Ducati Monster Forum

Yep, that's what this is.

First let me say that I've been searching the board for a while now, and haven't found what I'm looking for.

So, I have a 99 M750.  I want to chop my tail.  I want a bracket of some sort to hold my plate.  Nothing new here, been done a million times.

Here is where I differ from all the other tail chop threads.  I took my stock taillight and retrofitted it with LED's.  I put several "white" LED's facing down through the clear part of the lens so that I can get rid of my plate light.  It seems to me that all of the brackets available have a spot to mount the stock plate light, which moves the plate down farther.  I want to keep my plate up tight against the tail light.  I also did not integrate my blinkers in the tail light, so I will need to have a place to mount blinkers, but I probably won't go with the massive stock ones.

So, does anyone make a bracket that DOES NOT have a spot for the stock plate light?

this one
 (http://www.monsterparts.com/p/COOKIEKIT/%22Cookie1%22+custom+tail-chop+kit.html) does not have holes to mount the plate light. i have it on my s2r1k

dont know if it will fit your bike, but you could check with Jeff at Monsterparts.com
 [thumbsup]

Yep.

You.   ;)

I've never understood people buying pre-made tailchop brackets.

Head down to Lowe's or Home Depot and pick up a piece of aluminum.

Drill a few holes and make a few bends and you're in business (for the cost of just the shipping on the pre-made unit.)

+1x10¹⁰⁰⁰

If you have the skilz to make LED brake/plate lights etc, you sure as shit can make a few cuts in a piece of aluminum to mount a license plate.

Yup, I just got rid of the mud guard and reflectors and made a little bracket for the license plate.  Just used some leftover scrap in the garage.  I am also in the process of making a kit for my own tail chop.  12x18 26 gauge sheet metal = $8.  After it's built, I just have to find the courage to actually chop the damn things off.  Now that's a different story.

Very easy to make. Almost anyone I think could handle this mod. I am working on bending up a new one after I decided my first attempt could have come out better.

I used a piece of 2" x 1/8" thick 90 degree angle aluminum and made a bracket.  Took a couple cuts and four holes and done.  Maybe 30 min. to complete.  I still have to clean it up so it looks like a finished piece and I want to make an additional bracket for the plate to replace the piece I quick fabbed for that but it is simple and works great.

I can post pics of the unfinished version if you like.

I may have the skills and tools to create an LED board for my taillight, but I have no skills or tools for metalworking.  I still might give it a try this weekend.

The thing is, I'm a bit of a perfectionist.  Some crappy bent up piece of metal is not going to cut it for me.

You say this after telling us that you're going to take a saw to your bike's frame??   ???

Yeah, and I'm pretty scared about doing it.

i hear ya.
it takes a bit of trust in your self.
just sack up and do it, it's not hard. ;D

I was still a newb to working on my motorcycle when I did my tail chop a few years back, and was pretty nervous about sawing the subframe myself.  I did the CompetitionWerks tail kit then because of my lack of experience, but were I to do it again I would most likely make it myself.  Its just that fear of messing something up when you're new that you get over because even when you know what you're doing you still mess things up.  Ask me how I know... [roll]

Messing up (and learning from it) is half the fun.   ;)

Preach on brother!!  ;D

I don't think I've had one mod since my mirrors that went 100% smooth and easy.  But they've all been a great learning experience! 

Ducati: Making mechanics out of riders since 1946...

fixed it for ya  ;D

Making one is not hard.  Piece of scrap aluminum, a band saw, a drill press, and a few minutes...
Mines not the flashiest but it was free and gets the job done.

Really only a 2 beer job.  [drink]


(http://i40.tinypic.com/2rykhuh.jpg)

(http://i44.tinypic.com/w2exib.jpg)

Thanks for that pic.  I had noticed the 99's are different from the 00+.  Looks like I don't need to worry about making something to mount the tail light, just need something to extend down for the plate.

Where are your signals?  are they integrated?

I was thinking I would have flaps on the side of the plate that could hold the blinkers, which will be aftermarket and much smaller.

Yep, I'm running a LED tail with integrated signals.  Not sure what kind of look you are going for, but you could integrate signal mounts into the plate bracket pretty easily.  Leave 2 "tabs" to bend out on the sides when you cut out the plate bracket with holes drilled for mounting the signals.

I just did my bends in a vice.

that's exactly what I was thinking.

I don't have a vise, but I'm hoping some clamps and 2x4's will do the job.

Sounds like you've got a good plan of attack.

Be sure to post pics of the finished product!  [thumbsup]