Ducati Monster Forum

I purchased my bike with a tail chop kit already installed.  I'm ok with the look, but to me, the bike might look better with the tray (yeah, I'm odd).  The cut-off part of the frame was one of the few items the OO kept and passed on to me.  Missing were the tray and rear fender, but I found a set here for the cost of shipping.  Not having a welder handy, it occurred to me that I might be able to join the frame parts together using smaller diameter tubing inside the frame members.  The ID of the frame tubes measured about 17.5mm so I purchased some 18mm OD steel tube, cut a couple of pieces 2" long, the milled a 1/8 slot along the length.  The slot allows the tubing to deform to a smaller OD and clear the internal weld seam.  I pressed the two inner tubes into the tail chop until they were even with the cut end.  Using a steel rod, I hammered the inner tubes into the frame tubes.  A mark on the rod indicated the point at which the inner tubes were equally spaced within the frame tubes, 1" on either side of the cut.  Some judicious application of the hammer brought the cuts into contact.  The joins are surprisingly strong and should stay in place.  If I decide I dont like it, I can still pull them apart...if I wish to make it permanent, a couple of small welds will eliminate any possibility of them coming apart.  I will likely not use the factory fender and instead make a simple plate holder. 

Now if stopintime would have molds made of his custom tray, I'd be set!

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v48/orangelion03/tailfix1.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v48/orangelion03/tailfix3.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v48/orangelion03/tailfix4.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v48/orangelion03/tailfix5.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v48/orangelion03/tailfix6.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v48/orangelion03/tailfix7.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v48/orangelion03/tailfix9.jpg)

The reverse mod, mod.  [thumbsup]  Eveyone take note of what the frame ends look like without repainting.

I covered my plastic with tape and sketched the shape with a pencil. Cut a mm or two outside your line to allow for mistakes and have some material to work with when trimming. It's not difficult, but requires patience.
Do you need more pictures?

between this reverse chop, and that handy front frame stand he built for his fork swap, this guy is one handy make the beast with two backser! [thumbsup]

wat.

this is actually one of the better reverse mods i've seen on the tail  [thumbsup]

looks good!...actually that would be a good idea even if you were planning to weld it, makes the welding much easier if there is a small gap between the ends and the weld can then be ground flush afterwards...

Throw some silicon in that ridge to prevent moisture from getting in there.  You can probably find some red gasket maker.

Is that a trick question?

I "unknowingly" had a tail chop on my monster.

The first owner (i'm the third) did the chop - apparently didn't like it at all, and did the exact fix above, using some kind of glue to fasten the ends of the smaller pipe in the subframe and then into the chopped parts.  The pipe was (in my guesstimate) not long enough at all and the glue used substandard. The pipe looked to be some sort of brass type, possibly old water pipe, as one section of the pipe had thread on it.

Well, the fix didn't work - and I found out at the worst time: going 150+ on a racetrack!  Control rider quickly zoomed in front and was frantically doing the "get off the track" macarena hand signals in front of me.  All that was left was my chop dangling off the rear of the bike from the license plate wire.  I was VERY lucky that the wire was there (license plate was removed) because it saved the part from hitting someone else.

I don't like the tail chop either, so I took mine to a professional fabricator and he fixed me back up.  The fix was worth the $$ I spent, which was not much.  He removed all the bad pipe, cleaned everything and rewelded it all back together.  Amazing custom work if I say so myself.

If you have the $ get it welded back on.  Just my two cents...from experience.  :)

You are absolutely correct sir!  I finally got around to test riding the bike after putting the suspension back together, and my tail-chop fix came loose after only 5 minutes of V-twin shaking!  I've made a temporary bracket that ties the frame to the chopped off part, but that will be on just long enough to get the bike to the welder next week.

isn't that like reversing a nose job?

Or you could use a little safety wire in the meantime, but whatever you have going on is probably good enough for a day or three.  [thumbsup]

picture of my fix....with donated Yamaha blue paint.  :o)
(http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk65/mcgalinmd/8829_163923093323_613103323_2709479.jpg)

 [cheeky]