is there anywhere in dallas that could check some issues on my bike that would be cheaper than the duc dealership?
it has developed some gnarly rattling/ticking when i let off the throttle but goes away when if i pull in the clutch....
also is there anyone that could by chance help me tighten my chain? i dont have any tools or very much motorcycle knowledge.... it seems very loose to me but im really new to bikes. what effects would a loose chain have on riding my bike?? could this be the source or my noise?
Quote from: rsoffar on May 31, 2008, 04:00:10 PM
is there anywhere in dallas that could check some issues on my bike that would be cheaper than the duc dealership?
it has developed some gnarly rattling/ticking when i let off the throttle but goes away when if i pull in the clutch....
also is there anyone that could by chance help me tighten my chain? i dont have any tools or very much motorcycle knowledge.... it seems very loose to me but im really new to bikes. what effects would a loose chain have on riding my bike?? could this be the source or my noise?
Since most of the group are out strafing the curves out in the Hill Country and unashamedly reporting how much fun they are having, it is left to me to answer your question.
If you are in the Dallas area, Randy McCarter is fast becoming the favorite wrench of the group. There is a lot that he can do but admits that warranty work should be left to the dealers for obvious reasons and work outside of minor adjustments during the warranty period might be best left to the dealers too. You can however twist his arm and he won't bite.
His rates are less than AMS and he works fast enough so that he doesn't have to repeat himself. His clock runs slow. His one hour is generally more than your 1 hour and he rounds down to the lower quarter. This is obviously good for you. He doesn't mind you asking questions while he works on your bike but then again if he has to stop to answer your questions, the clock is still ticking.
He will teach you how to check your chain tension and if you watch him and are inclined to do so, he'll teach you how to adjust your chain as well. He won't teach you how to mess up, that you'll have to do on your own.
PM me if you want his phone number. Hope that helps.
cdc
Nicely said charles. Randy is the way to go!!
I agree, big time! [thumbsup]
hey thanks for the reply...
the chain actually came off on me while i was riding and i got it put back on and tightened up and now the ticking and stuff is gone and it rides great again so i guess that was my problem. [thumbsup]
Quote from: rsoffar on June 02, 2008, 12:33:34 PM
hey thanks for the reply...
the chain actually came off on me while i was riding and i got it put back on and tightened up and now the ticking and stuff is gone and it rides great again so i guess that was my problem. [thumbsup]
wow, chain came off and it didn't tear a hole in your crankcase right in front of the front sprocket??? consider yourself lucky!!!
Quote from: rsoffar on June 02, 2008, 12:33:34 PM
the chain actually came off on me while i was riding
Holy Crap! You're OK?
Quote from: rsoffar on June 02, 2008, 12:33:34 PM
hey thanks for the reply...
the chain actually came off on me while i was riding and i got it put back on and tightened up and now the ticking and stuff is gone and it rides great again so i guess that was my problem. [thumbsup]
is it just me or is no one even more amazed that you
put it back on?
oh, and +1 for Randy of course....great guy to do business with. he'll be tackling some wheel/tire stuff for me actually in the coming days.
Quote from: rsoffar on June 02, 2008, 12:33:34 PM
hey thanks for the reply...
the chain actually came off on me while i was riding and i got it put back on and tightened up and now the ticking and stuff is gone and it rides great again so i guess that was my problem. [thumbsup]
Wow! :o
Glad to hear you're ok and not hurt after tossing the chain. Chain adjustments/checks should be a routine pre-ride check [thumbsup]
yeah i really need to get my stuff together and learn about my bike.
when the chain came off i was just doing some drive bys in front of my friends house as we were trying to diagnose the problem so i want going fast or anything, glad it didnt happen on the freeway or something. as for it tearing a hole in the crankcase, it didnt even seem like it came off the front sprocket at all.. it was still set on it when i stopped the bike.
mckraut, is it a problem that i put the same chain back on? it didnt seem beat up or anything, but again im really new to bikes and i guess i would be sure how to tell if i needed a new one.
Quote from: McKraut on June 03, 2008, 11:53:18 AM
is it just me or is no one even more amazed that you put it back on?
if it went on easily, it can come off easily again. It isn't like a bicycle chain were you can compress the chain guide/adjuster to refit a chain which has come off the gears.
Quote from: rsoffar on June 03, 2008, 10:32:43 PM
yeah i really need to get my stuff together and learn about my bike.
If you are new to bikes, how did you refit the chain and how did you adjust it to proper tension?
Quote from: rsoffar on June 03, 2008, 10:32:43 PM
is it a problem that i put the same chain back on? it didnt seem beat up or anything, but again im really new to bikes and i guess i would be sure how to tell if i needed a new one.
How old is the bike, chain, sprockets? If they are less than 9K miles and were decently cared for, they might last awhile longer. Any more and I would start saving for a new chain and sprocket for future upgrade. Well cared for chains have had very long life spans while neglected ones have needed replacement in 9K miles. Ask me why I know.
with the bike on a rear stand, turn the rear wheel and look for kinks in the chain. the links tend not to straighten out quickly or evenly like they were tight. the seals may be busted and that link may have rusted. look at the teeth and see if they are not worn or unevenly worn. the best guide is to look at a brand new sprocket and compare it to yours. when very badly worn, it is obvious.
Your chain came loose but did not break. If it broke, it would act like a whip and punch a hole in the engine case ahead of the front srocket.
Seriously, I would have the chain and sprocket checked by Randy and properly adjusted especially if you ride beyond "puttering around" speeds.
well my freinds dad was the one who helped me get it back on... he has had bikes all his life and said it didnt look damaged or anything. so i got to sit there and help and learn.
i did what you said and the chain does not kink up, and when it was off we looked over the sprockets and he said they looked fine and i didnt notice any uneven wear on them.
but i will def have it looked at. thanks for all the replys
That's what we're here for [thumbsup]
Keep us posted! [moto]
Quote from: rsoffar on June 04, 2008, 09:26:24 AM
well my freinds dad was the one who helped me get it back on... he has had bikes all his life and said it didnt look damaged or anything. so i got to sit there and help and learn.
i did what you said and the chain does not kink up, and when it was off we looked over the sprockets and he said they looked fine and i didnt notice any uneven wear on them.
but i will def have it looked at. thanks for all the replys
Good to hear that. Why was it loose to begin with? I take it you just bought it recently. How old is the bike, chain?
cdc
yeah i just got it like a week and a half ago. it is my first bike.
here is the story of the bike, the original owner of the bike who i have no clue who it was got arrested for one reason or another and the bike sat for three months with the towing company who in turn got the title for the bike and then sold it to a guy who owns a car shop. i then got it from him so i hardly know any history on it. its a 2000 750 with 27,000 miles on it. the duc dealership told me it was supposed to have a major service done at 24k so idk if that happened or not so i guess i should get it in for that. (is this something that Randy McCarter can do? or should i take it in to the dealership?)
anyways as far as why it was loose.... when we went to put it back on the huge nut on the left side of the wheel was hardly even hand tight :o as was one of the smaller ones on the rear of the swingarm... so im guessing that had something to do with it. the guy i got it from said he replaced the brake pads so im just guessing that maybe he didnt tighten everything up to spec when he put it back on..... i guess i was lucky the chain coming off was all that happened.
That all makes sense.
I would ask Randy if he will want to do the full service which you will want to make sure everything is set to specs. I don't know if he has all the tools for it. Worth a call.
cdc
First of all, wow. Glad your chain didn't punch a hole in your engine nor did your wheel come off. You have been blessed by the motogods.
Second, you can get a 520 chain 'conversion' kit including sprockets on ebay for around $140 or so with whatever gearing you want. Another avenue is Sprocket specialists. There are plenty of places around town and online. I just spent too much on a DID EVR 525 chain myself, but Randy said he uses them for 24hr endurance races so I"m guessing it'll do for me.
As far as services go, there are other places to take your Duc besides AMS. Here is my take on AMS: Top quality service at top price. I don't think you will find a more competent shop around town. That doesn't mean the others are necessarily less competent, just less costly. Since it is obviously out of warranty, it is not mandatory that it be done at a dealer. Even if it is under warranty, you can still have it done at a not duc shop, it is just harder (not impossible) to prove it was Ducati's fault should something go wrong.
Another dealer I like is North Texas BMW in Plano. They are a certified Duc dealer too. A little cheaper on the labor. Good guys. I just got my partial 6k service done there last week. I'm pretty good with a wrench, but wanted the first sevice (in my possession) to be done at a dealer. I can take care of the oil/radiator/brakes/chain myself so I just had them check the valves, TPS and Throttle bodies. Saved me some money.
Point is, there are ways to own a duc without going broke.
Welcome to the sickness,
Steve