I have a 748s and the manual with bike says cold and the haynes says to get up to operating temp, whos right then i have been checking it cold as i guess ducati should know best.
I also get a condensation a lot on the sight glass and sometimes a creamy colured gunge that takes about 50 miles to clear. All previous bikes had a dipstick. much easier to check!!
The oil thorugh the site glass now looks dark in colour through the site glass and is only golden if a torch is shone through it Does the glass darken with time and heat etc?
That gunge or mayonnaise is usually just by product water from the combustion of your fuel that's got into your oil - it vanishes when you get it nice & hot & it evaporates - if it never goes, you probably have a coolant leak.
The glass doesn't darken - your oil does! It's holding carbon & other crud in suspension........