Hi. I have a fortnight-old 659 Monster; and it was harder to cold start than my '73 kick-start Triumph Trident - and that's saying something. Couldn't believe that in this day and age I was spending up to 6 minutes (admittedly worst day) trying to get her to hold once she caught. I've now done four days in a row of perfect first-catch starts in around 8 degrees Celsius. There's no cold start lever by the way. Before cranking the bike (or even turning the key on) I put the side stand up and roll her forward about 2 metres, and then back. Then I hold clutch in, put her in first and roll again, dropping the clutch at the end. I gently push her against the 'stop' (as she's in gear), pull her back until she stops again. Flick her into neutral, and start normally. I'm theorizing that this is freeing up clutch plates or something like that. If a mechanic out there wants to call bullshit, well, it's working, and if it's not some sort of 'release of cold parts' then it must be the simultaneous prayer I'm offering up to Zeus as I do it. Once she's even a little warm, or daytime cooled (as opposed to overnight) she's no trouble. And this motor has yet to run in so is probably tight anyway.
That's a good idea ^ (except this one has a dry clutch Clive, that doesn't bind on overnight standing) I used to do the same with wet-clutch Ducati in the winter- e.g. Elefant 750, for a more permanent cure you could get some better starter leads if you haven't done so already. You can either make up a set relatively cheaply if you can solder or you can buy a ready made set.
@CliveGC it just so happens another Forum member makes them up and sells them. He even gives a discount to Forum subscribers (surprisingly as he's from Yorkshire), they're even very well made complete with idiot proof instructions. https://www.ducatiforum.co.uk/threa...-belt-2v-coil-kit-link-forum-discounts.36761/
Do you not have a fast idle lever on the left hand slde of the bars, as on my S2r 800, mine is 2007 and has never failed to start .
I think the last Ducatis with a fast idle lever were the ST4s and the Monster S4R. Now they all have servo motor operated idle control valves which regulate the idle speed.
