| Author | Message | ||
     Ara |
Hans, Thanks very much for that one. My daughter lives in California (the only state in the US where lane splitting is legal), and I'll pass that on to her. Russ | ||
| Turnagain |
here ya go Rocket ( from roadracingworld ) : Ducati Breaks All-time Single-day Press Release Record With This One About Some Sort Of Design Contest For Owners | ||
| Peter |
Paging Tom, from Blackcat Racing. Just tried another email to find out what happened to the chin spoiler I bought from you, but now the emails are being returned because your address is unknown......? Please contact me. Pete | ||
| Buellish |
Great story Chauly! Will you make Homecoming this year?It would be great to get some of the Northeast Touring Adventure group together. Mike | ||
| Rocketman |
Hey Steve, I already posted a pic of that Duc  Rocket | ||
| Turnagain |
( from roadracingworld ) huh? | ||
| Kevyn |
Hey Rocketman, how goes adventure 916? What's new on the Duc front? | ||
| Rocketman |
Steve, not from RRW. Somewhere in the What Sportbike if no Buell thread there's a nice pic of the Ducati 1000UL lifted from ducati.com design competition. Kevyn, the 916 is running great, all the way to a heady 165 mph!!! Rocket | ||
| Firemanjim |
Damn slow Italian bikes----LOL | ||
| Rocketman |
Ah Jim, she is 10 years old <grin>!! Did anyone catch last weeks WSB win by Franki Chilli? In winning, Chilli upset top brass at Ducati. Seems Chilli was unhappy with the way his private run PSG-1 team 999 was working for him so he spent £20000 of the teams money buying a 2002 homologation special 998R from his local dealer. PSG-1 junked the road gear, fitting works suspension, swing arm, radiator and exhaust. They also swopped some race parts for the motor and clutch. Chilli named his road \ race hybrid 998 and a half, taking it to 3rd place in race 1 and winning race 2. Chilli is now leading the championship. Just thought I'd share the potential of those street Duc's with ya all. Especially you Jim LOL  Rocket | ||
| Chainsaw |
Just thought I'd share an amusing write up about the Martian Rovers. Who knew they had 92 foot pounds of torque! Rover & Track | ||
| Kevyn |
Rocket, that's fantastic! Those beauties can really sing!! None too shabby 'round the corners either... | ||
| Rocketman |
Wha thank you Kevyn! Actually I think the 165 is a slight (yes, only slight) exaggeration as I've got 1 tooth less on the drive sprocket and 2 teeth more on the rear. Makes for ball crunching 2nd gear wheelies though!! Rocket | ||
| Newfie_buell |
My question regarding the Ducatis is on valve maintenance? Is adjusting a demso setup really difficult or just a time consuming pain in the ass? | ||
| Ara |
Newfie, I know a guy who has a vintage 888 (4-valve heads). He rides the bike rarely, gaps the valves yearly, and when he does it there ae bike parts everywhere. IMHO Ducati motorcycles, especially the ones with the 4-valve heads, should be considered exotic machines and never as daily riders. Russ | ||
| Kevyn |
IMHO Ducati motorcycles, especially the ones with the 4-valve heads, should be considered exotic machines and never as daily riders. IMHO, it's a huge thrill to ride an exotic machine daily! | ||
| Kevyn |
Newfie, Duc valve adjustment is just another learned skill. It's not rocket science, doesn't require an advanced mechanical engineering degree--just reasonable mechanical skills and the ability to follow written instructions. Historically, the 888 is a high-end race bike that requires specialized and skilled maintenance. You are well rewarded for the effort, just ask the owner. Get friendly with a Duc and you'll enjoy it! That's enough Duc talk for the day. I'm about ready for the Desmo song on the road! You fella's can haggle valve adjustments without me I'm certain of that. | ||
| Kevyn |
I just finished installing collets this weekend. These collets are really cool! Installation was easy and straightforward. I first set all of my openers using the stock half-rings, then installed the collets, modified the openers with the special tool (quite easy) and measured my closing clearances. I found that I had to add approx .004-.005" to the closing shims. The collets really clamp onto the valve stem, lots of surface area because they mate with the tapered area of the closing shim. I'm hoping to not have to play with my valves again for quite some time!From the Ducati board... We'll suspend our bikes from garage rafters to change out rear isolators but get intimidated by a valve adjustment?  | ||
| Bomber |
it's all in what you think makes up normal, ain't it? ;-} think fo the poor SAAB guys that had to learn what valves WERE for goondness sakes, when they switch from two to four stroke me, I'm thinkin about a bagger for my next scoot . . . . big ol vtwin bagger, that'll chew up big mile every day . . . . . . liek, oh, a guzzi I'm sure I'll need to learn a new trick to work on it, though! | ||
| Darthane |
Kevyn, at least for me it's not necessarily how much work is involved but the fact that I do not want to have to take apart any section of my engine for any reason unless it has already failed. My Firebolt's been bulletproof for 15000 miles, I have no wish to tempt fate by opening it for anything less than a necessary replacement. Just my opinion. However, I daresay that Ducatis are some of the sexiest bikes I've ever seen - and I'll get over my anti-Desmo attitude sometime in the next ten years. | ||
| Chauly |
I probably won't be doing the Homecoming this year, but will have my S-3 up in the Allentown PA area well into the summer doing a project. Anyone in the area? | ||
| Outrider |
Any bike that takes that amount of coddling is off my list. I want something to transport me in style, comfort, handling and speed with minimal attention from a qualified dealer/service center. I don't need or want another hobby. Especially one that requires I get greasy. I can make more money on the computer than I can ever save by doing my own mechanical work. Just my humble opinion...but then, I retired at 50. Rotsa Ruck to you sadomasochistic macho mechanical types! I just want to push the button and go like hell. Translation: My R&R is in the skill of riding, not wrenching. | ||
| Rocketman |
You know how rumours start? Well that's the story behind shimming a Desmo. Millions of bikers have never done it. They're the same bikers that will scream exotic, temperamental, costly, won't go near one. Well if you're one of these gentlemen, all I can say is you know not what you are missing. I'd like to hear of Buell and Ducati American dealers comparable 10000 mile service charges. The Ducati 916/996/998 requires fork removal amongst other things. The tube Buell requires swing arm removal. I bet there's not a lot of difference. Both brands I'll bet are at the higher end of dealer pricing when it comes to maintenance. I can't think of a better reason to learn for ones self how to shim a Desmo, apart from the sheer pleasure of doing so of course. End of the day, a Ducati is more reliable than many will tell you, but they're often the ones who don't own one. Rocket | ||
| Outrider |
all I can say is you know not what you are missing. Now, that is a double edged sword. LOL I know what I am missing. I have ridden/driven many bikes, auto's, etc., that I really enjoyed and wanted. Fortunately, it only took ownership of a few of them to help me realize my own shortcomings in the technical department. As a result, I now know that there there are some things I should consider owning and others I should simply admire. Darn, wish that weren't true, but unless I get reincarnated as Jay Leno or some other really rich guy, that's my lot in life and I can live with it. | ||
| Kevyn |
...I'm getting this image of a kinda grumpy, wild eyed, smelly old bugger sittin' on a park bench warmin' his bones in the sun; parked not even 10' away is a drop dead gorgeous sexy looks fast just sittin' still red and white 916 Ducati, single sided swingarm, carbon fiber wheels, cut away belt covers, full Ohlins suspension with Ti-nitride coated lower legs---the old guy recognizes all this and even knows it's a '96. Along comes a couple of local hooligan brats all agog over the Duc; so they start quizzin' 'ol Outrider who's sittin' there in his petrodactyl skinned jacket and he's givin' 'em all the juicy details about this and that and all the bling parts and then they ask him...you ever ride one of these friggin' machines?... "...all other bikes you just start, you bring a Ducati to life..." You go git some Outrider! | ||
| Outrider |
Kevyn...Thanks for the words of encouragement. That was just too funny. Am afraid to shower as all the bandages from my last attempt at working on a mechanical device will fall off and I will bleed to death. Danged Lawnmower! LOL A 916 is not currently on the menu, but your description got more than a rise out of me. It brought back fond memories of the day I rode a friends though the So Cal canyons. Too much fun! Currently, I have a buddy that wants to trade his 900SS for my X1. I see in your profile that you own a 900SS. In your opinion, would this be a good trade? I have been told there is real gain in performance, plus I waxed the guy last year in our version of the twisties. He still can't figure out how a guy over twice his age whooped him but that may have been what sparked him to want to trade. Personally, besides being more experienced, I feel that the X1's ergo's and handling in the gravel covered, tar snaked and pothole infested twisties is what gave me the advantage. Then again, those are the road conditions we have to put up with in this part of the Wisconsin. Just might be the roads Buell's were designed for, eh? Am still considering the trade just to be different in every sense. Still, I am trying to get used to the idea of a yellow bike. If it were Ducati Red, it would have been a done deal a long time ago! | ||
| Simond |
I'm trying to get hold of a D&D slip-on. Can anyone recommend a supplier that would be willing to ship to the UK? I've had a little trouble getting a response from those I have tried so far. Thanks | ||
| Iamike |
Rocket, I finally got around to dropping my '99 S3's swingarm last spring @ 30,000mi. I had decided to update the isolators. I did the work myself and it took about 3hrs to horse it out & in. I just got done freshening up the top-end and find these bikes very easy & cheap to work on if you do it yourself. | ||
| Bomber |
Just might be the roads Buell's were designed for, eh? Pete Egan, among others, has written a couple of times about the bike's reflection of it's area of origins . . . . british singles and twins really shining on small twisty lanes that reward a light, torquey machine, easy to play toss and catch with, murican big twins swallowing gobsful of Route 66 day in day out (remember, we're taking legends here), Italian scoots resembling nothing else at all . . . .. I do know that none of the race reps seemed reasonable to me for the road I ride (same neck of the woods as outie, btw), but that Trumpets and Beezahs did . . . . . I can't imagine owning a 999 around here . . . .but a Monster, or a Buell, you bet | ||
| Hootowl |
Simond, Have you tried the boards sponsors? I'm sure they could get one to you. |
