[Evotion]

Is this a common fault?

When I start the bike cold, it starts beautifully buy when I put it in first and go to set off, slowly releasing the clutch lever, the bike jumps forward a foot and stalls instantly. It is VERY hard to not stall it.
Once I do get going, usually on the second attempt, the actual bike running is fine.
Once warm, it seems, the problem doesnot happen.

Any ideas?
It ONLY affects starting when cold. The bite is brutal and I have to release it a millimeter at a time.

 

[K1W1]

Standard Ducati clutch. You can minimize the stalling by doing all or some of the following
Let the bike warm up properly. Not 30 seconds but 3-5 minutes at least.
While the bike is warming up operate the clutch without putting the bike into gear. Pull the clutch lever in hold it in for multiple seconds and release it again then repeat a couple of times.
Make sure the clutch cable is properly adjusted.
When you put the bike into gear hold the front brake on and hold the clutch lever in with the bike in gear for multiple seconds prior to releasing it.
Over time you will work out which combination of the above works best for you. You will never completely solve the issue because that is simply the way they are but you can learn to minimize the effect.

 

[Gasman]

Standard Ducati clutch. You can minimize the stalling by doing all or some of the following
Let the bike warm up properly. Not 30 seconds but 3-5 minutes at least.
While the bike is warming up operate the clutch without putting the bike into gear. Pull the clutch lever in hold it in for multiple seconds and release it again then repeat a couple of times.
Make sure the clutch cable is properly adjusted.
When you put the bike into gear hold the front brake on and hold the clutch lever in with the bike in gear for multiple seconds prior to releasing it.
Over time you will work out which combination of the above works best for you. You will never completely solve the issue because that is simply the way they are but you can learn to minimize the effect.

What exactly is the problem? I’ve not heard of this before.

 

[Hui]

Standard Ducati clutch. You can minimize the stalling by doing all or some of the following
Let the bike warm up properly. Not 30 seconds but 3-5 minutes at least.
While the bike is warming up operate the clutch without putting the bike into gear. Pull the clutch lever in hold it in for multiple seconds and release it again then repeat a couple of times.
Make sure the clutch cable is properly adjusted.
When you put the bike into gear hold the front brake on and hold the clutch lever in with the bike in gear for multiple seconds prior to releasing it.
Over time you will work out which combination of the above works best for you. You will never completely solve the issue because that is simply the way they are but you can learn to minimize the effect.

We’ll, this all news to me even although I’ve had many Ducati’s. Sounds to me like there is a wee bubble of air in the line if it’s hydraulic or wrong route fo the cable if it has one. Plus, letting a cold engine sit idling is the worst thing you can do

What exactly is the problem? I’ve not heard of this before.

Neither have aye.

 

[Hui]

Is this a common fault?

When I start the bike cold, it starts beautifully buy when I put it in first and go to set off, slowly releasing the clutch lever, the bike jumps forward a foot and stalls instantly. It is VERY hard to not stall it.
Once I do get going, usually on the second attempt, the actual bike running is fine.
Once warm, it seems, the problem doesnot happen.

Any ideas?
It ONLY affects starting when cold. The bite is brutal and I have to release it a millimeter at a time.

Depending on the miles, one cause of this is if the clutch basket is worn and has notches on the fingers that the friction plates slide on. The plates jump over the ridges and cause a lurch you describe. It would not really go away when hot though, so maybe less likely to be the cause.

 

[Max Kool]

Mine has always been a little grabby when cold, but nothing that worries me or makes the bike unrideable...

 

[Hui]

A

Mine has always been a little grabby when cold, but nothing that worries me or makes the bike unrideable...

Aye, a couple of hard drag starts to knock the rough edges of the plates. Lol.

 

[Evotion]

Blimey, that was interesting stuff.
Certainly never had this issue in the slightest on my Panigale and that was a couple of years old.
I will try the suggestions.

 

[Evotion]

Plus, letting a cold engine sit idling is the worst thing you can do

Never heard that one before.
I'd assume warming an engine and oil is always a good idea - for a minute at least, same as a car.
Longer than that thought, of course, you are getting into heat issues.

 

[Hui]

Never heard that one before.
I'd assume warming an engine and oil is always a good idea - for a minute at least, same as a car.
Longer than that thought, of course, you are getting into heat issues.

Not heat issues, a cold engine where all the tolerances are loose including the piston rings to the liner wall allows some of the cold start excess fuel to blow past and into your oil sump, petrol or diesel for that matter is an excellent degreaser and any fuel in your engine oil (which is also your gear oil) washes oil from the moving parts. Over time this can cause pre-mature wear especially if oil changes get neglected along the way.
Sitting running when cold exaggerates this problem and the best thing is to get the engine working asap. speeding up the heat process.
FYI.
A multi cylinder engine with a burnt valve for example will run ‘off’ a cylinder on tick-over but will smooth out and virtually be undetected at higher revs due to much less compression managing to escape. This proves the theory that any escape of compression and hence fuel blow by to the crankcase via the rings & liner will happen at tick over and especially when cold.

 

[Evotion]

Ah ok, thanks, New info for me.
Indeed, last night, I took my other bike out. Started it up, and went

 

[stavely]

how many miles has the bike done?
How many miles since the last oil change?
how many miles have you put on the bike before this happened , if any?

 

[Evotion]

how many miles has the bike done?
How many miles since the last oil change?
how many miles have you put on the bike before this happened , if any?

5000m about 200 in my new ownership.
Brake oil? No idea, Will check the log.

Done it since I bought it. Though didn't happen the first couple of times I rode it and does not happen every time cold, just most times. Always goes and is perfectly fine when I start the bike later that same day.

 

[stavely]

OK, at that low mileage you wouldn´t expect a notched clutch basket as Hui describes so i think you have a cable problem like he said, if it´s an 800. The clutch cable is notoriously difficult to adjust properly on these bikes.
Engine off, the clutch cable should move smoothly and have about 2-3mm of free play at the lever end. If the bars have been changed you may have a cable routing problem. Getting the cable to run as straight as possible out of the lever adjuster helps a lot but is not always easy, some people have cable tied it to the bars to get it straighter. Just fiddling with it and slackening and retightening sometimes fixes it, they are that sensitive.
Failing that , shortly at 6000 miles its due a service so point it out then.

 

[Zube]

Seems like we’re getting way out in the weeds with some responses. Start with the simplest solution first. Check the clutch cable. Should have 2-3 mm of free play in the stroke of the clutch lever. These bikes are somewhat prone to coming out of adjustment every so often so if it hasn’t been adjusted after 5000 mi, especially the first 5000, it’s very likely that this is the issue. Plenty YouTube vids out there on adjusting a clutch cable if your unsure how to do it. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are even a couple specific to the scrambler. Good luck!


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[Hui]

Seems like we’re getting way out in the weeds with some responses. Start with the simplest solution first. Good luck!


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I thought we were getting some great mechanical insight. But, you’re in the same weeds as everybody else.

 

[K1W1]

I'll go back to what I said early on. It is a Ducati clutch and they are notorious for being like this. Its nearly 50 years since the first time I rode a Ducati and the clutches were grabby and notchy when cold then and they aren't much better now. The only difference is they are now grabby and notchy wet cold clutches when they used to be grabby and notchy dry cold clutches. Minimise things by warming the clutch up and operating it a few times prior to actually trying to put the bike in gear.

 

[Hui]

Ducati dry clutches are clattery and noisy best placed on the race track ‘I’ll grant you that, which they’ve used on many road bikes right up until recently. The only reason they have stopped using them is to help with ‘drive by’ noise emissions.
Ducati wet clutches are totally different and very similar if not the same function and design as any or most Japanese bikes. Where you’re getting this ‘it’s a Ducati thing’ I don’t know. Maybe you could explain what exactly causes this snatchy clutch rather than the usual “they all do that sir” fob off a used car salesman often uses.

 

[Zube]

I thought we were getting some great mechanical insight. But, you’re in the same weeds as everybody else.

Not saying the mechanical insight was poor, only that its best to work from the simplest solution first and go up in complexity from there. Checking the cable tension takes a couple seconds and if it’s out of spec, maybe 10-15 minutes to correct it if you’ve never done it before.


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[Evotion]

I haven't tried the tips yet as Bikke, the co-presenter borrowed the Scrambler and not given it back!
Will try it when I get is this weekend.