[Ducati Scotty]

Oh ok, thanks for the info. I thought he said solenoid. I guess the motor gets stuck in between rotations on the magnets and when you apply electricity, the motor doesn't turn. A whack apparently makes it jump to an area where it will work again.

Some people may call it the solenoid which may not be entirely wrong.  In some starters the starter gear actually gets thrust out to engage the engine.  I think we have teh spag for that but whatever.  It doesn't matter what you call it so long as you thump the right piece

I think that's exactly the case, just at the right spot not to engage when energized.  Mine has done it 3 times or so.  Just dead, nothing fromt the starter AT ALL.  I can feel the electrical solenoid under the seat thumping.  My mechanic suspects it's the weak stock battery.  I've disconnected the headlight shunt so next time it happens I'll kill the headlight so I get a little more juice to the starter.  If that fails I'll start smacking the starter.  Gotta find a little hammer to carry in the tool box...

Thansks for that idea,

Scott

[DaBulletMan]

Installed the New UCE Silencer from CMW today and installed an after market heat shield picked up off of eBay for $22.00 to cover up the mess... Much better than the
brown ring and pipe on the stock silencer... Check out the Pic in Memeber Rides...Also has ALOT more Pep ... Best thing I have done this year... lol Thanks CMW!!!   

[Desi Bike]

I tried to buy a chrome c5 today.... but was turned down by the financing people.      Though I was bummed out for the three hour drive home, I have a plan....   if first I don't succeed, I sell a bunch of stuff on eBay and try again. The dealer ordered the bike anyway, one of 10 coming to Canada so I still have a bit to get the down payment higher, so the financing is lower.

[Ducati Scotty]

I tried to squeeze a few more minutes out to work on the seat.  I've been redoing the foam to try to make it more comfortable but a failed first attempt, work, and family are dragging the process out.  I'm close to just slapping it all back together just so I can get out for a ride if the rain/hail ever lets up.  I've had enough of Portland spring.  When does the sun get here?

Bummer on the financing. Desi.  Gather up a little more cash or maybe look at the B5.  Same basic bike but lots less money.

Scott

[prof_stack]

I picked up the C5 from the shop at noon, before the Seattle rains resumed for my team's soccer practice later.  Sigh.

Anyway, the little nField voltmeter is cool, and nicely attached.  The shop checked for accuracy and said it was correct for the level of precision it has.  What I can tell from the ride home is that the OEM battery is not a great one and/or the charging system is a bit anemic.  When I revved the motor over about 2.5k the voltmeter moved up to "green".  Whatever, I keep the battery on a Battery Tender when home.

The replaced fuel sensor light does not give false readings and the muffler still poots and pops.  I'm going to put the OEM air filter back in to see if the K&N prototype is part of the problem.

I gave Ducati Seattle the part number of the air filter retrofit cover mentioned on 3/11 here.  They will get it in AND the owner suggested some dyno time so they can check out the air/fuel/gas mix at different levels.  The O2 sensor apparently makes it so that the bottom 20% is not adjustable with a power commander.  They might be able to defeat the sensor as they do with the Duc's.

[Ducati Scotty]

If you've got a K&N filter and a free flow muffler that's definitely what's causing the popping.  It's just too lean with all that extra flow.  If they tune it a little it should be way better.

Yup, the stock battery is OK but not great.  I think the charging system is just fine.  I've been riding for months with the upgraded 55/60 headlight and my battery has stayed charged.  My starter is a little flakey but hey, you can't have everything

Scott

[GreenMachine]

i went for a ride today....beautiful day and the enviorment must be perfect now as hardly a poop on decel which I don't have to do much of anyway...Been playing with the mantis tiller...almosty got that idling correctly, left fuel in her for a year (got lazy and now have to pay the price)...

[YJake]

Changed the oil yesterday after 1,500 miles. Should have done it sooner, there was some metal in there. Chunks even. I filled Winston back up with some 20w-50 of my preferred brand and I'm good for another couple of months at my current travel rate.

3,000 miles in 3 months so far, can't wait to add even more. I'll have over 20,000 miles by the time my warranty expires at this rate.

-Jake

[olhogrider]

But did you mount those bag brackets?

[YJake]

Not yet! I have my tail bag mounted but will not order my side bags until next Friday. I need to figure out the exact placement of where the shock bracket bolt goes in the sequence as well. I will mess with them soon.

And thank you again 

-Jake

[olhogrider]

First I washed it. Then I put a "Steal Your Face" sticker in my tax tag. Then I put some Union Jack (or is it Union Flag?) stickers on the tool box and battery cover. Took some pix. Went for a ride. Came upon a bike wreck about a minute after it happened. Vstrom 1000 went down on gravel. Chewed up bike and possible broken ankle. I directed traffic while the ambulance came. Lots of folks stopped to help. Spotty cell coverage. I may need to get a SPOT.

The pix show some of my mods. 7" headlight, bullet signals trafficators, fake antique license plate, leather saddlebags.

[prof_stack]

• Today I went about tightening stuff from the 1,320 mile old C5.  I had a WTF moment when I saw that the front left turn signal was floppy loose.  Upon tightening I couldn't get it to be aimed the same as the right side.
  
• I took an 80 mile ride and discovered that the C5 is stable at 65mph provided there are not too many cars around creating extra turbulence.
  
• The OEM air filter does not quell the occasional pop or poot of the upswept muffler on deceleration, so back home I put the K&N filter back in and gave it a quick ride.  I noticed a little brisker acceleration withe the K&N.
  
• Howard Leight earplugs make for a very peaceful and relaxing ride.  I can hear the muffler and it isn't all that loud.
• The nField gear voltage gauge is really cool.  For the first part of the ride the center "green" light is on with medium rpm's.  But after awhile it went off and the left four LED's are on.  If I turn on the highbeam at a stop sign the 4th LED starts to blink, so the charging system might be almost maxed out with the aftermarket 7 inch headlamp in place.
  
• At 65mph and higher the vibrations start to hammer their way home.  Right now 55mph in 5th gear is a really relaxed candence.

[ToesNose]

Looking good olhogrider 

[bob bezin]

its 438 am now but yesterday i rode the 2000 iron barrel to town. on the way home i just had to open her up on a downhill stretch. about 68 mph actual then it started to run sounding like a 2 stroke and would run normal only at certain rpm's i managed to get home by hunting for the right rpm's i'm wondering if it was caused by the electronic ignition or the carb. any ideas?/

[olhogrider]

  Thanks!