Downshifting Problem - Ducati.ms

Crank1000 · Apr 6th, 2009, 2:06 am

So I have a recently purchased 08 Hyper. I've been loving this thing for the last week. I bought it 0 miles from the dealership and it's generally a blast. The only problem is that when I'm riding in 3rd gear, trying to drop into second can be a huge pain. I kick down hard with the clutch in, and the lever moves a bit, but doesn't give that nice satisfying chunk that it does when it actually shifts. I repeat this 3 more times, and on the 3rd time, it almost always engages properly. What am I missing? Is this just the nature of these bikes? Is there an adjustment that can be made? Btw, this also happens if I'm mashing in 2nd, and need to get to 1st for a sharp turn. It's really bringing me down. I've never had a bike that wouldn't down shift until the 4th kick. The bike finds neutral with no issues at all. And I can idle in gear with the clutch pulled no problem. I just can't downshift all the time.

infidel · Apr 6th, 2009, 4:38 am

Does not sound normal. The gearbox in the DS1100 is about as smooth shifting as you can get. Only problem i've ever had is the occassional false neutral. I'd take it back into the shop

jdubcee · Apr 6th, 2009, 6:22 am

Try to find the link in this forum for gear shift stuck issues. This sounds like the problem alot of peps where having just before the lever got stuck in a gear then they had to get towed. I think there is a warranty issue or something.

Natoravar · Apr 6th, 2009, 8:42 am

I had a transmission problem right after i bought it also (it got stuck in first gear). Bring it to Ace, their service team is excellent; they didnt have the part so they took it off one of the new bikes on the floor.

mikess · Apr 6th, 2009, 8:45 am

Ive recently had some shifting issues myself. Ive noticed that the shifting lever is actually very soft and depending on how hard your downshifting and if your not pushing the lever straight down it might bend. Mine did to the point where it was rubbing my case and i got stuck in 2nd.

last issue was i downshifted into 1st and the shifter actually got stuck about 3/4" lower then from where it sits. with some tugging with my toe it finally popped back. if you think that this engine is smooth shifting.. you might want to jump onto some new bikes. every bike i own shifts smoother then this bike.

freezer16801 · Apr 6th, 2009, 9:46 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikess

Ive recently had some shifting issues myself. Ive noticed that the shifting lever is actually very soft and depending on how hard your downshifting and if your not pushing the lever straight down it might bend. Mine did to the point where it was rubbing my case and i got stuck in 2nd.

last issue was i downshifted into 1st and the shifter actually got stuck about 3/4" lower then from where it sits. with some tugging with my toe it finally popped back. if you think that this engine is smooth shifting.. you might want to jump onto some new bikes. every bike i own shifts smoother then this bike.

If you search posts by my name, I started a shifter stuck in 2nd thread. Mine did it twice. Both times, my bike had the same symptoms as yours. A couple slow downshifts before it would eventually get stuck in 2nd. It happened at 700 miles and again at 2700. It now has 3500, so we will see how well the last warranty work lasts.

I think your shifter return spring is weakening and will eventually be let go.

Hypremotard · Apr 6th, 2009, 10:04 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Natoravar

I had a transmission problem right after i bought it also (it got stuck in first gear). Bring it to Ace, their service team is excellent; they didnt have the part so they took it off one of the new bikes on the floor.

now we know which one they got the part from!

My bike was a little funny the first couple hundred miles. I have around 850 miles now and it works perfectly.

Crank1000 · Apr 6th, 2009, 1:25 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hypremotard

now we know which one they got the part from!

My bike was a little funny the first couple hundred miles. I have around 850 miles now and it works perfectly.

Seriously! LOL. I guess I gotta take it in. I definitely don't want to get stuck out in the boons in 2nd gear.

So it sounds like the issue is a bad shift return spring? That sounds about right. It feels like when I'm riding my other bikes, and I don't get a complete shift into a gear, then try to get into another gear. Sounds like that's the culprit. I hope this is a one time fix for me. How embarrassing would that be if my Ducati ended up in the shop more often than my SXV?

Thanks for the help everybody!

freezer16801 · Apr 6th, 2009, 4:45 pm

I think otherwise, the bike is bullet proof.

MOTO BISTRO · Apr 6th, 2009, 7:07 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crank1000

So I have a recently purchased 08 Hyper. I've been loving this thing for the last week. I bought it 0 miles from the dealership and it's generally a blast. The only problem is that when I'm riding in 3rd gear, trying to drop into second can be a huge pain. I kick down hard with the clutch in, and the lever moves a bit, but doesn't give that nice satisfying chunk that it does when it actually shifts. I repeat this 3 more times, and on the 3rd time, it almost always engages properly. What am I missing? Is this just the nature of these bikes? Is there an adjustment that can be made? Btw, this also happens if I'm mashing in 2nd, and need to get to 1st for a sharp turn. It's really bringing me down. I've never had a bike that wouldn't down shift until the 4th kick. The bike finds neutral with no issues at all. And I can idle in gear with the clutch pulled no problem. I just can't downshift all the time.

Ducati has just released a kit to cure the difficulty/hard shifting problem. Contact your local dealer if you are still having issues after you know that your linkage and shift-arm spacing is correct.