Ducati is working to increase maintenance intervals.
Think ducati The engine and the desmo valve are connected immediately. For the uninitiated, this is another valve control system where, instead of a conventional valve spring, the valve system is controlled via two cams and two actuators that open and close the valves individually. This system has the great benefit of producing high rpm, but the downside is the dreaded “desmo” service.
- Mid-range Ducati engines will ditch the desmo van valve
- Van Desmo will only be available on top performance engines
- Work on this shift is in progress
What is Desmo Service and why is it scary?
The desmo service is basically a big one, where valve clearances are checked and things like cam belts, air filters, and spark plugs replaced. This service needs to be done between 24,000 km and 30,000 km depending on the bike and it can cost a fortune.
Ducati is aware of the desmo service’s notoriety and is working to get rid of the system. It starts in 2020 with the new Granturismo V4 in Multistrada V4 which is now also in Diavel V4. Essentially, this new generation V4 goes back to valve springs and it also replaces the timing belt with a much more durable timing chain. The result is a large 60,000 km gap between valve checks. With this new engine, Ducati has essentially gone from having some of the shortest valve service intervals in the industry to the longest.
So far, this benefit has only been found in the Granturismo V4 found in very expensive motorcycles, more than Rs 20 lakh. However, Ducati is working to change that. Ducati APAC sales and marketing director Marco Biondi tells us that the company is working on updating mid-range bikes like the Monster to switch to using conventional valve springs.
Since Monster shared the 939cc L-twin engine with many other vehicles such as super sport, Multistrada V2, desertX And super exercise, you can expect the same for these bikes. This engine has been around since 2016 and it is an improved version of the 821 engine that debuted a decade ago. With that in mind, it’s possible we’ll see an entirely new engine with valve springs replacing it.
For New generation Scrambler, it came out late last year and it still has a reduced-valve engine. So it might be a while before we see that change to Ducati’s most affordable offering, if at all.
Marco claims that the Ducati desmo system remains the best system available for high rpm power, absolutely, so it will be retained on top performance bikes. This will almost certainly include panigale And street fighter family, in both twin– And four– cylinder layout. As for the rest of the Ducati lineup, he told us work is underway and we should see this happen in the next two years.
Is getting rid of the desmo van (and the subsequent steep drop in cost of ownership) enough to make you consider Ducati your next big displacement bike? Let us know in the comments section below.
