Ducati Scrambler 800 Complete Maintenance Schedule
The Ducati Scrambler family started in 2015 with the 800 series (with an 803cc L-twin engine), and has expanded today to include smaller ones (the Sixty2) and larger (the Ducati Scrambler 1100).
They’re not officially known as the Ducati Scrambler 800… they’re just known as the Ducati Scrambler. But then the bigger one came along in 2018!
The maintenance schedule for most of the Ducati Scrambler motorcycles is the same — even the same between the 800 and 1100 series. They are both air- and oil-cooled L-twins with 2-valve desmodromic engines, just different capacities.
The schedule below does not apply to the Ducati Scrambler Sixty2. That schedule is almost identical — but the intervals are different.
Thus this maintenance schedule applies to
- 2015 Ducati Scrambler
- 2016 Ducati Scrambler
- 2017 Ducati Scrambler
- 2018 Ducati Scrambler (including Scrambler Mach 2.0, and Scrambler Hashtag, and Scrambler Street Classic)
- 2019 Ducati Scrambler
- 2020 Ducati Scrambler (and Ducati Scrambler Dark)
All of the above include the Ducati Scrambler Icon, Ducati Scrambler Full Throttle, Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled, and Ducati Scrambler Urban Enduro — the changes between the models are outside the engine/drivetrain and don’t impact the maintenance schedule.
What you need to maintain the Ducati Scrambler
The Ducati Scrambler is a pretty easy motorcycle to maintain, apart from the valve adjustments. But even replacing the belts periodically is not hard. Just make sure you get the right belts, and don’t leave it too late!
Firstly, you may need the following tools to service the Ducati Scrambler: Essential Motorcycle maintenance Tools.
Secondly, you’ll need the following specific consumables to replace on any Ducati Scrambler with the 803cc motor.
| Engine oil | Ducati recommends Shell Advance Ultra motorcycle oil. You need 3.7L for a complete oil change. It’s hard to find and expensive so people suggest Mobil 1 Synthetic. A lot of Ducati owners use Shell Rotella T4… check out the forums. |
| Oil filter | Genuine Ducati part is 44440037A the Ducati Scrambler. I’d suggest removing that and using a K&N KN-153 oil filter which can be changed with a normal wrench. |
| Brake fluid, Clutch fluid | Ducati recommends Shell Advance DOT 4, but that’s quite hard to find, so Castrol DOT 4 Synthetic is a good and very high-quality alternative. |
| Coolant | Ducati recommends Shell Advance Coolant or a 35-40% mix of Glycoshell, a Nitrite, Amine, and Phosphate-free coolant. But any ethylene glycol-based coolant will do the job. |
| Timing belt | Is it time to change the timing belt? Don’t put it off… a broken timing belt will cost you a lot (bent valves)! You need part number 73740242A (replacing 73740281A). |
| Front brake pads | OEM part number for the front pads is 61341021A. You can also use EBC FA630HH for more bite and less fade as you apply pressure. |
| Rear brake pads | OEM part number for the rear pads is 61340761A. You can also use EBC FA213HH for more bite and less fade as you apply pressure. |
| Air filter | You can also use K&N part DU-8015 for Ducati Scrambler 800 models up to 2018, or K&N part DU-1006 for 2019-2020. |
| Spark plugs | NGK code DCPR8E. Note they’re sold individually. |
You also may need the following general consumables for servicing the Scrambler.
| Product | Thumbnail | Description |
| Chain lubricant |  | The chain needs to be lubricated every 800 km/500 miles (or more, if it gets wet/dirty). Motul chain paste is cheap and well-loved. |
| Chain cleaner brush |  | A chain cleaner brush makes cleaning off grime and then distributing new lubricant much more easy. |
| Paddock stand |  | Lubricating the chain and changing the oil both become a lot easier once you use an affordable paddock stand. |
| Cable lubricant |  | Remember to lubricate your clutch cable (and brake cables if you have them) with a cable lubricant. Protect All Cable Life is a good general-purpose lubricant. |
| Grease |  | Get a good lithium soap based grease for lubricating major components like your side stand, centre stand, and bearings. |
Ducati Scrambler Maintenance Schedule
Below is the overall maintenance schedule for the Ducati Scrambler. Each item has a distance interval and a time interval — you should do whatever’s sooner. E.g. if you get to the 12 month mark and you haven’t done 12k kms/ 7.5K miles, you should change the oil and filter anyway.
The table is from Ducati’s “Transparent Maintenance” service schedule sheet, just re-arranged a bit to make it easier to understand.
Generally Ducati Scrambler maintenance is broken up into three parts
- Initial service at 1,000 kms or 600 miles
- Minor service every 12,000 kms or 7,500 miles where you check valve clearance (and pretty much everything else)
- Major service every 24,000 kms or 15,000 miles where you change timing belts and spark plugs
You have to change the timing belts every 15,000 miles or 5 years — whichever comes sooner.
There’s also the fork fluid, which is recommended to be changed after a set distance travelled.
| km x1000 | 1 | 12 | 24 | 36 | 48 | 60 | Time |
| miles x1000 | 0.6 | 7.5 | 15 | 22.5 | 30 | 37.5 | Every X months |
| Read fault memory with the DDS 2.0 tester, and check technical updates and recall campaigns on DCS | X | X | X | X | X | X | 12 |
| Change engine oil and filter | X | X | X | X | X | X | 12 |
| Check and clean air filter | X | X | X | X | X | 12 | |
| Change air filter | X | X | |||||
| Change timing belts | X | X | 60 | ||||
| Check and/or adjust valve clearance | X | X | X | X | X | ||
| Replace spark plugs | X | X | |||||
| Check tightening of vertical head stud bolt nut, exhaust side | X | X | X | X | X | ||
| Change front fork fluid | Every 36,000 km/22,500 miles | ||||||
| Visually check the front fork and rear shock absorber seals | X | X | X | X | X | X | 12 |
| Check brake and clutch fluid level (where present) | X | X | X | X | X | X | 12 |
| Change brake and clutch fluid (where present) | X | X | X | X | X | 24 | |
| Check front and rear brake disc and pad wear | X | X | X | X | X | 12 | |
| Check the proper tightening of brake calliper bolts, brake disc screws, front and rear wheel nuts and rear sprocket nut | X | X | X | X | X | 12 | |
| Check frame-to-engine, frame-to-swinging arm and frame-to-rear shock absorber fasteners tightening | X | X | X | X | X | 12 | |
| Check the wheel hub bearings | X | X | X | X | X | 12 | |
| Check the cush drive damper on rear sprocket and lubricate the rear wheel shaft | X | X | |||||
| Check chain, rear sprocket and sprocket wear and check final drive chain tension, lubrication and stretch. (NOTE: It is recommended to change the final drive chain kit within 20,000 km/12,000 mi.) | X | X | X | X | X | X | 12 |
| Check steering tube bearing clearance | X | X | X | X | X | 12 | |
| Check spoked wheel as indicated in the workshop manual (where present) | X | X | X | X | X | X | 12 |
| Check the freedom of movement and tightening of the side stand | X | X | X | X | X | X | 12 |
| Check that all gaiters and visible hoses (i.e. fuel, brake and clutch, cooling system, bleed, drain hoses, etc.) are not cracked, are tight and properly housed | X | X | X | X | X | X | 12 |
| Check rear brake lever free play and handlebar lever and pedal control lubrication | X | X | X | X | X | X | 12 |
| Check cable clutch lever free play (where installed) | X | X | X | X | X | X | 12 |
| Check tyre pressure and wear | X | X | X | X | X | X | 12 |
| Check the operation of all electric safety devices (side stand and clutch sensor, front and rear brake switch, engine stop switch, gear/neutral sensor) | X | X | X | X | X | X | 12 |
| Check lighting devices, turn indicators, horn and controls operation | X | X | X | X | X | X | 12 |
| Final test and road test of the motorcycle, testing safety devices (e.g. ABS and DTC), electric fans and idling | X | X | X | X | X | X | 12 |
| Softly clean the motorcycle | X | X | X | X | X | X | 12 |
| Service coupon registration with turning off of Service warning light on instrument panel with DDS 2.0 and filling in of the on-board documentation (Service Booklet) | X | X | X | X | X | X | 12 |
About the Ducati Scrambler
The Scrambler has been an attempt by Ducati to capture the new retro wave.
The Ducati Scrambler is a lightweight, modestly powerful, and very easy-to-ride motorcycle. They use a 803cc L-twin engine that’s air- and oil-cooled, very few rider aids, and … not much else. It’s a back-to-basics motorcycle in an era when most motorcycles (including most of Ducati’s line-up) are laden with traction control, cornering ABS (which is awesome), and many other things to get in the way of you and riding. The Scrambler is more pure.
The slightly dated engine configuration does mean that the service intervals are more frequent. So if you’re considering a Scrambler or a water-cooled Ducati Monster, you should know you’ll have to crack open the Scrambler a lot more often.
Other premium manufacturers have created Scramblers (Triumph having been much earlier to the market), but Ducati’s entry is lighter AND more powerful.
That said, despite the moniker, people advise you should never mistake a Scrambler for a dirt bike. It’s a road bike that won’t freak out on dirt roads or the occasional fire trail.
Ducati Scrambler Manual
The above was sourced from the Transparent Maintenance sheet provided by Ducati, obtained by us in 2020. You can get the original copy here.
