Servicing Question
 

According to the book the service coupon "C" says 20000km or 24 months. On this service the belts need adj. which obviously puts up the cost. The bike is just out of warranty by the way.
With just 3000 miles on the clock does it really need this service or would the simple 10000km service suffice?

Thanks in advance.

I guess that's your choice, it's out of warranty so technically if you didn't comply with the recommended service schedule it would make no difference, although Ducati have been known to honour some work outside of warranty (gesture of goodwill).

Have you had your belts replaced at all? I seem to recall it's x miles or every two years anyway

I was in the same situation. Had a 'minor' service + belt change as recommended by official Ducati dealer/ service centre (Pro Twins). Cost about £330

Well Bridge in Exeter quoted £350 incl for minor service Riders in Bridgwater £470 + vat + consumables. Some difference. They wanted 0ver £600 + for a major service.

Going to give Motorapido and Luigi a call tomorrow.

How common are belt failures on a 2 yr old 3000 mile 999 anyway?

The logic of changing the timing belts every two years escapes me.

The only explanation that I can come up with is that without SOME time limit, the timing belts would drop off the owners maintenance radar scope. The usual reasons for maintenance on a time schedule, don’t seem to apply here.

For example, for oil changes when the manufacturer specifies a time criteria, they're telling you that if you ride every day, but for only short trips to work, your riding habits subject the oil to a more severe service so you should use time, not mileage, as a guide. If you ride 100 miles a week, but do it in ten trips, you should use time, not mileage as your criteria.

Motorcycle riding is often different. If you ride only for pleasure once a week for 100 miles, then you should use mileage, not time as your change criteria.

Timing belts are made of kevlar-reinforced rubber, much like some tires that have no such time limit on their replacement. It’s easy to understand a mileage limit on timing belts since (except under unusual usage) it correlates directly to cyclic fatigue and wear.

So what’s so special about timing belts that they need replacement on a time schedule?

If you buy a new bike and then put it your private collection and don’t ride it for two years do you have to replace the belts? Of course not. Conversely, if you have a track bike that lives at the red-line don’t wait to change your belts until 12,000 miles is up.

You need to use your common sense here.

I don't know but do you really want to be finding out? Whats the cost of the belts compared to replacing all the bits that go with them?

Just worth a thought maybe?

Try Dyno map (Italian motorcycles ) of crediton they do all my work and are good and fair

phone number is 01363774499 tell them Adrian Retallack refered you.

Age

And how can a time limit apply if you were to buy, say, a 2003 749, pdi'd in March 03 but sold March 04, when is the 2 yr for belt change needed, March 05 or March 06 eh Deeseered, Does the dealer change the belts if he has a bike in showroom for 2 years?, i doubt it.

I agree with TP. Big £££££ if the belts go. :(

Clint.

The consequenses of a belt slipping due to tension problems doesn't bear thinking about - inside OR outside of warranty.
The top end will be destroyed.

Even if a bike is unused for 2 years the belts will have sat on pulleys for a long time and may become distorted....used or un-used the recommendation is to change belts every 2 years to obviate issues with degradation.

Unless you're racking up high miles, changing the belts every 2 years is going to cost you roughly £180 or put another way, just £90 per year to prevent your beloved bike's engine eating itself. A small price to pay me thinks

[Edited on 29-4-2005 by Wylie1]

My mate has a '97 916 and he had hardly ridden it in the last 3 years. He figured he really ought to get it serviced and when they looked at the belts you could see where they were cracked and perished. That is why there is a time limit.

If you left it over the winter (as he did) and that brought it up towards 3 years since the belts were replaced, then the worst thing you could do is start the engine and ride it to the service. The stress under those circumstances is likely to break them.

The advice was, if you are going to extend the belts life like that, then start it regularly which moves the belts and moves the stress points about a bit. Not really recommended though.

Some good points.

I have contacted LuigiMoto as they are just up the road and agreed to a 10000km service plus belt change.

£240 for the service + consumables + £70 for belts.

Sounded good to me.

He sounded like someone who cares about his work with the personal touch. We'll wait and see if this is so. Can't get me 'til end of May though.