Ducati Sporting Club UK > DesmoDue Race Series > DesmoDue - General Questions and Chat > DD bike doesn't start

Originally posted by fil2
Optimates KILL..................................

Can we have some more technical proof please?

My 996 SPS, when not in use for the smartarses out there :P, was always connected to an Optimate. I never had any problems in the 2 years 2 months I had it.

I swapped over the battery connections for the same unit when I got my 999R in September '03 and have used the same unit since. This bike was not used from early October last year until two weeks ago and started first time.

Staring and idling bikes without subsequent hard usage is not a good idea. If you are storing the bike for long periods in cold weather the recommended approach is to drain petrol and oil, discoonect battery and attach to trckle charger and when you come to restart, refil, prime and start.

[Edited on 8-2-2006 by everton]

[phil_h]

Originally posted by everton

Can we have some more technical proof please?

My 996 SPS, when not in use for the smartarses out there :P, was always connected to an Optimate. I never had any problems in the 2 years 2 months I had it.

I swapped over the battery connections for the same unit when I got my 999R in September '03 and have used the same unit since. This bike was not used from early October last year until two weeks ago and started first time.

Staring and idling bikes without subsequent hard usage is not a good idea. If you are storing the bike for long periods in cold weather the recommended approach is to drain petrol and oil, discoonect battery and attach to trckle charger and when you come to restart, refil, prime and start.

[Edited on 8-2-2006 by everton]

An optimate (or similar) is utterly dependant on the quality of its connection to the battery. A poor connection will give poor charging.
For example - The first series had small un-pluggable connectors which caused a small voltage drop as the charging current passed through them, and hence gave the optimate a false measure of the batteries real voltage.
Similarly, using corroded connectors can give poor charging.
Additionally, I dont think they compensate for temperature, and a batteries performance is very temperature-dependant - warming a dodgy battery up will often get it working enough to get you going.
This allone often explains the difference in people's experiences, as some of us have warmer garages than others

In summary - if you have poor connections between a trickle-charger and the battery - you can end up with an under-performing battery.
(There, I think that was pc enough to stop me being sued :P )

[AK]

Antoine, Alan say just give him a call on the mobile if you want him to pop over at the w/end sometime to help out

C

[fil2]

post edited to correct my inaccurate statement

Optimate dont kill poor connections do...........................

im a numpty..i just ride them.................................

[domski]

Originally posted by Tonio600

No Tonio, Optimates kill batteries - not French men









(they're still working on that)

[Tonio600]

Right, tonight I tried again.

Even when I use the battery from my road bike, the DD bike won't start (actually the road bike won't start neither but at least the battery is strong enough to make the engine reving...).

So when I use that battery on the race bike, same thing: I can hear the sound of the stuff which should start the engine but only for half a rev or something like this... then nothing happens. And if I push the red button again then still nothing happens. I must then put the main switch (which replaces the key) in "OFF" position and then back "ON" to try and get my half rev...



PUTAIN DE SALOPERIE DE BECANE DE MERDE QUI FAIT CHIER SA RACE!!!!!!!!!!


ok I feel better. But I still don't know what to do. I forgot to mention that to save some weight I got rid of most of the wirings which I thought were useless. So actually I've removed (ahem... cut) everything going to and coming from the dashboard.

Any idea?

[domski]

Try putting all the wires back one at a time until it starts, then you'll know which one you shouldn't have cut out

[Tonio600]

did you really have to reply to that post mate?????

Originally posted by Tonio600
I forgot to mention that to save some weight I got rid of most of the wirings which I thought were useless. So actually I've removed (ahem... cut) everything going to and coming from the dashboard.

Any idea?

Did you cut the really big important wire?

[Scooter916]

Sounds like the main ignition relay to me tonio, Mine did the same after beinjg on its side at donnington, There are t relays fitted if i remember correctly, Mine was yellow and i took it to a local motor factors and got a replacement for a fiver, Problem solved.
Ir is a common fault so well worth a check.
Glyn