although I used higher revs they were not for sustained periods.
I didn't really give it any stick until over 1500 miles.

I can't see any signs of oil leaks (although the inspection cover on the near side casing seems to have a trace of oil around it).
The bike doesn't noticably smoke, and doesn't get particularly hot either.

Like I say, these two days we were riding exceptionally hard using lots of high revs in 1st/2nd/3rd and lots of engine braking.
We don't really cruise and take in the view.
To give you a feeling of how hard, my rear disk is blue, and I had the ABS on the rear kick in a few times
Okay, awaiting the flak about using rear brake, but believe me two up with luggage it is a little friendlier on the pillion (and my arms/wrists !) to use rear as well as front brake. It also helps to keep the bike stable when braking late into bends.

I have another trip planned to France in late June so will keep an eye on the oil usage and if it uses lots again then I'll see what the shop has to say about it. There are a couple of other ST4S's going on the same trip, so we will be able to 'compare fluids'

Just a thought, your not confusing my posts earlier this year with my 996 are you, as I only got the ST4S a couple of months back (now has 4k3 miles on it).
The 996 is generally very reliable, but one trip on it last year saw me having at least one problem a day (lost rear brake, bolts falling out, oil pressure switch, hole in oil cooler, trouble starting, etc, etc).

Thanks for the concern anyway. Hopefully its nothing, but if it is, its under warranty (I hope !)

Cheers,
John.