Hi, Bike was new to me last year with 500ish miles on clock. Ducati Glasgow gave it a belt service before I took it off their hands. 1 year on and its approaching 7500 miles. Question: What would you have done at service? I've not been thrashing it about everywhere, mostly commuting over the Pennines, with very little illumination of rev limiter lights. I'm likely to put another 7500 miles on it in the next 12 months. I have two small children who eat most of my cash so I'm looking to be frugal but not stupid. Thanks.
I take it that you have the manuals, so your choice. IMO you need to look at what is required iaw the service interval on miles, understanding that the belts were done at 500 and decide what is crucial. If it's a modern engine, 7500 is not a lot more than an oil change as most belts are at least 2 years. Andy
i am now 2.5k over the valve/shim check adjust with no obvious adverse affects that could save you a few bob. but seek professional advise about that.
you know your self, you offer advise and it all goes wrong. best to have someone else to blame. :smile:
My bike is just about to have it's 15k service at a very reputable independent. As such it's due belts and a valve check. Their opinion when I rang is if the valves were genuinely checked and adjusted at 7.5k (just because you paid for it don't mean it got checked) then they rarely go out again for considerable mileage unless it sees a lot of track use. Hence the valves are not being checked this time for me but the 7.5k valve check is an important one as quite a few bikes are out at that point after the valves bed into the seats. Mine had to have exhaust valves re shimmed on both cylinders at 7.5k. Belts every 2 years for me independent of mileage.
Cheers, seems fairly sensible. I've got a 1999 VFR that I've never bothered with valve check as it'll cost half the value of the bike. I'd feel happier about leaving the 848 a longer interval if I know they're ok to start with. I spoke to Ducati John this morning, his words were 'seems a shame not to change the belts since they'll be coming off anyway - but its up to you'..... bah! It's one of those where I just want to be told what to do. I think learning to do belt service would be good for me so I'll perhaps just get him to do the valves and see if he'll teach me how to do belts with the old ones then I can have a go with some new ones over winter.
I think I'd go for the belts doing. Oil & filter, plugs, air / fuel filters and have done. If you're going to do so many miles on it, it might be a good idea to remove the swing arm pivot bolt and degrease it. (The reason for this is the longer you leave it, the more likley it is to seize up & then the fun starts). Same with the rear hub assembly.
Mine is going in tomorrow for a 7.5k, and as it's the first 7.5k and now 2 years old, it's having belts, valves checked/adjusted and the 2nd year service... It's not cheap, but the way I see it is, I paid decent money for the bike, I don't expect it to be as saleable if it isn't serviced properly (I know I asked about valves/belts on bikes when I was searching for mine) and if I don't service it properly and the belts break, it'll be a lot more expensive in the long run. My understanding is, as you said above, the belts are off to do the valves, so all you're paying for is the belts themselves, as the labour cost is already covered - would seem like an odd decision to not replace them to me.
The belts have only been on a year on mine. Im likely to skip the 15k valve check next year though so makes sense to change belts now and then just do oil and filter next year
If it were me, I'd just check the belts to make sure they are in good condition, that the guide pulleys are aligned by putting a straight edge across them and check the tension is within tolerance for in situ belts. Belts almost never just break. If they do fail it is because they get shredded due to misaligned guide pulleys or because the belt is so slack it jumps a tooth or two and the resulting carnage then breaks the belt. Car belts last for tens of thousands of miles and many years and they have to open valves against powerful valve springs, which our belts don't.
