Lumpy behaviour on a 2008 696

[Foggy]

As far as I know, Nelly at Cornerspeed does a postal service REXXER remap (he certainly did a couple of years ago). You send him your ECU, he sends it back with the new map installed. This is likely to cure your issue, also wort ensuring that the throttle bodies are synchronised.

That’s interesting to know, thanks. I’ll contact Conerspeed to find out if they still do a postal remap.

 

[Foggy]

I have a 2009 696, standard sprockets and ecu but I have aftermarket slip on exhausts and have found the following through the last 15 years of owning it.

I do not experience any surging with it at all. I do ride above 3k revs but do occasionally find myself down to 2k in town. No lumpyness above what would be expected because it is a v twin.

If yours is hunting or surging then I would suggest synching the throttle bodies as the surging can be an indication they could be out.

Are your spark plugs in good condition and gapped correctly?

Alternatively try running it on E5 fuel (98 ron) and see if the lower ethanol content helps. These bikes are not mapped for higher octane fuel but I find mine runs far better on it.

When I described the problem as surging it is probably more like a lumpiness similar to a misfire when around town (below 3000 rpm) but above 3000rpm it doesn’t happen and the performance is good. When you say “No lumpyness above what would be expected because it is a v twin” what do you experience ? Do you mean slight vibration ? I don’t expect it to be smooth like a Japanese 4 cylinder but it just doesn’t seem right. I have been using E5 fuel but I’ll check the octane and my plugs.

 

[Mr Gazza]

It's not a "V-Twin" problem at all.
Most Ducatis have a rather light flywheel and so rely on inertia rather than mass to keep rotating smoothly. They just don't like low revs under load so you have to down change for lower speeds.
My first Monster M900 had no rev-counter, they didn't appear on Monsters until about 1999/2000.
I rode it perfectly okay and it was always smooth and tractable, in blissful ignorance of how many rpm I was using.
The minute they fitted a rev-counter people noticed that they needed more revs than other bikes to remain tractable instead of just changing down at the point it started to chug.
Just ignore the rev-counter and ride it as it likes to be ridden.
Before I removed the remote reservoir "masts", they would jiggle around on their mounts when the revs dropped below what it would pull and served as a good indicator. I found it slogging a lot more when I changed to directly mounted reservoir pots as they don't shake, but I've tuned in now and everything if fine again.
It's got 6 gears for a reason and my mantra is "Slow down, change down" simple as that. Dropping below 60 in 6th for instance is like riding on sprockets instead of tyres!

 

[Foggy]

Thanks Gazza for the comprehensive explanation of the Monster's characteristics which was somewhat reassuring. After years of smooth Japanese bikes whilst pining for a Monster I just find myself debating whether my bike has a problem or whether it's due to the light flywheel.

 

[Dukedesmo]

Dropping below 60 in 6th for instance is like riding on sprockets instead of tyres!

I have a 'rule' with mine that the required gears numerically more or less corresponds to the minimum speed in said gear and so, as per your 60 in 6th, mine is unhappy at less than 60 in 6th, 50 in 5th, 40 in 4th, 30 in 3rd etc.

I can 'cruise' through 30mph limits in 3rd but it really starts to 'complain' at even a couple of MPH under the 30 threshold and is really lumpy at 25, making 2nd gear the best choice then.

Of course the above is based on my bike setup: gearing, state of tune, flywheel weight etc. and others will vary but of all my bikes the Monster is the most fickle/lumpy - by way of comparison my old (90 degree V-twin) Guzzi will happily/smoothly run at 30mph and under in 5th (top) gear at pretty much idle speed with no complaints, though acceleration could hardly be described as brisk under those circumstances but the setup is quite different, especially as it has a hugely heavy flywheel.

 

[Darren69]

The smooth running issue below 3000rpm is made worse by the fact that the fuel map is deliberately leaner around that point because of emmision testing carried out at 3000rpm. I had the same issue with my S4 which would hunt badly and throw me into the tank at 30mph speeds. A remap sorted it and smoothed it out. Those later bikes with o2 sensors can be improved with the bypass plugs or if you go for a remap Neil can likely turn them off for you in the ecu. He rides or used to ride a 796 Monster so he will know what to do.

 

[Foggy]

The smooth running issue below 3000rpm is made worse by the fact that the fuel map is deliberately leaner around that point because of emmision testing carried out at 3000rpm. I had the same issue with my S4 which would hunt badly and throw me into the tank at 30mph speeds. A remap sorted it and smoothed it out. Those later bikes with o2 sensors can be improved with the bypass plugs or if you go for a remap Neil can likely turn them off for you in the ecu. He rides or used to ride a 796 Monster so he will know what to do.

Unfortunately Neil doesn’t do remapping anymore, he said it became such a small part of his business and it came down to economics. A very helpful guy though, he told me about the Rexxer mapping tool that you can buy and do it yourself. A bit expensive though and I probably wouldn’t use it much. Shame though because he said the 696 maps worked well. I will look into the o2 sensor elimination kit, just still a bit concerned in case I damage the ECU !

 

[Foggy]

I have a 'rule' with mine that the required gears numerically more or less corresponds to the minimum speed in said gear and so, as per your 60 in 6th, mine is unhappy at less than 60 in 6th, 50 in 5th, 40 in 4th, 30 in 3rd etc.

I can 'cruise' through 30mph limits in 3rd but it really starts to 'complain' at even a couple of MPH under the 30 threshold and is really lumpy at 25, making 2nd gear the best choice then.

Of course the above is based on my bike setup: gearing, state of tune, flywheel weight etc. and others will vary but of all my bikes the Monster is the most fickle/lumpy - by way of comparison my old (90 degree V-twin) Guzzi will happily/smoothly run at 30mph and under in 5th (top) gear at pretty much idle speed with no complaints, though acceleration could hardly be described as brisk under those circumstances but the setup is quite different, especially as it has a hugely heavy flywheel.

That’s a good methodical approach and pretty much how I need to ride mine. Thanks for the info.

 

[Darren69]

That’s a good methodical approach and pretty much how I need to ride mine. Thanks for the info.

Unfortunately Neil doesn’t do remapping anymore, he said it became such a small part of his business and it came down to economics. A very helpful guy though, he told me about the Rexxer mapping tool that you can buy and do it yourself. A bit expensive though and I probably wouldn’t use it much. Shame though because he said the 696 maps worked well. I will look into the o2 sensor elimination kit, just still a bit concerned in case I damage the ECU !

That is a shame. Top bloke Neil, he sorted my S4 when he had a full dyno and I knew he didnt have that anymore. The Rexxer is a bit pricey 'cos I looked into it a while back but I'm sure there are other places that can stlll do it?

Unfortunately Neil doesn’t do remapping anymore, he said it became such a small part of his business and it came down to economics. A very helpful guy though, he told me about the Rexxer mapping tool that you can buy and do it yourself. A bit expensive though and I probably wouldn’t use it much. Shame though because he said the 696 maps worked well. I will look into the o2 sensor elimination kit, just still a bit concerned in case I damage the ECU !

That is a shame. Top bloke Neil, he sorted my S4 when he had a full dyno and I knew he didnt have that anymore. The Rexxer is a bit pricey 'cos I looked into it a while back but I'm sure there are other places that can stlll do it?