Hi All, I'm new to the forum and sorry but I'm starting off with a problem ! I've been riding an 03 Multistrada 1000DS for the past 18 months, having converted from years on a Guzzi. Love the bike, but even compared to an Italian Guzzi, it needs a lot of TLC. I'm suffering from a problem that at first was intermitant and is now 'permanent'. The bike would start and run fine and then after a good run, wouldn't re-start unless it was cranked and cranked over. Then it would fire and run and idle perfectly. I thought it was the side stand switch as it would start whether the stand was up or down, so I suspected it was a switch gummed up with road dirt. I bridged the switch by joining the two green/green & white wires and isolating the black. Still no results, so that must have been a red herring. Cranking it over with a spark plug removed and touching the engine, there is no spark. Fuel pump is OK, turning over and plugs are wet. One weird thing is that if you release the starter button, the starter motor continues to run unless you hit the kill switch, like the solenoid is jammed. The previous owner had replaced the battery twice and fitted a new Electrex starter motor in the 6 months before I bought the bike. It had also had the starter relay low side wires repaired and the ignition pulse generator checked at the time the starter motor was replaced ! Can anyone give me an idea of where to start looking for the source of the problem. Other than all this, the bike is really clean and tidy and well looked after with 17,000 on the clock I read somewhere that the early MS 1000DS ecu software was problematic and needs reflashing with the later version ? Thanks for any help. Finster
if you put it into gear and with plugs out turn it over using the rear wheel by hand do you get a spark?
Hi Bolds, Thanks for the reply. Just tried that with a plug from each pot out and touching the cylinder studs and no spark. There also seems to be a problem with the neutral light not coming on and stopping the bike turning over even when in neutral (but green light not on) ! Neutral has been a bit of a problem to find since I changed the clutch plates.
One weird thing is that if you release the starter button, the starter motor continues to run unless you hit the kill switch, like the solenoid is jammed. I had this once on my fugley and thought it maybe the contacts in the switch gear that was gunked up or arced. I was going to dismantle it to check but just sprayed shedloads of electric contact cleaner into the right switchgear and left it for a while. It cleared the problem for me but then I did this as soon as I noticed it hold the starter live. I'm not sure if that helps given yours has been doing it for a while but at £3.99 it was my first port of call.
iirc This is by design , you should only need to press the starter button once and the bike will crank until it fires, I have never had a multi, but have monsters with the same engine and basically the same electronics. what you are describing sounds familiar, the bike can appear to work ok but the the starter circuits cannot draw enough power to run the starter and provide sufficient spark (especially when cold) 1: Earth bonding- check the main earth connections especially to and from the engine and solenoid starter cables. take them apart, check for corrosion, clean the contacts with wire wool and reassemble with some dialectric grease 2: battery, its possible you have a weak battery. to test this you could try connecting to a car bat with jump leads and see if the bikes starts more easily with the bigger battery 3: Replace the starter cables . over time these become less and less effective (they weren't great to start with!) @Exige sells the Exact Start cables made by California cycle works and these are a very worthwhile upgrade for any ducati imho it might seem like an excessive expense but it will most likely solve all your starting issues and also save your starter sprag clutch from excessive wear and premature failure (which is an expensive, engine cover off repair!) 4: check /replace the solenoid, i have seen a similar issue with 1098 failing to start easily (and killing batteries prematurely as a result). we eventually tracked down to a failing solenoid by bridging it with a pair of pliers (not your favourite pair as they will melt!) and the bike fired straight away. i doubt an ECU flash will make any difference help in this instance hth
also could try swapping the 2 small relays over in their sockets (iirc one is strarter, the other is fuel pump) to see if one is sticking and causing the problem . you might find after doing you notice the lack of the "click whirr" sound when you turn on the ignition but the spark is working ok. in which case replace both for good measure.
Hi Funkatronic, Brilliant. That all makes sense I'll give them a try over the next day or two as time allows and post how I get on. I did read somewhere that the early crimped starter cables on the MS were a bit suspect. Probably a good idea to change in any case as I use this bike for long trips and weeks away !!
Hi again, where would I find these relays ? Next to the battery under the nearside plastic body panel ?
not 100% sure on the multi but looking at the parts catalogue they appear to be on the right of the battery (as you look at it)
I do indeed, but they are made to my design by an aerospace cable company here in the UK - all the other products I sell are indeed from California Cycleworks https://www.ducatiforum.co.uk/threa...-belt-2v-coil-kit-link-forum-discounts.36761/
