Ducati Monster Forum

I lowered the headlight & gauges, installed clip-ons, cut the airbox, removed the side covers, and hid wires.  It was a busy weekend but I'm very happy with the bike.  Thanks for all the advice with the mods.  After a lot of consideration, I decided to go a different way with lowering the headlight.  I cut an inch out of the U bracket, slid some 3/8 bar stock down inside the tubes, drilled some holes and bolted it all back up.  I mounted the clocks under the triple by drilling out the mount hole and countersinking a few hex bolts.  The top of the U mount is not attached to the bottom of the clocks and is still rock solid.  Now all I have to do is get a set of Rizoma Naked Prototypes to replace my Reverse Retro's.  Don't like how they look at all.  What do you guys think?
(http://i425.photobucket.com/albums/pp331/joev160/DSC_6954.jpg)
(http://i425.photobucket.com/albums/pp331/joev160/DSC_6955.jpg)
(http://i425.photobucket.com/albums/pp331/joev160/DSC_6972.jpg)
(http://i425.photobucket.com/albums/pp331/joev160/DSC_6971.jpg)
(http://i425.photobucket.com/albums/pp331/joev160/DSC_6973.jpg)
(http://i425.photobucket.com/albums/pp331/joev160/DSC_6970.jpg)

.............and yet ANOTHER way to lower the headlight.....
nice work man;
that thing looks EVIL........ [evil]

Good job man...very cafe style.  I dig it.

it looks great ... get ( or chop) some pipes  [moto]

Ranger 06- Sent you a pm

It is a beautiful job you've done, I tell you it takes guts to modify things on your bike knowing you can't go back if you don't like it at the end.  [thumbsup]   If you don't have more use for the risers, you can always grind them off. It is a very in expensive mode for a top triple.

looks great !
what clip ons are you using?
Any problems with headlamp ears interfering with clip ons?
Please advise.

I'm liking the blacked out look.  Very sharp bike.  Now paint the cans black and anodize the forks black, and that thing will look just plain mean.

murderedmonster blacked out the forks on his 696
using a kind of window tint type film made by LG....
might try that and see if you like it....
removable if you dont....

Juan, is it an inexpensive mod for a new top triple, or to have the risers ground off?  I would have them ground off in a second by someone who knew what they were doing.  Guess they would also have to be able to refinish the clamp after it was ground and smoothed out.  Anyone out there go this route? If so, what did it cost?  I was thinking about loosing the top pieces, and just cutting a piece of carbon fiber to fit over the risers and making it a place to mount my iPod.

Squid, I am using Woodcraft clip-on's. No problem with the headlight ears, but if I could do it all over again, I think I would drop it another 1/2".  I may still, the next time I have it apart.  Not a whole lot of space between the clocks and the headlight.  There was an issue with the coffin reservoirs touching the clamp portion of the clip-on, causing the brake lever clamp to not seat fully around the handlebar.  I bought some spacers from PJ's and now they're perfect.  The brake lines are long, may look at having someone make me a shorter set for the front.

Mojo, I'm pretty new to mod'ing, what's involved in having the forks done?  I take it they have to come off the bike, but do they have to be disassembled? Have you or anyone you know had them done?  I live out in the boonies but will look into having them done in Raleigh.

Lazarus, will have to take a look at his 696, window tint sounds like a good way to go to see if I like it

So many things I want to do, I have the bug, bad!  Going to look into a KTM headlight next...or maybe coring my pipes.  I love the clip-on's though, it's like a totally different bike, feels shorter, much more controllable.  

I took my forks off and anodized them black. You'll have to remove all the guts and totally disassemble everything. When you put it all back together make sure everything is impeccably clean.
Easy to do, just takes a bit of time. Result is excellent.
I know have new forks and have sold the black one which were non adjustable. New ones are fully adjustable with new shim stacks, valves and springs........ and the color they are gonna be is going to be way different!

If you decide to make anything out of carbon fiber, make sure you do some research on handling/cutting it.  CF can be hazardous to work with if you are not careful.

I have no FHE with anodizing, I know there are a few people on here who have had it done, and I think you can buy a DIY kit (sounds like squidwood may have done this himself), not sure how to do it yourself, but I'm sure people have done it.

For someone who is new to modding, looks like you have picked up on it pretty quick...but there is one bad thing I have to point out, modding is a disease with no known cure, and it only gets worse.

Ranger06 you have done a really nice work.
Working on the top triple is a lot easier than you think. It only took me about two hours to cut, grind and polish mine, aftet that, I gave it two coats of primer and 3 coats of black paint, spray cheap paint no less and to tell you the truth I am happy with it. I already had the grinder, but in any case, it is not more than $30.00 + primer and paint I did spend about $38.00 on it including a clear coat spray can. The most expensive part believe it or not is the Ducati sticker.. I am ashame to say how much I paid for it.
Here are some pics of the triple in place. I am sorry I did not take pictures of the process, but if you do a search, I know that some other people did the same.

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3080/2872109756_6ebdb5930b_b.jpg)

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3171/2871346643_efa592e148_b.jpg)

Looks great!!!  [thumbsup]

Another option while you're working with the stock triple is to have the holes filled after you grind off the risers.  A machine shop should be able to do it for cheap (or you can do it yourself with bondo or some other filler, I guess). 

Same as Juan's, but w/o riser holes --

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3130/2831406835_0a0e5d5d28.jpg?v=0)

Spidey, I am glad you posted that picture, I have been looking for it to load it up here, thanks a lot, I could not find it in my folder.

There you have it Ranger06, the original one, where we all found our inspiration..!!   [thumbsup]

Very nice work, a bunch of sharp looking bikes here.

I love how that cleans things up, will be grinding mine off or having them ground off.  Thanks guys, your bikes look great!

the head light and clocks look good.

I'm surprised that no one makes a 'kit' with a lowered bracket and everything you need.  Seems like a common mod.


Andy

Very cool

Real cleaver on how to lower the the headlight brackets.  Was thinking of doing something similar as I really did not want to weld the brackets back on (didnt have the right welding supplies). 

Decided against it when I realized that the top of the U bracket would not be long enough to reach to top triple so that the U bracket would be secure by 4 points.  I was going to thread the inside of my U brackets with a tap and stick a large bolt down there and put some nuts in between as a locking mechanism.  Couldnt find the right parts to do that either so I bought an argon gas kit for my home depot lincoln electric.