Good day to all of you.
My father and I just received a Monster we bought from Craigslist a couple months ago (from Miami to Punta Arenas, Chile). The price was great, but as is the risk with these transactions, the bike has a LOT of..."details"..
I have a 916, but many things are different on this bike. Well, mainly parts. And I'm not perfectly schooled on what are the common issues, aftermarket, or optional fixes on monsters of this era.
I am not sure yet, as I don't have the title with me, but I think it's a year 2002, given that it's the "Senna" model with fuel injection (I know it's not a real Senna, but you understand).
After being stored in a warehouse and travelling by sea for several weeks, we found the nice surprise that the bike starts right off. Personally, I would have waited a little to check stuff on it, but the people that handled it felt like "seeing if it worked". Everyone has been properly slapped, but I disgress..
The good:
The bike runs fine, idles great, and the battery seems quite healthy.
Tyres look nice.
The bike is gorgeous.
The bad:
-The clutch action is really short, which is a hassle. I will try to fiddle with it some more, change the fluid, etc., but I think it's lever related.
-The seat lock is not reliable, but the problem seems to be that the spring is wasted. Seems like an easy fix.
-Lots of corrotion and rust from sea mist.
-The bike was definitely crashed or dropped on the left side: the peg+passenger peg assembly is welded and looks less corroded than the right, which is suspicious in itself. The rider peg is not OEM.
-The gear linkage broke, because rust made it so stiff that it didn't move at all. Took just a few gear changes and one of the threaded ends broke.
The really bad:
The side stand is useless. When they opened the crate the bike was laying on its side, because the stand seems to be bent like hell (my opinion, my father especulates otherwise), so might be the base (although looking at some pictures, it mght actually be like that stock), but worst of all, trouble starts directly at where the pieces bolt to the engine: the threaded part on the engine case broke off
So, unfortunately I don't have any pictures right now. But my first question, of many to come, is: is there a common way to use somewhere else to put the side stand?
For example, we were thinking of doing a mod similar to my father's 990 KTM Adventure, where the stand is moved with a new base to an alternative set of bolts. It looks doable, using the next two bolts on the peg assembly but I'm wondering if any of you have done such a thing.
Some additional questions, I hope you don't mind:
-Is the sidestand compatible with other models and years or do I need something very specific? I'm thinking I'll definitely need to order one.
-I forgot to mention, part of "the bad", that three of four blinkers are broken at their base. What would you recommend for front blinkers? And for a fender eliminator+blinkers kit for this bike?
Thanks a lot!!
Nico
Welcome [thumbsup]
The search function will show multiple threads on broken side stands. If it's leaking oil from the engine cases - serious. If not - fixable, but I don't know how easy or reliable. Relocated side stand will be new to this forum..
Clutch - short action is normal, but I guess worn parts can make it worse.
Spending some time in the sponsors shops will result in a thin wallet and more parts than you need or want [thumbsup]
You can put a centrestand onto your 'bike, probably cheaper and much less hassle than repairing the damaged crankcase.
Fill up the cracked case with JB weld.
http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=13539.0 (http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=13539.0)
> > -The bike was definitely crashed or dropped on the left side: the peg+passenger peg assembly is welded and looks less corroded than the right, which is suspicious in itself. The rider peg is not OEM.
Have a look at the handlebar stops on the steering stem, they can get cracked in a crash. Any dents in the tank ?
Likely the kickstand lugs on the case were damaged in the crash or through neglect.
They can be welded up and re-threaded, or if they're not damaged too bad, just a threaded insert can be used.
There are 'early' and 'late' model kickstands that use different lugs.
If you can post a picture of how yours look now, that'll help.
Thanks so much for your replies :)
WTSDS, you are spot on! Don't know how I could forget that "detail": both sides of the tank are dented, much in the same way, giving it a "stock" kind of look :D (I try to stay positive). The steering stops are useless right now, but we haven't had the time to investigate the issue much; it could be just about adjustment, as the bolts are visible.
Stopintime, as much as I searched, I haven't found anything on relocated side stands. If it's a first I'll definitely post the process. Perhaps we can help someone else too. Taking off the side stand bolt with the piece of thread directly from the engine case was one of the scariest moments of my "new bike check up" experience.. Fortunately, it does not seem to leak at all.
Sad about the clutch. I guess we'll need an adjustable lever, because it's quite uncomfortable right now, since the clutch's action happens when the fingers are most stretched. Honestly, even the "hard" clutch on the 916 feels much more natural right now.
Speeddog, I'm anxious for the weekend to arrive so we can take some pictures of the detail, and keep checking these things out properly. Work makes it impossible until then :(
WTSDS, you give me hope with this center stand /centre stand idea!! I really like it! Will see what my father thinks of it, but it sure sounds like a good alternative, specially for maintenance. One thing I liked and miss about my old little YBR 125 is its center stand :) For a bike like ours, do any of the center stand models fit? For example, this one from a 2006 ST3? http://www.ebay.com/itm/2006-Ducati-ST3-Centerstand-Center-Kick-Stand-555-1-005-1A-/230918776134?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item35c3d4e546&vxp=mtr (http://www.ebay.com/itm/2006-Ducati-ST3-Centerstand-Center-Kick-Stand-555-1-005-1A-/230918776134?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item35c3d4e546&vxp=mtr)
Thanks once again!
>> For a bike like ours, do any of the center stand models fit?
Mine was from a ST2, not sure which year. Had to heat up the part your foot pushes down on to bend it out to clear my non-standard Staintune mufflers.
It's hard to say the clutch action is normal unless you change the fluid and bleed it properly. It's one of the "new vehicle" items, change all the fluids, the belts, and as time permits all of the other rubber on the vehicle, so-on. Perhaps you'll find, since the short friction zone is at the end of the stroke, air in the line or something is compressing causing the friction zone to be grossly delayed in the lever stroke.
Sit on the seat - that'll keep it in place ;)
for general corrosion on the bike, several vendors make products that inhibit further corrosion, and even help clean up existing corrosion. Purple is my favorite color [laugh], so ACF-50 is always my go-to for corrosion inhibitors, but there's many other good products, like Corrosion-X, or even WD-40 + a little oil and some elbow grease.
Clean up corroded aesthetic areas with some scotchbrite, maybe sand with high grit (400-1200-2000) and polish with some jeweler's rouge. Or rough sand them and paint them. (or send it off to be plated with something fancy and unMonster-like, chrome, brass, gold...)
On the gear change-er, I think it is really odd that the shifter got stiff on you due to corrosion. Makes me wonder if there's something else going on in the transmission, but I think it's more likely just the steel threaded linkage rod rusted up and failed. Did the shift action feel stiff to you before the rod failed? If not, likely just an external part damage, I know I hammer on that linkage pretty hard...
On the sidestand, listen to SpeedDog, hopefully there's no cracks so you can just use a $0.10 Helicoil and be done with it... If not, I know of a guy who always parks his Duc up next to a solid building, good as any place to lean the bike against :)
[beer]
Check the shift mechanism in general. If the bike was crashed hard enough on that side to break a rearset the shift shaft might be damaged.
I've never seen one of those Heim joints break on its own.
Quote from: FrankenDuc on January 30, 2013, 03:58:46 AM
It's hard to say the clutch action is normal unless you change the fluid and bleed it properly. It's one of the "new vehicle" items, change all the fluids, the belts, and as time permits all of the other rubber on the vehicle, so-on. Perhaps you'll find, since the short friction zone is at the end of the stroke, air in the line or something is compressing causing the friction zone to be grossly delayed in the lever stroke.
On the gear change-er, I think it is really odd that the shifter got stiff on you due to corrosion. Makes me wonder if there's something else going on in the transmission, but I think it's more likely just the steel threaded linkage rod rusted up and failed. Did the shift action feel stiff to you before the rod failed? If not, likely just an external part damage, I know I hammer on that linkage pretty hard...
Thanks on the cleaning tips. Will get to it :D
And thanks for the hope on the clutch issue. Bleeding (and oil, etc.) is on the list for the weekend. Will see if clutch action improves from there. I hope so!
In respect to shifting, no, the gear change action was great. It's hard for me to explain in english, but the part that's rusted up is one of the threaded pieces that insert into the rod of the linkage. You know, those parts that look like a split avocado where the seed is perforated and can spin. :D That part is rusty and doesn't spin at all, making for a stiff linkage, quickly braking the threaded section of said part.
ducpainter, if I had to make a guess, I'd say the bike was parked on its sidestand and was crashed on that side by a car. Because the sidestand bolt that came off with the piece of engine case was bent, the peg is not OEM but the general assembly piece looks original but welded back in that same specific area, etc. There are no signs of crashing on the exhaust, fork, or blinker on that side. Nor on the clutch lever and handlebar side, for that matter, although those are easily changeable items. Fortunately, the shifting mechanism seems alright.
Quote from: uncalcetindelana on January 30, 2013, 04:28:48 AM
ducpainter, if I had to make a guess, I'd say the bike was parked on its sidestand and was crashed on that side by a car. Because the sidestand bolt that came off with the piece of engine case was bent, the peg is not OEM but the general assembly piece looks original but welded back in that same specific area, etc. There are no signs of crashing on the exhaust, fork, or blinker on that side. Nor on the clutch lever and handlebar side, for that matter, although those are easily changeable items. Fortunately, the shifting mechanism seems alright.
could also be caused by someone who was used to Japanese sportbikes and the idea of turning the bike around by leaning the bike with all of it's weight onto the kickstand and spinning it around....I had done that to my old 01 M900ie until I realized exactly the result of that action...luckily it was early enough that a timesert fixed the issue and I never did it again.
Quote from: uncalcetindelana on January 30, 2013, 04:28:48 AM
In respect to shifting, no, the gear change action was great. It's hard for me to explain in english, but the part that's rusted up is one of the threaded pieces that insert into the rod of the linkage. You know, those parts that look like a split avocado where the seed is perforated and can spin. :D That part is rusty and doesn't spin at all, making for a stiff linkage, quickly braking the threaded section of said part.
Yeah, sounds like it was parked by the sea for a bit, this sort of thing happens on the East Coast of US. I've seen it before, not on bikes but on airplanes and definitely on cars.
Be sure to check any other exposed areas, ball ends on the shock and shock linkage in particular, but also any stress point, triple clamps and frame neck, swingarm pivot joint at the swingarm and engine, rear brake master, wouldn't be a bad idea to replace the wheel bearings at some point also, you get the point. A little corrosion treatment will take care of things before they become critical problems, I'd go ahead and chemically treat all exposed moving joints.
Then ride, frequently, to keep it all in good shape!
[beer]
i have a M- 750 F.I. , The bike always has ran great . It had a very hard life before comming to me . Its now a street fighter .