Ducati Monster Forum

Well, the price got too good for me not to do it:  I bought a salvage titled 2007 S4Rs last night.  Well, agreed to the deal anyways...

I’ll be the third owner. Bike has been local since new and I’m friends with the original and current owners.  Bike has been sitting for ~2.5 years now and needs a myriad of services.  I did borrow it for a 2K+ trip up into Colorado about 5 years ago. Engine runs really well.  Rear shock is blown. Tank needs replacing or a lot of work (poor paint). Gauges are scuffed.

I’ll get some pics up in the next couple weeks.  Super busy with a new job and some very early spring cleaning right now.

Wanted to introduce the new steed and ask:

Who’s doing gauge cluster work these days?  Would this cluster be one of the ones which can be split apart so the shell can be replaced, or ?

Stu,
no idea about the cluster work, but glad to see you are still posting projects.
Sub'd

RB

https://www.ebay.com/itm/06-08-DUCATI-MONSTER-S4RS-1000-TESTASTRETTA-FUEL-GAS-TANK-RESERVOIR/164023340381?fits=Make%3ADucati&hash=item26308d8d5d:g:BTsAAOSwebheFf30

Can't paint one for that price. [thumbsup]

Somehow I'm thinking this bike will change...a lot!

Thanks for that!  I haven’t seen the bike in about a year and current owner says he has a pearl white tank which comes with it (sorry I didn’t mention before), so I’m going to wait and see.

Changes?  The only thing I’m looking semi-seriously at doing is replacing the salvage frame with a clear title one.  This won’t be a cut-up job like my older days.  I just don’t have the budget for that anymore.

Besides, the Bobber is in bad shape and that will require cutting and welding...

On second look, that tank isn't as nice as it was at first glance.

How bad is the frame? Steering stops?

If you are staying stock I think your best bet is killing the immobilizer and getting a used cluster.  Internals do vary on them.  The unit does open though.

Bike was deemed salvage title back in ‘08 or ‘09.  The one stop is *slightly* bent.  Original owner had the tank & cowl repainted, but the painter didn’t prep the plastic right and eventually, the paint lifted away from the plastic.

Thanks for the news about the cluster being swappable Howie.  That yields hope...

IIRC, matching the screw hole positions will keep you out of trouble on case-swapping the cluster.

Pretty sure the S4Rs was the only one with that frame in that gold paint.

Good paint was only the S4Rs Tri-Colore in ‘08.  This was a pearl white bike with a red frame.

Thanks for the tip on cluster screw holes

Ah, I projected that Tri-Colore thing.

Be great to watch this happen [thumbsup]

Desmodromic Stu again, I'm in  [popcorn]

You can split the cluster and replace the shell if you find a good one. There were two different designs when they changed manufactures (I think).  I know my S4RS gauges came apart different than my S2R800 gauges. Maybe someone else has more info on that.
If everything is functioning I am sure you can do that yourself.
If not then SOS Diagnostics might be able to help you out. They brought my S4RS gauges back to life after my R&R fried the board.

If it has the stock Regulator Rectifier change it to MOSFET unit as soon as possible to avoid any future problems. The stock unit will fail and could possible take stuff with it like mine did.

Can't wait to see you get your hands on it. I know you are the master of clean bikes and hiding wires. I always wish I could have you do your magic on my S4RS.

It’s been a decade and I still manage complements like this?!? ^^^

Damn.  I’m truly humbled!  Wow.

Ok, well.  The bike has been picked up by a friend and it’s closer to my home.  I have yet to see it in person, but the photos look ok.

It’ll be a clean example, I wouldn’t suffer less.  I don’t think I can improve much as the mothership had absorbed most of my ideas about cleanliness by ‘07, but hey...  I’ll give it a go.

Rear view cameras have become smaller, blue tooth and less expensive  ;)

I see what you would like me to do.  ;D ;D ;D    [thumbsup]

Officially exchanged $ for paper tonight.  Got a large stack of receipts with it!  Bike has ~22K miles on it.  Supposedly, there’s a box of extras...

That's probably a box for extras. You'll need it.

Got parts coming to finish the services on a carbed 900 and a 620 Capirex.  Once those leave, the S4Rs comes home to roost.

(In an unrelated note: I think I figured out what’s wrong with the rear suspension/swingarm on the Bobber.  It’s NOT good.  [thumbsdown] )

Well, I finally laid eyes on the bike today.

Rear sets are mediocre and old/tired.

Integrated tail lamp has questionable wiring.

Clip-ons installed.

Missing battery.

Spider webs.

About what I expected honestly...

I’ll have room for it at Casa de Duck Stew in a couple weeks, so expect more updates then.

What gearing does anyone suggest on an S4Rs?  I think this is a 15/44 set-up.

Just the usual advice, which is a question.... what kind of riding? When I was racing mine I geared it for optimal performance in+out of two important turns. For all other purposes I just change gear when I feel it's time  [cheeky]

Street riding.  I mostly bought this bike to ride around on the weekends.

I believe 15/44 isn't stock (spec sites says 15/42), but lighter gearing is usually what people want....

Since two more teeth on the rear is a common mod, if the chain and sprockets are serviceable that's money saved. [thumbsup]

Öhlins shock is blown for sure.

Counter shaft seal is totally shot.

15/44 seems high to me, but I’ll give it a ride and see.

Maybe the Testa motor has different gearing due to a newer primary ratio?

That's what I thought, but I checked and same 32/59.

 [thumbsup]

Got the box of extras to the house & it includes all the OE take-off parts down to the tail chop piece.  Photos will be posted once the bike gets here and I figure out a hosting website.

The upper Termi muffler has a large repair spot on it (2”x1.5”).  Should be able to score some CF tubing and sort that out.

Looking forward to the pics.

The customers 620 & 900 left on Thursday.  So, now I have room to bring the S4Rs home and start wrenching.  Yay!

What chemical are all the cool kids using to coat the tank these days?  Caswell something-or-other, right?

(Side note: I think that’ll be the VERY LAST set of carbs I ever go through for a customer.  Gawd they suck.  All carbs that is...)

https://www.caswellplating.com/epoxy-gas-tank-sealer.html

Much easier to use if you thin it.

  [popcorn]

Which variety is recommended?

Also, S4Rs is coming home tonight after work!

I'd go with this one... https://www.caswellplating.com/epoxy-gas-tank-sealer/caswell-epoxy-gas-tank-sealer-mini-kit-up-to-5-gal.html

You'll be thinning it. I think they say up to 10%..might be 5%. It makes coverage easy, as the stuff flows much better. Forget about using it straight. The product was deigned to seal perforated steel tanks. You just want to eliminate contact between the fuel and the plastic.

Thanks DucPainter.  ;D

http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=64897.0

Super helpful.  I haven’t done one in a few years.  Thx!!

FTR...I've used solvents other than Xylene with no ill effects.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49675050146_38472f7b93_o_d.jpg)

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Needs a shock rebuild, tires, battery & a front sprocket oil seal, but otherwise, it’s not bad!!

Tomorrow is my first day I get to **really** look it over as I’m off work tomorrow.  More photos now that I figured out the Flickr thing...

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49680285873_5928853e31_o_d.jpg)

First un-mod finished.

To-do list so far:
Battery
Fuel pump bolts
New fuel filter
New timing belts
Weld on frame tail

Cleaned up the sprocket seal mess.  Re-installed the OE bars.  Fixed a few snips of the OE harness.  Belts are here.  The Öhlins shock goes out for rebuild tomorrow.  Ordered a new sprocket seal (hasn’t shown up yet).  Fuel filter is here.

Throttle cable has a sticky point just off idle that needs looking into...  More pics later this week.

I already like it  [thumbsup]

The Öhlins shock has been leaking for 10K miles.  The RH clip on tube was Swiss-Cheese and bent.  The tires are 10 years old.  The timing belts are 10 years old.  It had no battery.  It has no black key(s), just the red one.  It is 2,300 miles beyond a valve service. 

So yeah...  She’s a cream puff.  [roll]

Mmmmmm, the joy of moto