Our original article is reproduced below and we believe all the points raised in it are still valid, the engines still take time to get the oil to the top ends (we replace more rear cylinder opening rockers than anything else). We therefore continue to recommend that your bike is allowed to tick over for 90 seconds before you set off (I know the new 'idiot' side stand switch doesn't make this easy but believe me having looked inside many of these engines it is worth it) every single day.
As far as I am aware this plug is fitted as standard in every other factory Ducati cam. The important thing is that the oil took 90 seconds, at least, to get to the valve gear! We cleaned the bike and fitted a plug in the oilway and it ran perfectly; we dump loads of oil on the cams when we build a cylinder head so there was no other problem.
Now lets think about this, a typical Japanese DOHC engine will have nice little buckets over the valves; a pool of oil sits in a pocket above the bucket and the cam runs directly in the pool, oil is therefore present from the first second of running. With a Ducati Quattro Valvole, especially after it has sat around for a while, oil can take up to 90 seconds to arrive. The Ducati oil delivery system has no one way valve so as the bike sits unused the oil retreats slowly to the sump. When you start the engine the oil has to come all the way back up the long oil lines, it is not going to get there appreciably quicker if you rev it. The cams will not notice any difference if you are sitting 'off load' or are trying to ride it; but you do have some choices that will make life easier for the valve gear.
The first choice is the number of revs the engine suffers while the rockers wait for their oil supply. The engine can tick over at 1200 rpm and bash the rocker surface 900 times in 90 seconds while the oil comes up. Or you can run it at 4000 rpm; and the rockers will get bashed 3000 times, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out that the cam follower is going to prefer the lesser of the two evils. (as an aside when I warm up my 'street' ST4 it always seems to get to about 90 seconds before the flashing 'LO' sign on the digital display is replaced with a temperature reading, I doubt it is a coincidence).
So, to summarise, in no particular order;
1) Make sure the valve clearance are acceptable, too tight is death.
2) Give the oil time to get to the rockers every time you start the engine, call it warming up or whatever, but keep the revs down at tickover for at least the first 90 seconds of running.
3) Use good quality, high shear strength (Cst 16+) fully synthetic oil.
ΥΓ.. και μια ανακοινωση απτη μαμα εταιρια !
We'd like to take advantage of the accessibility of the Internet to let you know that for Model Year 2001 (MY 2001) we have fitted new generation engine valve control rocker arms as standard parts in all our motorbikes. The new MY2001 rocker arms are entirely compatible with all earlier versions, starting from the first version of the Ducati 851 model, and are now the only ones supplied
With the introduction of these modified rocker arms, we believe that we have the answer to every possible problem relating to rapid wear of the engine valve control faces. We would however like to remind you of the possible causes of early rocker arm wear:
* Not carrying out checks, which include adjusting the engine valve clearance, as regularly as indicated in the routine maintenance schedule contained in the Ducati warranty booklet.
* Engine valve clearance not adjusted to comply with the standards laid out in the Ducati workshop manual.
Use of an engine lubricant that does not conform to specifications indicated in the Ducati use and maintenance manual.
Since the problem does not affect the users' safety and would not indirectly damage other engine parts, Ducati will not carry out a preventative recall campaign. As always, Ducati is available to answer fully any questions you may have.
DUCATI Motor Holding spa Technical Assistance Service
καλά τα λέει !! αυτός είναι ο λόγος που προτιμώ λεπτόρρευστα λαδιά στο μοτέρ μου 
Περιμένω και εγώ κάτι απαντήσεις και τα ξαναλέμε πάντως.... 
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