[Htaylor90]

2006 749s with 848 swingarm
never had a race tuned bike or a Ducati let alone a dry clutch (whos noise terrifies me). What do I need to know to give her the love she deserves. What quirks should I pay attention to?

 

[miolta]

Well, straight to the deep end then..
Cam belts of course, and valve clearance. If belts snap, engine is finished. If you only track the bike, change oil after 500km..maybe 1000km max. Brake fluids also twice per season. Check and change cooling fluid also, maybe to water wetter if you live in hot place. Check spark plugs and air filters. Clean brake calipers, maybe change piston seals. Good brake pads.
Check clutch plates condition and pack thickness. Bleed clutch. Check Fuel filter and fuel hose quick change connectors.
And buy spare fairing parts...

 

[Htaylor90]

Excellent. Thanks for the start. Lucky for me it came with another full track fairing set that isn't in spectacular condition. I'm going to put that on until I get that inevitable first crash out of the way. Also came with an extra fairing stay, stands, tire warmers, and rains with wheels and rotor on the front. Also the tool for changing the rear wheel.

So I'm pretty well set for the first couple track days. I just need to keep her alive after that.

 

[Mikes748]

Nice looking bike!

 

[Stillrollinalong]

Get a book, write down everything. Every bit of maintenance, so you can track life. Every change to set up. Record weather and track conditions. eventually you build up a store of knowledge, you can plan set up based on weather forecast and have more actual time on track day rather than making changes on arrival at the track. Remember to record your food and how you feel generally in the couple of days before the track day.
I have never raced a motorbike. But this is what I did in years of car racing, bicycle racing, middle distance running and rowing. It makes race day easier.

I also remember turning up to Oran Park one day went to the bowser to fuel up and there was a guy with a sports sedan behind the tower taking an angle grinder to his front splitter. Do you maintenance the day after you last track day not the day befor the next one.

Most of all have fun with it.

 

[Monster4Lee]

Loud clutches save lives. So, don't be afraid of the sound.

Beautiful torture rack there.

 

[belter]

those ones are pains in the arse to do closing valve clearances on, but they tend to be very stable once done properly.

 

[ProphetPVD]

I never really cared for the xx9 bike's aesthetics, but that one is gorgeous. Take care of her.

 

[spinoli1]

Suggest you get some cheap axle sliders for front and rear - can save a lot of irritating or costly damage. Always take lots of water and electrolyte supplement to the track. You will sweat loads and be too distracted to notice your getting laggy and low. Eat the right things (hah, listen to me!). Wear/buy comfy kit. Take some tuition for sure, even acquire some of the great books out there to help you understand not just where your braking points are, but why. Speak to the suspension guy. Monitor your tyre pressures. Take spare f/r brake and clutch levers, footpegs. Bleed your brakes. Do it again.
Don't get sucked in by someone on an 'inferior' bike blowing your doors off - some people have made a pact with the Devil to give them Godlike riding powers which you will never match.
If it rains, go and buy racing wets - it will revolutionize your attitude to wet weather riding.
Have fun.

 

[Htaylor90]

You guys are awesome! Thank you so much for your tutelage. Now I just have to wait for the track to open up! It's pretty anxiety inducing know that the first time ill be riding it is on the track. I live in the city and it's not street legal so I can't even get a feel for the clutch 😬
Still can't wait to get out there though!

 

[jules_1972]

IMHO, change oil after each track day. Oils cheap, check the screens for metal.

 

[spinoli1]

Never change the oil. There's a small glass inspection window in the alternator cover - when that fills with metal shavings and/or you can't hear the clutch over the engine, get a new one.😃





JIC - I'm only kidding, lots of oil changes please.

 

[ducatimike]

I know you said you have tire warmers, but just make sure the tires are warm before you hammer it in the turns. I cant tell you how many crashes I saw at the track due to cold tires. On cooler days, the track master would always remind us to do a few easy laps then gradually increase up to race speeds. Also note when the tires start to lose a bit of traction. Would happen to me on the 3rd trackday around 1 pm. I would noticed the rear would slide in a particular turn. I would then turn it down a notch. Of course this depends on how hard you are pushing it.

 

[Namor]

Nice bike.

Tire warmers are an option, unnecessary in my experience unless you are racing. I've you don't use the first lap or two to warm up it's silly. That is maybe 4 minutes of a 20 minute session. You are always refocusing during the first 6-8 minutes anyway, then dripping with sweat, panting, and ready for a break by the 20 minute mark.

You have fixed rear sets and they help break the fall when you crash. They don't fold on a fall like the OEM. You will want a spare or two of those. Get the suspension setup for you if you cannot do it yourself.

As others have mentioned, make sure the belts are ok and the oil is good. Ride it has hard as you are capable of riding.

 

[Stillrollinalong]

IMHO, change oil after each track day. Oils cheap, check the screens for metal.

Never change the oil. There's a small glass inspection window in the alternator cover - when that fills with metal shavings and/or you can't hear the clutch over the engine, get a new one.😃





JIC - I'm only kidding, lots of oil changes please.

I wasted a massive amount of oil by changing oil after each race meeting. Oil change requirements depend on so many factors. Racing production cars running a multi valve 10,000 RPM engine we changed the Mobil1 after every meeting until our oil supplier suggested doing oil testing, we discovered we still had good oil at 4 meetings. In a group A touring car running a 2 valve 7,500 RPM cast iron block V8 we found the Kendall 50 weight was good for only one meeting.
In a top door slammer we change the oil after each pass (Thats less than 2 mins of run time and about 2 second burnout and 5 second pass) so the the oil is cool for the next pass, but that oil is re used for three meetings, the oil system in that car holds 20 litres. There are 5 drums of oil in use at each race meeting and back at the workshop they are left open for 2 days for the methanol to evaporate out.
Find some one who can do oil testing it is quite common these days (when we first started in 1991 there were not many companies doing testing now every big fleet operator uses it) in the long run it saves a lot on oil. Spend what you save on frequency of oil changes to buy a good quality oil.

 

[draganc]

No additional maintenance tips, all the above is excellent advice.
What I always do before my next track day, search your track on YouTube and watch other riders at least for an hour. This will get very quickly familiar in advance.
Where are you located? Reach out to some local track riders.



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[neuroduc]

My wife just walked in and commented how beautiful that bike is. Welcome to the club.