[argus505]

Hi,

I'm new to the forum and also a first time Ducati owner. I switched over from a Yamaha R1 because I love the sound and style of the Ducatis. I recently had installed a new anodized clutch pressure plate and vented clutch cover. I never noticed the noises coming from the clutch but with the vented cover the sound is extremely loud. The clutch makes a lot of constant rattling noises and some weird almost grinding sounds every once in awhile. When idling in neutral on the sidestand, the sound is so loud that you can't talk to anyone nearby. Just wondering if the loud clutch noises are normal to an S4R or to Ducatis in general. While in Italy last month I saw a guy riding on an S4 with a vented cover, but I don't remember such louds noises emanating from his bike.

Thanks for any input.

 

[Race_Day_Dennis]

When the clutch is not engaged, you will hear more noise. It will be louder with an open cover. Very loud. But the grinding noise you spoke of I have never heard.

 

[Skier]

Now that is normal unless the clutch is working.

Many people here seem to think that sound is beautiful.

Go figure.

I you do not like it, get a full cover, no harm done. Maybe you loose a hp or not, depends,... ;D

Skier

 

[Herb]

Are you sure the noise you are hearing is "grinding" and not just clutch slippage?

 

[s4strati]

the loud clackitty clack clack's totally normal. in time, you'll become addicted to it. personally, i'm ruined... i guess i've got an auditory fixation because i don't think i could ever truly enjoy owning a bike that doesn't make as many interesting noises as my duc. l-twin exhaust boom, intake honk with the open airbox, and that dry-clutch chatter!!

if you want to quiet it down a bit, when your clutch is due for new plates, get an aluminum/kevlar barnett clutch pack. significant noise reduction (but it's still definately audible) and better action than the stock plates in my oppinion.

 

[argus505]

Thanks for the replies. In response to Herb, the noise I mentioned (other than the loud clacking) is some minor scraping sound, rather than grinding, that occurs at random times. It is a brief noise that appears sometimes when standing at idle, sometimes while deccelerating, but doesn't happen when the clutch is pulled in. The noise doesn't last very long and just appears and disappears. Is this normal? Should I only have a loud clacking noise from the clutch?

 

[s4strati]

the subtle scraping noise is the friction disks rubbing against the driven disks. the clacking noise is the driven disks' tabs chattering between the "teeth" of the clutch basket.

 

[s2travis]

A really cool 998 pulled up next to our car yesterday. My son said dad look a ducati. Then said why does it sound so 'junky'. haha.

 

[Capt. Steubing]

Mine seems to go from a clackity clack, to a ringing when I pull in the lever, my wife absolutely hates it, so I must love it (it says so on the marriage license). ;D

 

[Speeddog]

The clackity-clack with the lever out is the whole stack of plates rattling back and forth as a unit in the slots of the clutch basket.
The clutch springs have it all pinched together.

As you slowly pull the lever, you hear the sound change to the jangling of all the plates individually ringing as they bounce back and forth in the slots, no longer trapped by the clutch springs.

Music to some ears, noise to others......

 

[JEFFS900S]

if you want to quiet it down a bit, when your clutch is due for new plates, get an aluminum/kevlar barnett clutch pack. significant noise reduction (but it's still definately audible) and better action than the stock plates in my oppinion.

Will the steel basket beat the aluminum plates to death? I always assumed that you should only run alu plates in an alu basket.

Any other thoughts?

Thanks

Jeff

 

[test-reg]

you want aluminum/aluminum or steel/steel.

 

[Tarik]

Welcome to the music of a Ducati ;D

 

[iamic]

OOoohh I can't read this thread anymore! It's making me want a dry clutch too much!