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OK, for those of you who have later Electricstart Squarecases, you can skip to more relevant threads, but I would like to learn what other members starting procedures are for the kicker versions of these bikes.

My bike has Dellort 40s with Contis, now running with bellmouths rather than K&N Pods that it formerly sported. Bike has stock plugs, jets, needles/needle position and air mixture screw settings and has a Rita ignition, very slightly advanced over Rita's recommended position; only non stock setting is a 62 idle jet in each carb rather than stock 60s.

My procedure usually begins by opening both taps. I then hold down the tickler buttons on each carb for about 10 seconds. Then I give the throttle three twists or so, and check to see if the clutch plates are clear by giving it a couple of kicks with the clutch disengaged. I then release the clutch lever, and bring the bike to its compression stroke on the rear cylinder. The ignition then gets turned on, and I give it a sharp kick, making sure I swing the lever a full 180 degrees or more. This generally starts the bike on the first or second kick, even on a cold morning. For some reason it is much easier to start off the back cylinder rather than the front.

The bike is also harder to start up again it if just been started, run a few minutes (prior to taking off) and then is killed. Not sure why.

I do notice that with no choke or enricher circuit, you really have to give it a lot of gas to get it started. On only 1 or two occasions have I given so much gas it flooded and would not start.

I also notice that the starting procedure for other guys with 900s varies, and that each bike seems to have its own personality, if you will.

My bike will not settle into a reliable idle until it has been started and warmed up for about .75 to 1 mile. Prior to that it either will die, or will have an idle that you cannot trust. After it has been warmed to this point, it will reliably idle...this is not a trifling matter if you have ever had to start a 900 in traffic after it has died....

Spub,I have yet to see 40mm carbs behave well on a street ridden Ducati. I had a pair on my Darmah and I never could get a consistant idle.When starting I hold the ticklers until I get a dribble out the overflow and don't bother with twisting the throttle.One or two prods usually do it.

Spub,

this procedure used to work for my SS Darmah, I say used to as some of it got turned into a molten alloy river on the side of a norrow twisty bit of road and the remains are under cover in my back yard.

Bike fitted with 40mm Del'orto's, Contis, 900SS left hand case hence no electric start and the kick start lever and mechanism fitted to the right hand side. I was never sure what the lever came off, maybe an 860 but it was a great long curved thing rather than the straight SS type. Now imagine the R.H.S. foot peg in front of the kick start lever: if you swung the lever through its full arc, you would get about half way through and the peg would make contact with your leg about half way up your shin. I discovered that the bike would not start with short jabs (i.e. trying not to take all the skin off my shin,) so developed a technique(sp) where I would plant the end of the kick start lever right in the ball of my foot, angle my leg out and heave the lever all the way through so that at the end of the stroke you were almost pushing the lever "up". By doing this the peg only grazed the inside of your calf muscle and left all the skin on your shin.

With regard to the mechanical aspects, 3 or 4 good pulls on the throttle and, as you say, rear cylinder coming up to TDC and away you go.

Never really had a problem with hot starting, you know when it strarts to backfire the first thing you do is go for the reserve position on both taps but I have had occasion at a set of lights when I was not quick enough to get reserve and the thing stopped. Red light, middle of traffic, jump off, on the center stand, run around the other side, find TDC on rear cylinder, couple of hand fulls of gas, say a little prayer and kick. Almost allways went on the 2'nd go, run back around to the other side, off the center stand, throw your leg over all before the light went green.Never failed me.

Looks like the constant here is bike needs plenty of gas to get it going. I have not had problems with the bike idling once it is warmed up, although the idle can be uneven at times. I've heard of others having problems with idle, and with no choke it appears 40MM dellortos are somewhat like Amal Grand Prix carbs, not really intended for road use, more attuned to racing, so to hell with idling and low rpm running...Macca: You are a dedicated Ducatisti, becoming a contortionist to get your bevel/desmo fix....Here is a nightmare scenario though: How would you like to be humming down a Los Angeles freeway in the middle of 5 lanes of traffic, only to come upon a traffic stoppage. Pull in clutch and brake, but then she dies...meanwhile traffic starts up and is whizzing by on both sides.....now, if you were a complete stud, perhaps you could straddle the bike and give her a kick to start it... I can do this with my Norton, however there is no way I can do this with my 900....it is a put-it-up-on-the-centerstand-and-kick-it-from-the-right-hand-side-only bike.....at least for me.....

Could someone please tell me how you get the to TDC on the rear cylinder? I'm always confused! Thanks

Geoff wrote:Could someone please tell me how you get the to TDC on the rear cylinder? I'm always confused! Thanks

My procedure is as follows: kick untill you hear the front cylinder suck in air through the front carb. When that has stopped , the rear cylinder is on compression stroke. Then kick and she starts (hopefully....)

mines got 38 mikuni flatslides no prob at all seems to go well.

I`ve always followed the same proceedure. One squirt of the throttle, TDC, either pot, then leap on her for all your worth. 2-3 mins warm up and they idle a treat. Mind you I`m pretty pedantic about carb balance and tuning.
But recently i tried something different and it seems to work very well. I have an old XR500 Honda. De-compression is disconected and the only way to kick that into life is no throttle at all, roll her over to TDC, but then roll just a poofteenth past TDC, then leap on her for all your worth. Vary this in any way and it will just load up and you`ll have to leave her sit for 10-20 min and go again.
I transposed this to the Duc, seems to work best using the back pot. It works really really well. The old GTS had become a little bitchy to start from cold but using this new method seems to be a bit easier.