GENERAL PARTS INTERCHANGE INFORMATION, PLUS SPECS OF MY MACHINE.
THE MAIN DEALER TOLD ME IT WASN'T POSSIBLE TO DO MOST OF THE WORK I DID ON THIS BIKE, I GUESS PIGS REALLY CAN FLY.
PARTS FITTED TO MY MACHINE ARE AS FOLLOWS:- ENGINE FROM A 900 SS (TUNED) DYNO-JETTED AND RUNNING HI FLOW FILTERS WITHOUT AN AIR BOX. WHEELS FROM AN SS. 900-WHEELS HAVE SLIGHTLY WIDER RIMS THAN THE 600/750 DUKES ENABLING A 180 TO BE FITTED TO THE REAR INSTEAD OF THE 160 SECTION OF THE 600/750.
CAST IRON RACE DISCS FROM ANDY'S ABANDONED SPONDON/888 PROJECT BIKE. CUSH DRIVE/SPROCKET CARRIER FROM 888. CUSH/SPROCKET CARRIER HAS CHANGED OVER THE YEARS BUT IS STILL DIRECTLY INTERCHANGABLE ACROSS THE RANGE OF MONSTERS, SS's AND 888's.THE LATER SPROCKET CARRIER HAS SLIGHTLY BEEFIER LOCATING PIN MOUNT (NOTE ITS A REVERSE THREAD ON THE LATER CARRIER).
FORKS ARE FROM A SUPERLIGHT/SS AND ARE FULLY ADJUSTABLE SHOWA'S INSTEAD OF THE STANDARD MARZOCHI'S.SWINGARM IS AN ALLY JOB FROM THE AFOREMENTIONED 888/SPONDON DONOR, AS IS THE RISING RATE LINKAGE AND SHOWA SHOCK. THE STEEL SWINGER OF THE 600/750 MONSTER WEIGHS ABOUT 3 TIMES THE ALLY ITEM AND HAS 3 STEEL SPACERS AT THE PIVOT POINT, JUNKING THE THINNEST SPACER GIVES THE EXACT WIDTH FOR FITTING THE ALLOY SWINGARM.
JUST AS AN ASIDE, THE RISING RATE LINKAGE OF THE 888 WAS A BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED/FINISHED ITEM, WHEREAS THE MONSTER 600 ITEM WAS JUST A ROUGH DIAMOND, WITH FLASH CASTING METAL UNCLEANED, I DONT KNOW IF THE 888 WAS TREATED TO BETTER FINISHING OR MAYBE DUCATIS QUALITY CONTROL HAS SLIPPED A LITTLE IN THE LEAN PERIOD, BUT WHO CARES, IT WAS JUST FOR INFORMATION.
HEADLIGHTS, AGAIN FROM ANDY AT MOTO-TECHNIQUE.
FRONT BRAKE LEVER FROM AN APRILIA RS250 (ADJUSTABLE), AGAIN FROM M.T. (MANCHESTER APRILIA DEALERS).----- FOLLOW THE LINK TO JOHNS SUPERLIGHT SITE TO FIND THEIR E-MAIL.
IGNITION SYSTEM (COILS AND CDI'S) WERE FROM A BREAKERS IN SHEFFIELD AND ARE NEEDED IF CONVERTING A SIX TO A NINE HUNDRED. THE REGULATOR RECTIFIER IS STILL THE 600 ITEM,AND SHOWS NO SIGN OF FAILING AFTER 2 YEARS OF 900 MOTORING. A SMALL POINT OF NOTE IS THAT THE REG-REC IS THE BIGGEST FAILING OF DUCATI ELECTRICS, AND IS ONE OF THE FEW ELECTRICAL PARTS STILL MADE IN ITALY (LOOM-SWITCHGEAR AND ANCILLIARIES BEING OF JAPANESE ORIGIN, SO MUCH SO THAT THE LEFT HAND SWITCHGEAR IS SWAPPABLE WITH THE SAME PART FROM HONDAS XBR500, AND THE REG-REC FROM A CX500B WILL ALSO WORK HAPPILY IN A DUCATI.
IF YOU WANT TO PROLONG YOUR CHANCES OF KEEPING YOUR REG-REC IN THE GAME, I WOULD ADVISE YOU TO DRILL A SMALL HOLE IN ONE OF THE HEAT SINK FINS, AND BOLT AN EXTRA EARTHING CABLE FROM THERE TO THE FRAME, AS THE SLIGHTEST LOSS OF EARTH WILL BURN IT OUT AND COST YOU OVER 200 QUID. M&P/MPS SUPPLY A THIRD PARTY REG-REC WHICH DOES THE JOB FOR ABOUT 200 QUID LESS THAN DUCATIS OWN, BUT DOES NOT SUPPORT THE CHARGE LIGHT. SO YOU DONT GET AN IGNITION LIGHT IF IT FAILS (LIKE YOU CARE AT THAT PRICE).
YOU'LL NOTE I MAKE LITTLE REFERENCE TO THE 748/916. THE ONLY PARTS I KNOW OF THAT ARE INTERCHANGABLE WITH THE 888/MONSTER/SS/SL RANGES ARE THE FRONT DISCS,BRAKE LEVER AND CLUTCH LEVER. FRONT WHEEL IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT IN SPINDLE DESIGN (AND COSTS 600 QUID) SO IS UNUSABLE WITHOUT SOME MODIFICATIONS.
THE REAR IS OBVIOUSLY A SINGLE SIDER AND DOESNT ENTER THE EQUATION (ALTHOUGH I DID SEE A MONSTER WITH A 748 SWINGARM AND WHEEL ASSEMBLY AT THE ISLE OF MAN TT FESTIVAL 99, GREEN BIKE, PARKED NEXT TO MINE A LOT, AND MADE MY LIVED ON PAINTWORK LOOK HAGGARD, HENCE THE RESPRAY FOR WHEELS AND FRAME. THEY WERE POWDER COATED AT SSS IN BINGLEY).
I SPOKE TO THE OWNER AT THE DUKE BARBI` , AND GORGEOUS THOUGH IT WAS, I DO NOT HAVE THE ENGINEERING EXPERTISE HE HAD AND WOULD NOT ADVISE IT WITHOUT SOME SERIOUS PLANNING, THE FULL CONVERSION JACKS THE BACK END UP AN INCH OR TWO. INCIDENTALLY, THE SAME RIDER ADVISED ME THAT BMW (K SERIES) SELL BRAKE DISK CIRCLIP/ADAPTORS TO ENABLE THOSE WITH STANDARD STAINLESS BREMBO BRAKE DISKS TO CONVERT THEM TO FLOATING DISKS.
FOR REFERENCE, AN 888/916/748 MOTOR WILL FIT THE MONSTER FRAME, THOUGH YOU WOULD HAVE TO FIT RADIATOR LUGS AND MOUNT THE COMPUTER UNDER THE SEAT. NOT TO MENTION REWORKING THE SUBFRAME TO FIT THE SUSPENSION SET UP. IT'S BEYOND MY LIMITED CAPABILITIES, BUT IT HAS BEEN DONE. I TOOK A NUMBER OF PICTURES FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T SEEN SUCH A PROJECT. I WILL ADD THEM TO A GUEST LIST ON REQUEST. IF THE GUEST BOOK IS OPERATIVE THEN LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK I SHOULD DO TO IMPROVE MY SITE.
PIPES WERE A SET OF 52MM OPEN CARBON F1's. REMEMBER, IF YOU ARE FITTING NEW CANS, CHECK TO MAKE SURE IT'S JETTED TO SUIT. IF ITS STAGE 2 DYNOJETTED, YOU WILL NEED A K&N OR SIMILAR HIGH FLOW FILTER. THE AIRBOX TOP NEEDS REMOVING/MODIFYING AS WELL IF YOU TAKE THAT ROUTE. ALL DYNOJETTING WAS DONE AT MOTO-TECHNIQUE IN MANCHESTER.
PIPES FITTED NOW, WERE SUPPLIED BY DAMON AT 'SHIRES DUCATI ' 01604 601605 NORTHAMPTON. SHIRES DO A SERIOUS NUMBER OF TRICK PARTS FOR THE MONSTER AND 748/916. TELL HIM WHO PUT YOU IN TOUCH WITH HIM (ISLE OF MAN DAVE SHOULD DO IT ).
REAR INDICATORS ARE STILL FITTED IN THE LATEST REINCARNATION OF MY BIKE, THEY ARE HOWEVER HIDDEN TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITIES, AND IN NORMAL VIEWING ARE VIRTUALLY INVISIBLE UNLESS IN USE.
FITTING FORKS FROM THE SS/888 RANGE TO A MONSTER WILL CAUSE YOU A SLIGHT HEADACHE AS THE FORK TOPS STAND PROUD TO A MAJOR DEGREE AND WILL FOUL ON THE HANDLEBARS.
FITTING BARS FROM THE SS/888 DOES NOT HELP, IN FACT IT MAKES THINGS WORSE. IT IS POSSIBLE TO GET THE FORKS IN BUT THEY ONLY PROTRUDE A MILLIMETRE ABOVE THE YOKE, WHICH MAKES HANDLING INTERESTING TO SAY THE LEAST.
I HAD A SET OF CLIPONS MADE BY L.A. WELDING OF BURY , MANCHESTER WHICH GAVE ME THE CAFE RACER TYPE LOOK I WANTED AND ALSO MOVED THE CLAMP BOLTS TO A BETTER LOCATION FOR ACCESSABILITY. THE BARS NOW RETURN FULL FORK ADJUSTMENT TO ME AND MAKE ME A VERY HAPPY BUNNY INDEED. I HAVE SINCE BEEN ADVISED BY ANOTHER RIDER WHO CARRIED OUT A SIMILAR PROJECT, THAT THE BARS OF A SUZUKI GSXR 750 CAN BE MODIFIED TO FIT ,YOU JUST NEED TO GRIND OFF A COUPLE OF LUGS. Thanks to Dave Shirley for that information.
LATEST BITS TO BE ADDED ARE IN PREPARATION FOR A NEW TANK, RESULTING IN MY MOVE AWAY FROM BLUE AS THE PRIMARY BODYWORK COLOUR. CARBON FIBRE SIDE PANELS AND REAR SEAT COVER HAVE BEEN ADDED IN PLACE OF THE PLASTIC ITEMS (SUPPLIED VIA 'ITALSPORTS' OF BURY) WITH BELT AND CLUTCH COVERS JUST PURCHASED AS WELL.
OK, THATS ENOUGH FOR THE TIME BEING, I WILL UPDATE THE THINGS I'VE MISSED AT A LATER DATE. IF YOU THINK I CAN HELP WITH ANYTHING, THEN BY ALL MEANS E-MAIL ME. IF YOUR INFORMATION IS USEFUL I WILL ADD IT TO WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW.
TWO THINGS THAT I BELIEVE NEED A MENTION HERE. THE MAN WHO DID THE JETTING AND SETUP OF MY BIKE, (DON), PASSED AWAY IN A MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT RECENTLY. HE WILL BE MISSED BY ALL THOSE WHO KNEW HIM.
ALSO, STEVE AT L.A. WELDING WAS ALSO INVOLVED IN A BIKE RELATED ACCIDENT AT THE START OF THE YEAR AND SUFFERED A BROKEN NECK. L.A. WELDING HAS SINCE CEASED TRADING.
Let me know if anything major is fouling the site up.
if you think your bike is better looking or more radical and you think it would look good on a site other than your own, send me a jpeg of it, (640 x 480 with a smaller image at 20 percent of its size if you want to make my life easier) if it isn't too similar to those I'm preparing to add to the site, I'll add it, with a brief description of what you tell me.
E-MAIL ME 
HERE
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