Start-up Procedure for Bevel Drive Super Sport

[bevelducati]

Start-up Procedure for Bevel Drive Super Sport

Steve asked me to post my reply to a fellow Bevel Head on the topic of start-up procedure for bevel drive Super Sport and other "cam-ed" engines. So here it is, I hope it is of some help for those who might be suffering from fuel fouled vertical cylinder plugs. I copied and pasted it from my previous reply so it may seem like you missed the question when you read it.


I had a gas fouling vert. cylinder plug problem with my 1980 900 SS too. The
mechanic I take my Ducks to is Mike Duzick, owner of MikMar Motor Service in
Paxinos, PA USA. I was told when looking for a wrench for my first Ducati
(1972 GT) that Mike "is one of the top three bevel drive wrenches in the US
and Canada." This is basically the warm up procedure that Mike gave me for
the SS.

Start with the enricher circuit lever in the on position. (They do not
really have a choke, it is an enricher circuit). Keep that on only long
enough so that when you flip it off, the bike keeps running (not simply
idling...it will still idle rough at this stage but running while you blip
the throttle). One of the worst things you can do is leave it on as long as
you are doing "close to 5 minutes." You are asking for a gas fouled plug.
Once it will stay running w/o the lever on, hop on the bike and ride, keep
it under four thousand RPM for a mile or so and she should warm up and run
fine. Get you riding gear on before you start the bike, you do not want to
allow it to idle while you put on your gloves, jacket, helmet...whatever.

I will add from my own experience to that drill. If it "misses" right out of
the shoot, put the lever back on for a short bit (by "short" I mean like a
1/10 of a mile or so...) you'll know when you can flip it off. Sometimes I
have to flip the lever back on at a stop sign. The end of the road I live on
is a "T", a right hand turn is up hill and I have to put the lever on going
up that little grade, I flip it off once up the grade. I then go about 0.2
mile to another stop sign. I flip the lever on there if I have to wait long
for traffic and I keep the idle up with throttle blipping if necessary.
About a 1/2 mile past that is a stop light. I am usually fine by that point,
I keep the idle up via the throttle but no lever needed. About 3 or 4 miles
down the road I can ride it as normal. Prior to that, if I go much over 4
grand or give it a bunch of throttle quickly, it will burble (stumble) some.

[KGL]

Good points as the 860/900s don't run when cold.
There is one other thing to remember before you turn the key.
FREE THE CLUTCH.
Just pull in the clutch cable and kick the bike over until it frees. This way when you kick it into first it does't stall.