Little things…

Posted by on May 4, 2012 in Dutch, Shed Builds | 8 Comments

The problem with customising your bike, as that you get a little too intimate with all it’s failings and imperfections. Every time you make something new, upgrade a part, paint something or even give her a wash, you start to notice the things you really don’t like – instead of appreciating the things you love.

For me there have always been two big nasty carbuncles standing between my Duc as she is now, and cafe racer perfection… Firstly, those Monster derived clocks are just too big (although I’ve de-chromed them, and remounted them flatter and lower) but worst of all, those horrible, giant, cast black triangles that serve as a combi-bracket, holding both the footrests, passanger pegs and the exhaust. As well as being ugly, crudely made and budget-looking, they weigh a tonne. They had to go.

Here is the BEFORE (above)…

…and AFTER (Below)

What makes them even more nasty, is that the Paul Smart and Monoposto versions of this bike have no such cost-saving crap, and instead boast fine, slimline exhaust hangers, and rearsets not unlike the early ’90s 900ss. Side by wide with a Mono, the Bipsoto parts look truly wrong. (as you can see from the pair of pics above)

Replacing the footrests and controls was relatively simple. I found various parts made for a 900ss, second hand and aftermarket, and used those. The brake mastercylinder and it’s mounting bracket are pretty generic on many Ducatis before about 2005. The footrests are modestly priced aftermarket from ebay and the levers and heel plates are from a 900ss.

However, I looked around for a long time to find an alternate hanger for the twin-sided exhausts, and even looked into chopping up two sets on mono hangers, but, it was only a matter of time before I ended up knocking on the door of JCPak bikes, who seem to have cornered the market on everything pretty and expensive, made for the Sport Classic range of bikes – including those sexy strip-LEDS featured on the TRON Legacy bike.

Anyway, the deed is done, and for the first time I feel like the bike is 99% finished with too many mods and upgrades to lit, and the standard donor bike feeling left a long way behind.

Well, I say that, but the clocks are becoming a minor obsession and they also need to go, Motogadget, here I come (anyone got a degree in auto-electrical engineering?)

…and …I’ve just discovered that the open spaces I’ve made to the rear of my bike, by removing the battery, fitting a tiny seat, removing the hugger, etc, has revealed the ugly black steel sidestand… and guess what? An 848 aluminium one, with hidden spring will bolt straight on…

And, come to think of it, I never did try completely hiding those reservoirs… and then there’s that aluminium tank.

8 Comments

  1. Thane
    10/05/2012

    I wish I had the money to get rid of those triangles. Looks so much cleaner with the correct hangers. How much do you think you spent total on hanger, rearsets, etc.?

    Reply
    • Dutch
      10/05/2012

      Hangers are Mack hangers from JCPak bikes in the US. Price without the passenger adapters is a whopping $425, or $550 with, but they are perfect. You could probably get some custom made for half that, but it would take a while and some considerable hassle. WASP in Australia also make some simpler hangers, but I don’t know the price. Check Hoppy’s red 1000S on our facebook pages in the Ace Cafe pics to see them, or click this link http://i871.photobucket.com/albums/ab275/LondonDutch/HoppysDucWhole21000.jpg.
      The rearsets were about $200 from the US, but 900SS rearsets also fit from certain years, get them from Ducati-Parts-Online in the Netherlands, and the M/C bracket and bits (also from a 900SS) were about £55 in total from the same supplier.

      It looks even more dramatic in the flesh than in the photos. And especially worth it if you lose the battery box.

      So – in real money, budget between £500 and £600 with the Macks, or check out Airtech, …or your local bike welder.

      Reply
      • Thane
        11/05/2012

        Thanks for the reply. Yeah I have the Shorai battery under the seat. Moved the regulator out and it is hidden. Ive done nice mods but nothing too crazy as I want it to still remain with its stock look. I would love to have the Imola seat as well. What I really want is what Muzzi has with the tube reservoirs. I went back and forth with him on it. Sees you have to have the caps made for the tubing. I wish I could just buy and install.

        Reply
  2. Thane
    11/05/2012

    Was reading your thread on Ducatis.ms. I wish I could just buy a kit, haha. I love the look of this. The rear sets look great. I do have a couple of more questions. 1. Do you need to have a heel plate? 2. Did these sets change the height or move the pegs back?

    Reply
    • Dutch
      19/06/2012

      The sets moved the pegs up and back around an inch and a half, just what it needed for better ground clearance, plus it makes the reach to the clipon bars feel less cramped.
      Not sure I “needed” heel plates, but they were cheap and readily available, and I didn’t want empty holes in the brackets. The only expensive part were the Mack hangers from JCPak, but the quality is superb. Just make sure they clear the top of the shock collar and consider fitting an extra washer to space them away, if they rub. Finding rearsets for the later SS range was also easy, but you will also need the master cylinder bracket with brake lever attached (Ducati Generic) and a different (Ducati generic) gear lever.

      Reply
  3. Per Petersen
    14/11/2012

    Hi

    I too have looked at motogadget instruments and i too have ben modifying my bike for to long now… So I’m planing one bigger project that will deal with everything at once, but I don’t know if what I have in mind will work?

    My plan is an all (matt haven’t decided) black Ducati Sport 1000 with raw aluminum pieces fitted to add a nice contrast and only the golden Öhlins suspension as color!

    This could be achieved with a complete ISR braking system, including switches, which removes all plastic from the handlebars and adds some ally contrast to the black color, Motogadget motoscope classics in raw alu, motogadget m-unit to control it all, Fleda taillight with integrate turn signals (have this one), some awesome rimes, a custom metal tank (Deposit made for one through Motowheels, you can put yours down too now if you want), Zard Titanium exhaust and a Wasp DSC PUK(s1) power kit with a new re-flashed ECU to gain some power and give the engine the proper airflow and fuel mix.
    This still is only planning!

    My concerns is a problem with the electronic controls on the Sport 1000 being analog and the ISR switches/Motogadget instruments needing digital signals!
    And by removing the original instruments I will trigger one of the, as i can figure out, two immobilizer’s (one in the ECU and one in the instruments). I have seen that Motogadget on the web page have a solution for this (But my german isn’t that great)

    I was thinking that if I’m going to get a new ECU anyway because of the power kit I’m installing, then this will have no Immobilizer an then perhaps I could take out the entire immobilizer, instal a Motogadget classic instrument instead of the two original one’s and then make it all digital with the Motogadget M-unit. (Rewirer the entire bike is easyer then trying to figure out and tab in to the existing one i think!)
    But is this at all possible? Or am I totally on the wrong track?

    I hope this might help you ore give you ideas that will benefit everybody!

    Cheers Per

    Reply
  4. Per Petersen
    14/11/2012

    Yeah, for this I’ll probably end up getting some professional help. I’m a development and design engineer so mechanic is no problem, but all the wiring and computer technology the put into bikes these days is hard. I have a friend that is a professional car electrician…

    It dos sound good but there is still a long way to go.
    I have ben planing the build for very long, and just to make a list and find all the pieces that i think is necessary, read how they would effect the bike and what others has don, has taken me almost a year. It’s also only recently that the aluminum tank became “almost” possible… Almost because its a grupe by though ducati.ms and there must be a certain amount before it becomes a reality.
    … so it will take some time before i have actual pictures to show.

    But the tank is the major player here not to mention money, and when the tank is ready i can start ordering all the pieces that i need, so hopefully some time early 2013 i can start the build. Your interest in the project also gives motivation! Thanks!
    I have tryed to contact motogadet regarding my plans but without luck, I’ll try to get a german friend of my to ring them.
    Jcpakbikes, motowheels, and Wasp has ben very helpful regarding parts and knowledge, and I’l recommend them to anyone. I have also talked to different ISR distributors and recently i contacted NCR which are awesome but man you can loos track when getting lost in there amassing part list. I’m still to contact ISR directly, but I’m on business trip in Australia and China right now so this I will do when I return to Denmark where I’m from.

    Yeah, I’m sure that I’m not the only one with such plans, and it’s easy to dream big… But I’ll try my best to live up to my plans, Ha Ha.

    I’ll of cause keep you posted.

    Reply

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