Ducati Monster Forum

Happy Winter solstice!

Even though the rain has begun, tomorrow the days will be getting longer and that makes me very happy. I've been collecting some performance/ bling for just such an occasion.
Now it's time to take my bike apart and put it back together for the fun of it.

I wrestled some Termis on today. It was a work out.
HID lights as well.

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3101/3126763534_f40aee649d.jpg?v=0)

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3266/3125934077_2296fc10e1.jpg?v=0)

This was a lesson in organizing a lot of new wires and parts.
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3106/3126763464_246bdccaeb.jpg?v=0)

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3123/3126817588_bc29c29679.jpg?v=0)


The view kind of reminded me of some of the new Street Fighter PShop jobs. I kind of like this naked headlight assembly better than what's coming.

You were busy! When you say it was a workout with the Termis, what made it hard. I'm hoping to get my phallic looking Termis on my 696 in the very near future. I had all day, but went Christmas shopping instead. I can proudly say I'm 90% done with shopping! [thumbsup]

I posted this pic in general section, but here it is again for my amusement.  ;)
(http://i436.photobucket.com/albums/qq89/sfarchie/termis121108.jpg)

w00t santa!

I was surprised at how much finessing it took. The cans are under the seat and kind of inside this rear lights assembly. Lining things up AND getting the bolts into place was a biatch. Imagine two really big springs (the cans on the pipes) that you have to grunt into a precise position while fumbling with a little bolt full of lock-tight and trying to get it screwed into a place that's way inside in between stuff. A lot of that. Not rocket science though. You just have to be good at being clever/ organized with the tools you have.

I'm going to guess yours will be WAY easier because they're more on the outside of the bike right? I wouldn't sweat it. Should be really easy.

Thanks for the explanation! Yes, my pipes are more on the outside so it should (knock on wood) be easier. The one tool that I'm sure can be substituted is the spring pulling tool mentioned in the instructions. I was a little worried about installing the ECU, but it really looks like a plug and play.

Thanks again!

It isn't really going on in my garage, but close enough. . .

http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=16703.0 (http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=16703.0) 

That Helimot suit looks pimp.  I really like the red and grey stripe. 

holy solstice! It finally sounds like a Ducati.
O   M   Gaaawd.  I started it up sans race ECU. Booooooom! Booom BooomBooomBooom ya. nice. Admittedly I had a little buyers remorse thinking I could have done something else like get better suspension or what ever. I spent credit I had at Desmoto, it was going into the bike one way or another.

I'm pretty happy now. The stock cans were driving me nuts. It sounded like the engine was down a hallway behind a few closed doors.
Now its free [thumbsup]

sfarchie, go put them on.  ;D ;D You're going to sh*t.
Read up and see if you have to reset the Throttle Position and the CO with the new ECU/ air box. Did yours come with?

You have to do that BEFORE you start it up for the first time with the race ECU.
I'm putting mine altogether except the ECU, then riding down to Desmoto to get that last bit done. I hear setting the TP is madness without the right tools.
Desmoto says they can do it in a couple of minutes.  [thumbsup]

Now yer gettin' me all excited! I may do exactly as you did, though. The dealer said that even if I just plugged the pipes on they can complete the rest. I guess that's their loophole around getting fined. Is there an attorney in the house? :D Thanks again!

I did my own pipes/airbox (with a friend's help) and had Nichols do the ECU for me. [thumbsup]

The spring pulling tool is $7.99 at Cycle Gear.  Trust me, it's WORTH the 8 bucks to buy that tool!  BTW, I got the Arrow CF full system for my S4RS and am pairing it with a Fat Duc )2 Manipulator.  Got the pipes on, but stil dialing in the fat duc.  Sounds wicked!

Thanks, man.  I wanted something subdued, but after reflection just couldn't do an all-black one piece.  I had Helimot add 'em at the last minute (with some prodding from Tigre, who has been after me for a while to add some color to my all-black gear set-up). 

Good call! [thumbsup]

I just did the hi-lo beam HID kit on the bike.  I can see!

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3213/3094719348_3ce6239443.jpg?v=0)

I finally have some room in my garage again!

(http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v646/242/25/747898682/n747898682_1272663_9053.jpg)

So I now have an additional MR2-Turbo sized area to get some work done  [thumbsup]

Now I know who to bug if I get into a jam.  ;D

On a separate note, one would think someone would cheerish their jobs a little more than usual with the economy as it is. I finished my last Christmas shoppiny at Macy's and, once again, I expected the worse and I got it. I waited over 1/2 hr for the sales clerk to open a display cabinet for me. She said she'll be right over and then walked into the back and never came back out.

I also went to Cycle Gear to get the spring puller tool. The dude briefly went through their tools and said they don't have it. After he left, I went through it myself and found it in less than 30 seconds. I also bought a Dainese wave protector. I had a 15% off one item coupon. When I brought both up, the dude said, "Oh, you found one?" Then he asked the best question of the day. He asked which item I wanted to apply the 15% coupon towards (the back protector was $75.00 and the tool was $9.99)?

Duh.  $9.99 - 15 means they pay you $5 for taking the puller.  But 15% of 75 is$ 11.25, which is pretty cheap for a back protector.  However, since getting paid $5 is better than paying $11.25, you shoulda use the coupon on the puller.  You failed.  Duh. 




A spring puller is a weird, but immensely satisfying tool.  I used to think of it as an indulgence.  I only use one a coupla times a year, but every time I do, I'm soooooo glad I have one. 

Daytona front end conversion including fork legs, calipers and radial master.  Just waiting on a brake line to be made and two more caliper bolts from who knows where.  Can wait to see how it handles.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v384/vwbliss/DSC01010.jpg)

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3075/3129405869_d5232df4fc_b.jpg)
That there is 10 Gallons of Beer I making.  Mainly to fuel the reassembly of the "Twins"   [beer]
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3280/3130233648_6fd5e0c1c3_b.jpg)
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3243/3130237478_58237679a2_b.jpg)
Those are two 1970's era BMW airheads.  Notice my state of the art engine protection while the heads are out being machined.

w00t! you brave soul, braver than me. I want to get rid of my car so badly. It sits collecting dust 28 days a month. I'm chicken.


This is about the 4th time I've heard spring pullers were indispensable and life saving. I heard I might loose and ear or something without one. So I borrowed DQ's to do my pipes, then promptly misplaced it. Just after I finished putting the Termis on, I found it again.
I used a long nose pliers without any issue.   

What am I missing?
Maybe I jipped myself out of an 'immensely satisfying' experience. damn! I'm pulling springs when I get home.

Some springs are fine with pliers or whatever.  But there are those super-strong springs that you can struggle with for hours, constantly sending them flying everywhere but where you want them to go.  That's when a spring puller is the bestest thing ever.  I once had a two day struggle with some springs on a KTM kickstand.  Then I borrowed a puller, and it was a 2 minute job. 

If you didnt put that last line, i thought you had a meth lab in your closet. Youd be able to get the twins together in 2 days

My spring puller cost me 30 cents.

Literally.

It's 30 pennies I jam into the spring to stretch it out, then I pull them out once it's on.

The $3 one is better, but it's hard to scrounge that many dimes at the drop of a hat.

Meth lab is in my other closet   [cheeky]

The garage is getting packed to move. Fun.

The new garage(s) will be fun. [thumbsup]

Bicycles get stored outside.

 :P  at least my Duc will finally get a place inside

No way!  Bicycle discrimination!!   [cheeky]

We (ok, "he") built a special bike shed to keep the precious collection safe.  We can't keep that many bikes in the bedroom....   [roll]

I went to the darkside

http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=16543.0 (http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=16543.0)

Change is good ha ha. I mean ho ho.
Photo update?

go to about page 7 in the thread

In my garage there is a missing Ducati. It's been like that almost a month now. I have some messy oil pans in it's place right now, and some fine looking, dry cypress firewood, stacked up over by the messy work bench.

Santa brought us a new baby, along with parts for exhaust modifications for momma's Triumph and a new carbon fiber front fender for the Monster (background).
(http://www.barnold.com/img/ducati/Brian-Thora-wrenching-IMG_2.jpg)

Congrats! [thumbsup] [beer]

And I guess it's never too early to teach them wrenching. [laugh]

Wow - what a great picture!  Congrats on the new addition to the family! 

nice [thumbsup] +1

another cyclist is born.

Well, it ain't no garage, but I'm makin' do with what I got...

Removed the crankcase breather box, side panels and the zip ties from the frame:

(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_beyYkNn5r7A/SV_FrekmjNI/AAAAAAAABuw/zSdZtBmhlsk/s800/DSC_0031.jpg)

(https://lh5.ggpht.com/_beyYkNn5r7A/SV_Fz0lCm7I/AAAAAAAABvY/mBCfZ6l3dTQ/s800/DSC_0036.jpg)

And waiting for my chopped U-bracket to come back from TAftonomos:

(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_beyYkNn5r7A/SV_F3A8eAtI/AAAAAAAABvo/H5gUaCufOto/s800/DSC_0038.jpg)