Ducati Monster Forum

Last week my wife and I bought an assortment of monsters. I am going to post the progress here as we learn all about reassembling a Monster. So here is the run down, we where looking for a winter project and my wife has always been a Monster lover from afar, so with a bit of craigslist hunting we found the perfect way to keep busy over the winter and get a Monster built and colored just the way we want it. This is a rough list of what we got:

2001 Monster black
-Was a front end wreck that took out the frame at the neck, the forks, front rim and other odds and ends.
-Motor (600cc) is undamaged and it has a complete wiring harness(minus an ignigter box :( ), good rear rim and swing arm, and a good seat and slightly dinged tank.
-Clear title.

2000 monster black
-Was a front end wreck as well.
-Was mostly disassembled before we got it. Bad frame and front rim. Is missing a large portion of the wiring harness.
-Has a clean looking motor, we have no idea what size!!
-Clear title

2002 Monster frame.
-It has a salvage cert.
-We have looked it over and it looks straight but it is different from the other two frames so we will be hoping to swap it or sell it for a frame that will fit our available parts.

So that's the list of parts. We plan on assembling a monster with custom paint and The best of the parts we have. What ever we need above and beyond that we will be hunting down here and on ebay. We are open to any ideas and advice anyone out there has too offer to our build and since this is our first ducati I think we will have alot of questions for any one that is willing to take the time to answer them. So to start figuring out what works and what doesn't I took the good ignition to a locksmith today to have a key made made so I can give the motor in the 2001 a quick crank but with out two igniter boxes I can't try to run it. I have looked them up on ebay and they are expensive, I read about a digital programmable ignition module that eliminates the igniter boxes, anyone have thoughts or advice on hunting down an igniter box or a digital module?

Here is a picture of everything before we unloaded the trailer!
(http://i1225.photobucket.com/albums/ee390/setha1/101_0384.jpg)
(http://i1225.photobucket.com/albums/ee390/setha1/101_0382.jpg)

good luck with the build!  [beer]

I can only wish that I had the space/time/ability for something like this

Me Too!!! [bang] [clap]

Would love to see the progress... Isn`t this not something more for the Mods part of this forum??? Nevertheless good luck, I am sure something nice will come forth.  [thumbsup]

regarding the 2002 frame - though someone with more detailed knowledge than me, will hopefully add, you might want to look there as a platform.

Biggest differences will be the rear suspension - the older ones used a more complicated shock->rocker->hoop-> swing arm set up. Newer, just mounted the shock to the frame and swingarm more directly. Other changes were the steering head tube diameter. I'm not sure when they changed that over, but 2000 does have a smaller one. I'm not really sure what it would take to change from one size to another, or if it's practically possible - this is where someone like Speeddog or Duc-Stew needs to chime in.

Oh and the engine mount size changed. Later on it used a bigger threaded rod. Easier to mount a newer engine in an older frame than vice versa

But, don't get rid of the 2002 stuff too soon.

You should be able to figure out the engine size via the VIN number
http://www.mad-ducati.com/Technical/VINInfo.html (http://www.mad-ducati.com/Technical/VINInfo.html)
Once you translate the various parts of the VIN it should have the engine code that you'd just need to track down.

If you're planning to stick wit Carbs  - you can obtain new igniters from one of our sponsors - probably ca-cycleworks

I think I saw this deal on craigslist actually, even emailed the guy but the parts I needed didnt survive. Good luck with the build, and dont forget pictures.

The space is a blessing and a curse, I find myself dragging things home some times just because I have the space!


I kind of guessed on what section to start the thread on. I will try to keep my questions very technical  ;D

Sad panda I had the 2000 frame on the bench with the 2002 frame and I can say that the air boxes and the swing arms that I have will not fit fit in the 02' frame with out some chopping. also the front tank latch is different. I am leaning towards finding a year appropriate frame to use the parts I have on hand and keep the custom fab to a minimum.

I did pick up my ignition switch from the locksmith today, $79 with two keys, I thought that was a fair deal. I hope to plug it in by Sun afternoon and see how happens, I hope to atleast turn the motor over.

Thank you and I will post more pictures as the project moves along.

Frankenmonster is coming

Just looking at the trailer with the parts, you can't help but have a sinister laugh...

Having torn a '00 750 down to the frame and rebuilt it and planning on doing something similar to a '94 M900, feel free to shoot me a message if you've got questions.  Sounds like you've got a great project going and best of luck to you!

 [popcorn]

me too... :)

FRANENMONSTER [thumbsup] i LOVE IT!

Sadpanda I checked out the the link you put up about the vin decoding then found this one http://www.ducati.ms/forums/80-hall-wisdom/27112-ducati-vins-decoded.html (http://www.ducati.ms/forums/80-hall-wisdom/27112-ducati-vins-decoded.html)
It has a bit more info. So here is the complication...bum bum bum....dramatic pause.... the the vin on the 01' says it was built with an air cooled twin but the motor that is in it is an air/oil cooled twin. I did a bit of googling and have not found a way to use the numbers stamped on the motors to identify them.

Here is a picture of whats in the 2001...
(http://i1225.photobucket.com/albums/ee390/setha1/102_0525.jpg)

(http://i1225.photobucket.com/albums/ee390/setha1/101_0393.jpg)

Here are a few pictures of the motor out of the 2000.....
(http://i1225.photobucket.com/albums/ee390/setha1/102_0521.jpg)

(http://i1225.photobucket.com/albums/ee390/setha1/102_0520.jpg)

Is there any one out there that can tell me alittle something by these pictures?

P.S. AdmiralKit thanks for the offer, I might be taking you up on it when it's time to construct. Good luck on the M900.

The '01 is a dry clutch 900.

The '00 looks like a wet clutch...which would make it a 750.

I don't think the 900 motors still had the oil jackets in the cylinders in '01.

That engine that's in the '2001' is a 900, as ducpainter said.

It's definitely older, as it's carbureted and has the oil jackets on the cylinders.
It's the single phase charging system, I'd guess '98 or '99.

Make sure the motor mount bosses on the engine aren't cracked or broken, that bike took a big hit on the front.

2001 shouldn't have the hoop rear suspension either right?

So looks like some older favor of 900 in those first two shots - not a 2001.

You all have very sharp eyes :o I have been staring at these bikes for a week and reading forums and did not catch that it had a dry clutch! I found this page http://www.motorcycleinfo.co.uk/index.cfm?fa=contentGeneric.zvfiihryhlqbrzht&pageId=2255673 (http://www.motorcycleinfo.co.uk/index.cfm?fa=contentGeneric.zvfiihryhlqbrzht&pageId=2255673)
and if the section about "data stamped on engine" is correct then the engine is from a 96'.

When you say motor mount bossed do you mean the front bolts holding the motor to the frame?

I double checked the sticker on the frame and the vin on the frame against the title and it's a 2001. I guess the previous owner dropped the guts of a 900 into this frame? Since I have the two motors, what are the big differences or advantages between air cooled and air/oil cooled?

The only '01 Monster without the hoop is the S4.


The motor mount bolts go through the engine, front and rear.  If the bolts are loose or the bike is in a crash the parts of the engine casting the bolts go through can crack.  Repair is possible, depending on severity.

Also, the mounting bolts on '01 and newer are 12mm, '00 and older 10mm.

the "00" motor is a 2001 year model.  All 1998 - 2000 small motors had green side covers, 2001 silver.  some minor differences, nothing really notable except for the clutch pushrod length.

ducati motors are labelled "air cooled" or "water cooled"  the euro engine numbers have ZDM (capacity) then A or W depending on cooling, 2 or 4 depending on valves per cylinder (later motors have dropped this), sometimes another letter for variant then the actual sequential number.  usa engine numbers are a bit different, although the last 6 numbers are the same sequence. 

i had a 2000 900SS apart recently and it had oil cooled cylinders.  not sure when they went back to that, as it was dropped from the 1998 900 motor when they went to the 3 phase alt.  you can see on the LH side of the 900 motor you have the two hoses from cylinders to alt cover - they're the oil return hoses.  1998 onward didn't have them, supposedly didn't need them.

the 2001 bike must have been a 600 or 750 and now has a 900 motor, as 900 was ie from 2000 onward.  looks like the inlet manifolds are still the 600 or 750 ones - 900 ones have a real step down in them as the cylinders are longer - but it could just be the way it looks in the photo.

As far as I can see the engine castings where the bolts go through are not showing signs of stress or cracking but I will give them a full inspection before we transplant the motor. The only thing on the engine that is damaged that I can see is the oil cooler mounting bracket and the vertical cylinder timing belt shroud. Thanks for the heads up about the mounting bolt diameters.

Thanks the the info about the side cover colors, that confirms what the engine stamp decoder said about the year. Also what you are saying is confirming what I decoder about the 900 motor. It said it was a 96' and your description points to that year range as well. You are well versed on your ducati motors!!!

Your mystery wet-clutched motor is a 600.  The 750's had oil coolers which this does not and the 900's had dry-clutches which this does not.

As far as your 900 motor goes, it's a 1992-1997 motor as it has the single-phase charging system. 

In 1998 Ducati put the 3-phase charging systems onto the 2V bikes and followed up a year later (1999) with the 3-phase charging systems on the 4V bikes.  (Unless you're talking ST2 in 1998 which was a 2V bike with a single-phase charging system but it had a radiator...)

The bigger displacement engines needed more cooling capacity - hence the oil coolers. So if you want to follow the 'bigger is better' model, take the air+oil cooled one.

cant wait to see what the finished monster will look like. "AHAM" clip on handle bars!

An update! A 2001 frame has been purchased. Will be here in a week or two. It has a salvage cert. So I will be getting my ducks in a row with receipts for when it comes time to title but it will be a huge cost savings over buying one with a clean title.

Question for the 1 and 3 phase savvy. I have an older 900 that should be single phase but its in a newer frame replacing a motor that was three phase(correct me please if that's wrong). Is it possible that the 900 was converted to three phase or is it more likely the single phase harness (rectifier and other necessary electrical doodads) was swapped with the motor? I would be more then happy to post picts of what would be necessary for the experts (Hopefully that's you the reader ;D) to decipher what kind electrical system I have, just let me know where to point the camera! 

I really appreciate all the feed back and helpful advise I am receiving!!!!  [bow_down]

Not easy to convert the motor as the cranks are different.

It looks like you have the correct harness as the pics show the ignitor boxes behind the air cleaner and in front of the battery. The only 900 that was 3 phase and used ignitors was the first year fi motor If I'm remembering right, and that was either 99 or Y2K.

1998 900SS FE was three phase and carbed.

Just count the yellow wires coming out of the side cover.  Three wires = three phase.

good luck!!  [popcorn]

to hook a single phase alt into a 3 phase bike you just don't have anything going to one of the regulator yellow inputs.  no other change required.  don't use flat spade terminals like the 3 phase connector though on a single phase system or they will burn out.  the bullet style terminals work well.

usa 990ss fe was 3 phase and carbed, 99 900m was 3 phase and carbed, not sure about 98.  probably was i guess, i'm sure the little motors in 98 were with the redesign.

all ie bikes run the ignition via the ecu.

I guess I thought wrong.

to my knowledge, only the 900SSFE got the 3 phase setup for that year.