motorcycle maintenance

↻ 2025-03-25

• Ducati 821
  • fasteners & torque values
  • maintenance procedures
    • oil change
    • air filter change
  • handlebar drilling
  • riding
    • body position
  • throttle
  • clutch
  • braking

Ducati 821

fasteners & torque values

maintenance procedures

oil change

air filter change

handlebar drilling

When changing handlebars on this motorcycle, you will need to drill three precise holes in the new bar. They should be at the locations documented here, measured from the right-hand or left-hand end of the bar, and at angles measured as a clock face, with noon at the topmost surface of the bar.

1. To engage the left-hand button cluster, a 5 mm ø hole drilled at 174 mm from left edge of bar at 8:00.
2. To engage the right-hand button cluster, a 5 mm ø hole drilled at 194 mm from right edge of bar at 4:00.
3. To engage the throttle control pod, a 4 mm ø hole drilled at 156 mm from right edge of bar at 3:00.

riding

body position

• Arms bent at elbows, loose enough to make the whole turning motion lock to lock. Wrists flat as you grip the handlebars.
• Balls of feet should ride on the pegs when they aren’t touching a lever.
• Legs should grip the tank to avoid loading the hands and arms with forces (legs are what allows the hands and arms to be looser).
• The rest of your body will have to follow suit to make all this previous stuff happen, so just let it do what feels good as long as you satisfy the arms and the legs - the torso position is derived from these.

throttle

• Always manually actuate the throttle, open and closed, don’t let it snap shut, control it actively.
• Never brake without closing the throttle first.

clutch

A motorcycle clutch is a wet clutch, and it handles abuse and then some. Don’t be afraid to ride it for the purposes of control like you’d fear a dry car clutch. It’ll be fine.

braking

• Never brake with front brake when turning sharply at low speed, you’ll just fall over.
• Locking up the rear and then releasing it at an angle other than where it locked up is a sure way to be thrown off. Don’t lock up the rear.

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