Ducati Monster 600-problems starting... very odd time.

[djkus]

Hi, bought a 2001 m600 with 2600 miles on it a couple weeks ago now.
everything is grand with it.. but on 2 occasions now ive had a bit of bother getting it started.
first occasion was early in the morning.. 730am.. just wouldnt start.. was clicking ok, but not starting engine... eventually it started after a minute....

then today... bike was in the drizzle rain outside my work most of the day, and same thing happened, took about a minute to get it going...

99.9% of the time it starts ok no bother.
Ive no idea about the workings of bikes so dont know what to look for.

What should i be doing when it wont start like this? should i have choke on, or off? or reving it hard?

any advice much appreciated.. thanks, paul-a newbie.. lol

[Fosse Foxfight]

First things first:
1. When you have this problem does the engine turn over?
2. If yes, does it fire?...i.e try to start
3. If yes does it die when you try and rev?

Try and be a tad more explicit.

Sean

[djkus]

No, the engine doesnt start at all.

When it does start, i rev it hard to get it going.. first time this happened it was going then... today however it started, i reved it.. then it died again.. done that a few times, till i got engine started, and reved it to get it going...

bike is fine apart from these 2 times it hasnt started..

any sugestions?
is there anything i should be doing to help it?

[Fosse Foxfight]

No, the engine doesnt start at all.

When it does start, i rev it hard to get it going.. first time this happened it was going then... today however it started, i reved it.. then it died again.. done that a few times, till i got engine started, and reved it to get it going...

bike is fine apart from these 2 times it hasnt started..

any sugestions?
is there anything i should be doing to help it?
I'm still not entirely sure what the problem is......when you say it wont start at all...does the engine turn over?

[djkus]

no engine noise at all..
just click click click from the starter...
its what i imagine it be like with no petrol in the bike..

[Fosse Foxfight]

no engine noise at all..
just click click click from the starter...
its what i imagine it be like with no petrol in the bike..
Clicking from the starter is a low battery

[djkus]

ok, thanks for the advice... i wonder what i can do to fix it?

[Phoenix]

Keep the battery charged - does it have an alarm ?

[Phoenix]

no engine noise at all..
just click click click from the starter...
its what i imagine it be like with no petrol in the bike..
No petrol would mean the engine would turn over but not fire. Clicking is battery or alarm or electric related i'd have thought.

[djkus]

ok, hopefully ill never hear the noise again... if i do, ill try to give abetter description.

do u need to start it with the choke on when initially firing it up in the morning/afternoon? im confused..

[Fosse Foxfight]

This is a wind up :confused: Init? :(

[M600TED]

Well ive never used my choke yet on my 1995 monny but im sure some might say different? :)

[Shandy]

Don't use the choke on mine either, apart from a very tiny amount just to fire it up. Its gets turned off as soon as its going or its like trying to ride a pogo stick that stalls alot.

[Ruth]

I use the choke on my 1994 600 to get it going. Not in the summer though, unless it's cold, or wet, or it's sounding like it won't start without it!
Basically you just need to fiddle around and see what works for you/your bike.
It's a whole lot of fun though!
:D

[Unit 18]

Check your battery connections are tight, if they're a bit loose that can sometimes lead to a will it won't it kind of situation.
Al.

[rich]

This is a wind up :confused: Init? :(


I hope this is not a wind up ?

If you get a clicking noise only (no turn over)

it may be the starter solenoid mate (£25)

it sounds like you no very little re- bikes, no offence, :)

let a mate look at it or take it to the shop :eek:

rich

[Chappers]

This is a wind up :confused: Init? :(

Awww bless...he's new to all this biking lark, be gentle :p

[Chappers]

I initially try and start without the choke and sometimes it's fine but when it dies I then start it back up with the choke on whilst I f@nny around with putting my gloves and lid on.

Once I'm ready I then kill the switch and restart but without the choke and it's sweet as a nut :)

Mind you if I'm in a hurry I leave the choke on, get on, ride for a mile or so and then turn the choke off, otherwise I'm bouncing all over the place :o :lol:

[DesmoDog]

Bloody hellfire - you can't be riding about with the choke on. Don't ask me why, you just can't. Something to do with oil and engines.

DON'T rev the hell out of it to warm it up. That will not do the bike any good at all. You might well have fouled the plugs and if that's the case you'll be having a lot more iffy starts - I'm in the same boat as you about bikes so been there done that, but changing the plus is easy. Buy a new set (couple of quid) replace the old uns and see how it goes. Then you should check the solenoid, sometimes you can clean it rather than replace - but given your comment about the bike I might buy a new one and replace. Dead easy. That said, I'd be suprised if it is the soleniod on such a young bike.
Finally, get an optimate (£40) leave the bike on trickle charge overnight. sounds like the alarm is draining the battery.

I think the best advice is take it back to the dealer/get a mate who knows to look at it. Don't overrev it. Oh, and wear suncream.

[djkus]

I admit, i know totally nothing about bikes :) wait.. i tell i lie.. i know u got to keep the chain well sorted with oil and not let it go bad :)
see :) :)

sorry if u thought this thread was a wind up.. but afraid not.. i hold my hand up on the bike stupidity lack of knowledge...lol

ok, thanks for the advice, was fine today to and from work.. was egven out in the rain all day!There is no alarm fitted to it that could be draining the battery..

having said that.. the bike is 2001, and only had 2600 miles when i bought it.. so it has spent the most of its life in a garage, not being used.. so i guess the battery could be a bit strange at the moment...

hopefully things will be fine :) if it gets worse, ill take it someplace and get it looked at..

i work in electronics/engineering and can deal with most things, but not bikes :)

[rxtim]

Give it a decent run to charge the battery up. Short trips are not good for maintaining the charge. Longer runs also help to avoid the engine oil emulsifying.

[djkus]

yeah, i only ride it 20 miles or so to work in morning, 20 miles home.. and maybe 10 miles the odd night arsing about.
ill have to get out on it all weekend for a spin.
thanks for advice.