I am considering a Ducati Monster 821. I know the older Ducati's had more frequent value adjustments and checks then the current generation but, ~$1200USD for a 15K mile checkup is a pretty high cost of ownership. Is there a reason why an owner can't do their own Intermediate service valve checks and adjustments? Is this really too complicated to do at home? Or is it an issue of tooling or complexity? I have also heard that the belts that drive the valve train are problematic since it is an interference engine. Is timing a Ducati engine really so difficult or problematic it needs to be done at the dealer for ~10% of the cost of a new motorcycle? TIA, Sid
Short answer, piece of piss if your relatively spanner handy, get belts from california cycle works, valve shims can be bought as single items if they need adjusting or you can buy a huge kit in USA
I have a 2002 ST2. I have a shim kit I found second hand online and I do my own belts. It takes me longer to get all the fairings off than it does to change the belts! And most of the valves are easy to get at. But I really should go back and get that horizontal intake closer that smidge tighter. But I REALLY don't want to take that damn airbox off!
So, it really isn't that hard or difficult? If you take the head off, doesn't that mess up the timing?
No need to take the heads off, check with heads on and if all in spec youre good, heads off is a long job in comparison and requires nee head gaskets which aren't cheap
Even I can do a valve check, and did on my Monster, and this is from a man who took 3 weeks to get his front sprocket off . It’s not difficult Sid (my front sprocket was) if you’ve some confidence and have a decent set of tools - you don’t even need any special ones - it’s just time consuming, but $1500 is top end dealer prices. Same thing with belts, you can do it
Front sprockets are a real pain! My 2007 KLX-250S front sprocket made removing and rebuilding the carb a real cakewalk even with a rebuilt shoulder and reduced flexibility and awkward reaches. I don't consider myself a good mechanic but, I've done brake jobs on pickups, motorcycles, and similar things most of my life. The one thing I don't do is a motorcycle or car tire mounts. I'll gladly pay $10 to save busted knuckles and get a good balance on the tire. In general, I don't really get too deep in the mechanicals though of automobiles and motorcycles unless I have a really good reason to these days. $1200~$1500 and 3 hours each way for a valve check though has me thinking it's time to turn on the shop lights and prepare for some quality time with a good wrench.
No plastics to remove and less captured engine and exhaust heat are some of the reasons the Monster and other nakeds are so popular today.
I've only done my long-gone 2V motor valve-shim adjustments and belts, which was straightforward. Clearly there's more to do on your 4V 821 and it'll be a bit more fiddly. Well worth getting to know how to do it & the satisfaction (& obvious cost savings) that goes with that if you're spanner-handy...
