Engine Backfire

portnh03801 · Apr 30, 2015

Full disclosure - have only ridden for approximately 150 miles but on four separate occasions the bike has backfired and stalled when I pull in the clutch to downshift into a lower gear. No problem restarting and continuing on... has anyone else experienced this issue?

Some of you may recall backfire occurring at the carburetor (unspent fuel) in the old days. That is what it sounds like even though its fuel injected. Have own many bikes and recently had a fuel injected BMW RT for about 4 years without this issue ever occurring. Thoughts?

Scramblizer · Apr 30, 2015

Experienced that yesterday with the engine not warmed up while going at slow speeds around a corner... Know that behaviour from my Buell and large V Twins in general occasionally... Will keep you posted if it sums up...

64vette · Apr 30, 2015

Well, first off have your dealer check it. Secondly, a vacuum hose that has come off (like one to the evap canister for example) can cause this sort of problem, but usually the idle would also be affected.

Smifff · Apr 30, 2015

Take it back to the dealer, 2,000 km's with mine and it hasn't happened once

I recall reading that Ducati recognised a low speed fuelling issue very early on and have issued a remap, perhaps you have the old map.

Stalling while on the move is dangerous, hell stalling at anytime is dangerous.

portnh03801 · Apr 30, 2015

Thanks for the feedback. I am planning to address it with the dealer during the 600 mile service. I was hoping for additional data points with regard to when, how often and under what of rev's. Thus far it seems to happen on the downshift (I hear pop/short sucking sound and engine stalls abruptly). I hope to have the other 450 miles on bike by the end of next week and will report back then.

CookieKing · May 1, 2015

Check your plugs are torqued to correct spec.

Feli · May 10, 2015

Scramblizer said:
Experienced that yesterday with the engine not warmed up while going at slow speeds around a corner... Know that behaviour from my Buell and large V Twins in general occasionally... Will keep you posted if it sums up...

I had this happen to me too the other morning... About 300m from home on a downshift in the cold.

Chris75 · May 10, 2015

Mine pops a bit too with the termi but it never stalled on me.

With my previous big twin (Suzuki TL1000R) i had it more often. My dealer in that time told me it can be a leakage (air) of the exhaust pipe, damage or broken gasket of badly passed pipes. I changed all the gaskets from the exhaust system till the silencers and really took care in re-installing the pipes.
Th bike still popped a bit with downshifting but never so loud and so often anymore as before and it didn't stall anymore.

I don't know, perhaps it can be something with your exhaust...

nuttynick · May 10, 2015

Mine did it once for me, warm motor with about 50 or so miles on it. No issue since though?

mk3nippa · May 11, 2015

Mine started doing this 200 or so miles ago, dismissed it at 1st but still happening and has cut out twice when doing it. Sounds a bit like a wheeze and a fart. Seems to happen if you have been at constant speed for a while (say a motorway)) then you come off it to a junction.
Heard rumour on here about the remap but no news of it after that?

ELVISTO · May 13, 2015

Are you sure you weren't riding a horse mk 3

littleowl · May 13, 2015

I've not had this happen with mine but the demo I rode did a huge backfire when my friend took it for a test run (it's had a Termi fitted). I've heard talk of a remap here and there but my dealers don't seem to have any info on it ...

nuttynick · May 13, 2015

Funny enough, mine did it for tne second time today. Lucky I had the clutch in and got to the starter without being rear ended!

scowa18 · May 13, 2015

nuttynick said:
Funny enough, mine did it for tne second time today. Lucky I had the clutch in and got to the starter without being rear ended!

Nick, did yours backfire, or stall? Just curious, because mine has stalled 4 times on me in the first 400 miles.

nuttynick · May 13, 2015

Both, you get a loud pop through the inlet and the motor dies.

scowa18 · May 13, 2015

Yep. Do you have the termi? I do not. 3 Times it has happened on decel when slowing for a stop. The other time it happened when I backed off the throttle for a sec for an upshift. Glad I had my hand on the clutch. So far my only real complaint. I also noticed that if my bike has been sitting long enough to cool, and I start it up and let it run for a minute, I can give it a quick rev (no more than 4k) and let go and it will quickly pop and die. Anyone else have this problem?

ELVISTO · May 14, 2015

Scowa, Just take a look to make sure the plug caps are fitting properly,

just a thought,

scowa18 · May 16, 2015

ELVISTO said:
Scowa, Just take a look to make sure the plug caps are fitting properly, just a thought,

Thanks for the tip ELVISTO . I took a look and they seem seated properly. I am chalking it up to a tank of bad fuel. It happened every time on the same tank full. I had filled up at a station I have never used before out of convenience. Since refilling the tank, it hasn't happened again. :icon_thumright:

rufio87 · May 18, 2015

Exact same thing happened to me twice in 260 km called the dealer he told me fuel injected engine needs a soft touch on the throttle, but ill be keeping my eyes open

nuttynick · May 19, 2015

Really! Tell him to stop talking rubbish! :BangHead:

Engine Backfire

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