So it’s winter here in New England and the bike is in storage (that would be my living room). I’ve started going through it a little, with the idea that if I have to do a roadside repair I’d like to know where stuff is and how to get to it.
I like to ride longer distances. I don’t use the bike much in the city, I use it for multi day camping trips. After one season, the bike has been flawless and a joy to tour on. but things can happen and I’d like to have a chance to fix them.
The purpose of this exercise is to see what would happen if I was stuck on the road and just had the ducati tool kit. What may be a minor inconvenience in your garage could have serious implications on the road.
There isn’t that much you can do by the roadside, but I do carry a spare clutch cable, headlight, and tire repair gear. For the most part, locating and solving a problem will involve removing the fairings.
Anyone who has looked at the ducati tool kit knows it is made of cheese - short of stealing from your kid’s erector set, you couldn’t find such stuff if you tried. It’s sad - but it’s more than sad - it can’t do the basic task of removing the fairings. What this means is that if you had to replace a clutch cable, access the coolant, change a fuse in the front fuse box - you couldn’t. Here’s why:
The kit contains a 3, 5 and 6mm allen wrench. Unfortunately, to remove the fairing you will need a 4mm - perhaps there was a shortage in Italy. But there’s more: to remove the fairing you will also need a 24mm wrench because the front lower screw goes into a threaded tube which runs through a rubber bumper, and is capped with fender washer shaped like a 24mm bolt head. It rotates with the screw if you don’t reach behind and hold it with some sort of wrench. The kit contains a 10mm wrench - so why they didn’t braze a 10mm nut to the thing is beyond me. I used channel grips to hold it - I will not be putting it back on.
To sum this part up:
I have to say - my Honda had maybe 3 tools in its kit - nothing to brag about there - but you could basically disassemble the whole bike with them. I call it rational manufacturing. I found the same thing with my 24” HP printer. All external screws were #15 torks - all internal #10 torks - it just makes sense both in manufacturing and in repair..
But if you’re going to mix and match - at least have the tools in the kit. Or better yet, don't have kit at all as it might fool people into thinking it's useable. Or better yet, invest $10 in a better kit - it's a $13k+ machine for god's sake. Yes this cheap **** pisses me off.
So with the fairings off, I poked around and found the things I was looking for - just for future reference. The clutch cable meanders through - sort of just laying on top of stuff - and the secondary adjuster is easily accessed. coolant filler….etc etc.
The front fuse box is also now exposed. Some say you can remove it with the fairing on, but a structural part of the fairing blocks this. Shame because it’s cleverly attached - slide up on a post and pull towards you to release a clip from the frame. But you can’t pull it up because it’s blocked. So near, and yet so far...
Looking inside there are a few fuses and a few spares. Unfortunately, one of the spares is a 30amp and there is no 30 amp circuit. So, one of the circuits has no spare. I thought I’d be able to double check exactly which spare is missing after I put the fairing on but…..
This is sloppy, and could tempt someone stuck on the side of the road, to put in a higher rated fuse. This is a very bad idea.
To sum this up:
Other gear I carry:
Leatherman
vice grip
cruz tools outbackr m14
shop rag/nitrile gloves/chain lube
headlamp
zip ties/hose tape/ hose clamps/velcro..
compressor/tire repair rope/gauge
spare batteries
13500mha bolt charger/jumper
This is just off the top of my head - might seem like a lot but it’s all pretty small and was somewhere around $150.00 total. Seems worth it.
I’ll be adding a 4mm allen wrench and some fuses.
One last thing: When I pulled the fairings, plastic spacer, and radiator plastic off, I thought the bike looked very cool. The tank is flat black and nicely shaped. The whole thing looked more compact, purposeful and a little less pretty. Up the road I might try this.
I like to ride longer distances. I don’t use the bike much in the city, I use it for multi day camping trips. After one season, the bike has been flawless and a joy to tour on. but things can happen and I’d like to have a chance to fix them.
The purpose of this exercise is to see what would happen if I was stuck on the road and just had the ducati tool kit. What may be a minor inconvenience in your garage could have serious implications on the road.
There isn’t that much you can do by the roadside, but I do carry a spare clutch cable, headlight, and tire repair gear. For the most part, locating and solving a problem will involve removing the fairings.
Anyone who has looked at the ducati tool kit knows it is made of cheese - short of stealing from your kid’s erector set, you couldn’t find such stuff if you tried. It’s sad - but it’s more than sad - it can’t do the basic task of removing the fairings. What this means is that if you had to replace a clutch cable, access the coolant, change a fuse in the front fuse box - you couldn’t. Here’s why:
The kit contains a 3, 5 and 6mm allen wrench. Unfortunately, to remove the fairing you will need a 4mm - perhaps there was a shortage in Italy. But there’s more: to remove the fairing you will also need a 24mm wrench because the front lower screw goes into a threaded tube which runs through a rubber bumper, and is capped with fender washer shaped like a 24mm bolt head. It rotates with the screw if you don’t reach behind and hold it with some sort of wrench. The kit contains a 10mm wrench - so why they didn’t braze a 10mm nut to the thing is beyond me. I used channel grips to hold it - I will not be putting it back on.
To sum this part up:
Get a 4mm allen wrench,
use channel grips and get that other screw out - don’t replace it. There are 3 screws in close proximity holding the fairing on, and the rubber bumper will avoid any rattling sound if there is vibration
. use channel grips and get that other screw out - don’t replace it. There are 3 screws in close proximity holding the fairing on, and the rubber bumper will avoid any rattling sound if there is vibration
I have to say - my Honda had maybe 3 tools in its kit - nothing to brag about there - but you could basically disassemble the whole bike with them. I call it rational manufacturing. I found the same thing with my 24” HP printer. All external screws were #15 torks - all internal #10 torks - it just makes sense both in manufacturing and in repair..
But if you’re going to mix and match - at least have the tools in the kit. Or better yet, don't have kit at all as it might fool people into thinking it's useable. Or better yet, invest $10 in a better kit - it's a $13k+ machine for god's sake. Yes this cheap **** pisses me off.
So with the fairings off, I poked around and found the things I was looking for - just for future reference. The clutch cable meanders through - sort of just laying on top of stuff - and the secondary adjuster is easily accessed. coolant filler….etc etc.
The front fuse box is also now exposed. Some say you can remove it with the fairing on, but a structural part of the fairing blocks this. Shame because it’s cleverly attached - slide up on a post and pull towards you to release a clip from the frame. But you can’t pull it up because it’s blocked. So near, and yet so far...
Looking inside there are a few fuses and a few spares. Unfortunately, one of the spares is a 30amp and there is no 30 amp circuit. So, one of the circuits has no spare. I thought I’d be able to double check exactly which spare is missing after I put the fairing on but…..
This is sloppy, and could tempt someone stuck on the side of the road, to put in a higher rated fuse. This is a very bad idea.
To sum this up:
Get some spare fuses and bring them with you.
Other gear I carry:
Leatherman
vice grip
cruz tools outbackr m14
shop rag/nitrile gloves/chain lube
headlamp
zip ties/hose tape/ hose clamps/velcro..
compressor/tire repair rope/gauge
spare batteries
13500mha bolt charger/jumper
This is just off the top of my head - might seem like a lot but it’s all pretty small and was somewhere around $150.00 total. Seems worth it.
I’ll be adding a 4mm allen wrench and some fuses.
One last thing: When I pulled the fairings, plastic spacer, and radiator plastic off, I thought the bike looked very cool. The tank is flat black and nicely shaped. The whole thing looked more compact, purposeful and a little less pretty. Up the road I might try this.
Last edited:
Once every 18k - no problems.
