[nuggets]

new guy here (just picked up a 749 dark). i can't find any good info anywhere and i'm gonna ask the most annoying question in the history of any bike site. what oil for this thing? full syth 20w50 with no funny additives is what i was thinking. my suzuki dealer sold me some bel ray 10w40 semi-syth but i'm wondering if that's good. normally i wouldn't be such a weiner, but i feel like ducatis are a touchier than japanese stuff.

 

[nuggets]

btw, my dash quit working today. it lit up fine but the needle pointed all the way up and stayed there with nothing on the screen and no lights above the tach. i took the left plastics off, undid all the connectors i could see and disconnected the neg terminal of the battery....it reset and worked fine. is this normal??

 

[rearviewmirror]

I only run full synthetic in my Ducati. It's what the bike came with and what is recommended. Why they would sell you some 10W-40 semi is beyond me. It is recommended run 15W-50 or 20W-50.

As far as your dash goes I can say. My friends 999S has done some weird stuff like that, then he'd reset it and it was fine. I've heard other stories like that as well, as far as I know it's normal, probably not right, but normal. It's under warranty right? Take it to the dealership and make sure they document the complaint, you never know when it will come in handy.

 

[GaryD]

Oil

I know oil recommendations are controversial, but around 2001/2, Ducati changed their recommended viscosity from 20W-50 to 10W-40.

Check your owners manual here:

http://www.ducati.com/bikes/manuals.jhtml;jsessionid=AMQCRAMFCWIRWCRNCB3CFFQKFUIHSIV2

BTW - my local dealer (Section8) swears by Mobil1 10W-40 MX4T

Personally I run 10W40 MX4T, because the flaking rocker issue is reported to be due to a delay in lubrication to the rocker at start-up. A thicker viscosity oil isn't going to get there faster.

My 2 cents.

 

[scottrwilliams]

When your dash goes funky all you have to do is reach in, pull out and reinsert the requisite fuse. I use regular Mobil1 15-50 I think.

 

[migz123]

btw, my dash quit working today. it lit up fine but the needle pointed all the way up and stayed there with nothing on the screen and no lights above the tach. i took the left plastics off, undid all the connectors i could see and disconnected the neg terminal of the battery....it reset and worked fine. is this normal??

It happens...

 

[oliver7]

btw, my dash quit working today. it lit up fine but the needle pointed all the way up and stayed there with nothing on the screen and no lights above the tach. i took the left plastics off, undid all the connectors i could see and disconnected the neg terminal of the battery....it reset and worked fine. is this normal??

Relatively normal (happened to me once so far).

 

[StavesacredarK]

new guy here (just picked up a 749 dark). i can't find any good info anywhere and i'm gonna ask the most annoying question in the history of any bike site. what oil for this thing? full syth 20w50 with no funny additives is what i was thinking. my suzuki dealer sold me some bel ray 10w40 semi-syth but i'm wondering if that's good. normally i wouldn't be such a weiner, but i feel like ducatis are a touchier than japanese stuff.

DON'T FRETT ASK YOU'RE SELF IS THERE A CERTIFIED DUCATI/APRILLA MECHANIC AROUND? IN MY WORLD DUCATI IS A HIGH END BIKE AND REQUIRES EXPERTISE IN THIS AREA. ITS NICE TO HERE THAT YOU ARE WELLING TO LEARN BUT YOU NEED GOOD REFERNCE MATERIAL ASK SCOTT WILLIAMS FOR A DOWN LOAD OF THE 749 DARK SERVICE MANUEL

 

[StavesacredarK]

Hey Scott I'll See You At Joe's Crab Shack???
Bring The Lady!!!

 

[galaxy]

Joe's Crab Shack?? Is there another meet in Sac coming up?? I ALWAYS miss it!