Hi... just joined this forum the other day. Used to participate at the previous Monster site that changed hands....
So, I just took delivery of my new Monster 696... my previous bike was a Monster 600 Dark that I sold last summer. What's the deal with the Cold Start Lever on these bikes? I thought with EFI, that kind of thing would not be required. Seems to start easily...and seems easier to regulate than it was on my carbed 600, but it kind of surprised me. Did the 620's and 695's have that?
As for the bike...unfortunately I have not had a chance to ride it yet...as we picked it up late last night and it's been nothing but rain here all day, so all I can comment on is starting it and making vroom noises in the garage :)
-Craig (aka. SlowRider)
that bike should come with a NO-START lever, illthe ron [evil]
Quote from: slowrider on May 31, 2008, 07:27:19 AM
Hi... just joined this forum the other day. Used to participate at the previous Monster site that changed hands....
So, I just took delivery of my new Monster 696... my previous bike was a Monster 600 Dark that I sold last summer. What's the deal with the Cold Start Lever on these bikes? I thought with EFI, that kind of thing would not be required. Seems to start easily...and seems easier to regulate than it was on my carbed 600, but it kind of surprised me. Did the 620's and 695's have that?
As for the bike...unfortunately I have not had a chance to ride it yet...as we picked it up late last night and it's been nothing but rain here all day, so all I can comment on is starting it and making vroom noises in the garage :)
-Craig (aka. SlowRider)
interesting.........
i am surprised that the 696 still has a cold start lever. my 03 620 had a cold start lever, but i thought all the newer bikes had the new, integrated cold start system (built into the ecu,efi, ect...)
anyone want to chime in on the 695 and 800?
It seems ducati may be going away from integrating the fast idle levers into the ecu program...at least for the air colled engines. My 2004 MTS1000 doesn't have a lever, but the newer ones do I believe. ???
Personally I hate not having the lever. I'd rather control the fast idle myself...one less electronic thing to break that way.
The 695 also has the fast idle lever, I haven't found it a big deal.
Congrats Craig! Looking forward to the ride report. [moto]
Quote from: Triple J on May 31, 2008, 08:37:25 AM
Personally I hate not having the lever. I'd rather control the fast idle myself...one less electronic thing to break that way. <SNIP>
+1 on that....
Give us some feed back as to how the new bike rides. I'm sure a lot of us would like to know.
Thanks
I was able to sneak a quick 30 mile run in this afternoon...just to get dumped on with a downpour in the last mile...
Despite that, I love the bike. It obviously has much more power than my old 600 did. The suspension seems very nice, though I have done no tuning of that yet. I'm in western, NY so finding a twisty road is often a chore, but I did get a chance to run it down a relatively winding 6 mile stretch of road a couple times and it handles great. Seating position feels very similar to my 600, though the seat may slope downwards to the tank more than my last one. It has a great exhaust note. Not sure if it's just that much different, or the higher pipes make it more evident, but it sounds very tough. It's geared quite high...might consider doing something about that. When I first saw the bike, the tank seemed a lot larger than that of my 600, and I believe it is, but once riding, I never even noticed it.
As for performance, I'm trying to be careful with the break-in RPM's, so I have not horsed it all that much yet.
Here are a couple pics from today's ride...
(http://www.dootalk.com/forums/uploads/monthly_05_2008/post-3-1212267635.jpg)
(http://www.dootalk.com/forums/uploads/monthly_05_2008/post-3-1212268839.jpg)
-Craig
I think if they make a SSS and different exhausts I will really like them. I like the 696 now but those two additions would be great. Nice bike slowrider [thumbsup]. why don't they call it a choke not coldstart lever?
Quote from: flanman on May 31, 2008, 02:28:38 PM
why don't they call it a choke not coldstart lever?
Because there is no "choke" on an EFI motor. It would be like having a blinker fluid reservoir.
The cold start lever is more like a manual choke for me. After being away at work for 2 days, The initial start -up of the bike will be difficult without it, even here in sunny california.
Quote from: Ducatista on May 31, 2008, 02:57:24 PM
Because there is no "choke" on an EFI motor. It would be like having a blinker fluid reservoir.
I've been told my Headlight fluid (Halogen?) is getting low, But my dealer won't tell me how to fill it up.....
Bastard! He'll want to only fill it with genuine Ducati fluid to!!!
By the way slowrider, very nice 696, I use the cold start lever on my S2R 800 all the time in the morning's, whenever the engine has been sitting all day the slightly higher revs gets the oil up and around the top of the engine quicker.
Quote from: Ducatista on May 31, 2008, 02:57:24 PM
Because there is no "choke" on an EFI motor. It would be like having a blinker fluid reservoir.
Thank you for clearing up the misunderstanding on my part. You learn something new everyday ;)
I have a fuel injected 2001 M900 and it has the fast-idle lever. I always have to use it when starting the bike. When using the fast-idle lever, you are never supposed to touch the throttle. Not when starting the bike, not while bike is idling. Don't forget to turn the lever all the way off before riding away. I put mine on fully, hit the start button, engine starts, then the idle will slowly climb. As the idle climbs I adjust the lever accordingly. Don't think you want to walk away from bike when using the lever, but that's just my bike and it's old.
Quote from: the ron on May 31, 2008, 08:15:43 AM
that bike should come with a NO-START lever, illthe ron [evil]
<admin hat off>
We'll let you know when you manage a funny response to a 696 thread. So far you're shooting blanks.
Quote from: slowrider on May 31, 2008, 02:16:47 PM
I was able to sneak a quick 30 mile run in this afternoon...just to get dumped on with a downpour in the last mile...
Despite that, I love the bike. It obviously has much more power than my old 600 did. The suspension seems very nice, though I have done no tuning of that yet. I'm in western, NY so finding a twisty road is often a chore, but I did get a chance to run it down a relatively winding 6 mile stretch of road a couple times and it handles great. Seating position feels very similar to my 600, though the seat may slope downwards to the tank more than my last one. It has a great exhaust note. Not sure if it's just that much different, or the higher pipes make it more evident, but it sounds very tough. It's geared quite high...might consider doing something about that. When I first saw the bike, the tank seemed a lot larger than that of my 600, and I believe it is, but once riding, I never even noticed it.
As for performance, I'm trying to be careful with the break-in RPM's, so I have not horsed it all that much yet.
Here are a couple pics from today's ride...
(http://www.dootalk.com/forums/uploads/monthly_05_2008/post-3-1212267635.jpg)
(http://www.dootalk.com/forums/uploads/monthly_05_2008/post-3-1212268839.jpg)
-Craig
cool. do you have a "wish list" yet? thanks for the pics. Keep us updated when she's through the beak in miles.
There is no fast idle lever on my S2R1K. I have never had a problem getting it started. Press the starter button ones, it cranks until it kicks over or until 7-10 seconds has passed...
Quote from: Statler on May 31, 2008, 05:37:54 PM
<admin hat off>
We'll let you know when you manage a funny response to a 696 thread. So far you're shooting blanks.
<muted trumpet>
waaaahh wahhhh wahhhh
Quote from: ducatizzzz on May 31, 2008, 05:57:41 PM
<muted trumpet>
waaaahh wahhhh wahhhh
I should have added one or two of these ;D [laugh] [cheeky]
my apologies ;)
Quote from: Statler on May 31, 2008, 05:37:54 PM
<admin hat off>
We'll let you know when you manage a funny response to a 696 thread. So far you're shooting blanks.
i thought it was a true statement, I wasn't looking for humor [cheeky]
the " dial in the times before the 696 into my flux capacitor" ron [evil]
Quote from: the ron on May 31, 2008, 08:15:43 AM
that bike should come with a NO-START lever, illthe ron [evil]
Do you ever just go away? Do you ever actually resist the urge to comment? Let us know when that urge becomes a successful concouring of your schitzophaenia.
I really take my fast idler on my 05 S4R for granted.
With out it my bike would be very difficult to start and keep running in till it warms up.
I never questioned it. Even coming right from the shop after a servicing I need to use it.
Quote from: Bad Kitty on May 31, 2008, 10:10:27 PM
Do you ever just go away? Do you ever actually resist the urge to comment? Let us know when that urge becomes a successful concouring of your schitzophaenia.
sometimes my wife utters the same question. ;D wait, have you been talking to her? the t.v. is watching me...... :o
the" i miss the bad kitty" ron [evil]
Quote from: Statler on May 31, 2008, 05:39:39 PM
cool. do you have a "wish list" yet?
Right now, the only thing I'd like to do right away is get the shorter tail piece for it that puts the license plate right up by the seat. Other than that I'm just going to have some fun on it for a bit.
Quote from: Grappa on May 31, 2008, 05:19:33 PM
When using the fast-idle lever, you are never supposed to touch the throttle. Not when starting the bike, not while bike is idling.
Grappa... I saw the comment in the manual about not hitting the throttle, what happens if you do?
-Craig
Quote from: slowrider on June 01, 2008, 03:33:31 PM
Grappa... I saw the comment in the manual about not hitting the throttle, what happens if you do?
Not saying this is the recommended way to do things, but...
I don't let my bike (2007 M695) idle and warm up in the parking lot, as I live in an apartment. I start and ride off immediately, taking it easy at the start. To keep the bike from stalling at the first few stop signs, I leave the fast idle lever partially on for the first few blocks. I have never had a problem from doing this.
I occasionally have spaced out and left the fast idle lever partially on for longer, and again, it hasn't caused any issues, but the bike does seem happier to have it off once warmed up.
Quote from: slowrider on June 01, 2008, 03:33:31 PM
Grappa... I saw the comment in the manual about not hitting the throttle, what happens if you do?
-Craig
I don't have a clue, I just read it in my manual when I got the bike and took it for dogma. ;D
Quote from: msincredible on June 01, 2008, 03:38:54 PM
I don't let my bike (2007 M695) idle and warm up in the parking lot, as I live in an apartment. I start and ride off immediately, taking it easy at the start. To keep the bike from stalling at the first few stop signs, I leave the fast idle lever partially on for the first few blocks. I have never had a problem from doing this.
I used to warm my bike up in driveway, till some neighbors expressed concern. If I go out early morning, like I do on Sundays, I coast my bike down the hill from my house and start it up near entrance to the highway. I fear the day that I coast my bike down this big hill and it doesn't start.
QuoteGrappa... I saw the comment in the manual about not hitting the throttle, what happens if you do?
I have ridden 17k miles like this so far. My bike takes a while to warm up and I ride it with the fast idler on in till it gets warm enough I can turn it off with out the bike stalling on me.
Quote from: Statler on May 31, 2008, 05:37:54 PM
<admin hat off>
We'll let you know when you manage a funny response to a 696 thread. So far you're shooting blanks.
Now that`s a funny response ;D
BTW Slowrider very nice bike [thumbsup]
Quote from: ROBsS4R on June 01, 2008, 09:59:39 PM
I have ridden 17k miles like this so far. My bike takes a while to warm up and I ride it with the fast idler on in till it gets warm enough I can turn it off with out the bike stalling on me.
+1
I do the same thing.