Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > 998 / 996 / 916 / 748 > 996 clutch alternatives

[John W]

Originally posted by Shazaam!
John, my 916 sounds like a bucket of bolts but it's still going strong at 26,000 miles. A lot of owners put an open clutch cover on just to make it louder. It's considered one of the desirable characteristic sounds of a Ducati. So unless the clutch sound is frightening small animals and children, forget about it.

No not frightening small animals (unless you count sheep as small). I just don't want it to let go one day when away on a trip.

BTW, you should be riding with ear plugs anyway to protect your hearing. They make the clutch much quieter.

I thought earplugs were compulsory with a Ducati
I can't ride mine very far without them else my ears start to ring, especially with the induction roar from the open airbox

Cheers for the comments. I'll just keep an eye/ear on it and worry about it when I can't hear the exhausts any more