Ducati Monster Forum

A pretty cool thing happened this weekend…but first a little background info…

Back in June of 1993, I finally graduated from college after dawdling my way through (much of said dawdle due to paying my own way, I might add). For some time prior to graduating, one of many points of motivation was the desire to buy a new Harley once I got out. However, those were the days when new Harleys were a pretty sound investment, and getting a new one usually meant going on a waiting list for a year or more and paying a big premium over list price. Hmm, what’s a fresh engineer with a mechanical background to do? Build one, of course. And in late 1993 I began slowly collecting the parts as money permitted, hand picking exactly what I wanted for components, doing the majority of the initial assembly in the kitchen of the place I rented at the time. Sorry about the permanent tire tread impressions in the linoleum there, Mr. Landlord. It took a while, but the dream was fully realized in the spring of 1997, and it took a trophy in its first show after a late night thrash to finish up last minute details to get it there.

Then, before I knew it, about ten years flew by and other projects and priorities prompted its sale. Down the road it went, and it hurt just a little inside to see it go since it was the first motorcycle I built, not to mention being a motivating force in my life to some degree. Then time went on and another ten plus years went by. Funny how that works, right? Other bikes came and went, and a couple stayed. Then one day I got a message from the guy I sold that first custom to, after getting my contact info from a mutual acquaintance and asking if I might want it back. Would I?!? A deal was struck, and the rest is history.

Number One is back home to roost. I’m not certain if I should blow it apart and redo it entirely, or if I should just leave it alone for the most part and just clean it up and tidy up the tatters (the most likely scenario). I’m not sure at the moment, but there’s no rush. Regardless, it’s great that it’s back where it belongs.

I have a steel rear fender in the archives somewhere, and am pondering replacing the wheels to get more rubber out back. Speaking of which, bonus points for anyone who can identify the bike the wheels originally came off of. As I recall, the front rotors indicated they were Suzuki. The wheels themselves are Dymags, and are super light minus sprockets and brakes.

(https://i.imgur.com/9qWuzTq.jpg)

I've got a buddy with a '69 Z-28 that I'm pretty sure he's sold and bought back twice.  :P

I don't think Dymags came as OEM on any bikes, only aftermarket.
Perhaps Bimota.
Might be worth a dye-pen test on the wheels.....old magnesium parts can be sketchy.

Looks like driveline and tires will get you back rolling.
Rear rotor didn't like the non-overlapping hole pattern.

Congrats on getting your old bike back.  I was wondering if those wheels are genuine Dymag.  I am usually not fond of spokes but I think that bike wants them.  I would also stick with period mods on a bike that nice, in other words, no fat tire.

Awesome!  [thumbsup] Blow it apart, it wants you to.  ;)  Oh and it needs at least a 180 on the rear.

Great story and congratulations.
Will it be the same bike if you deviate from it's current style too much? Dunno.

What carb is it running?

I’m facing the same conundrum...  I bought the Coup D’etat back in April...  To blow it apart and right all my wrongs, or to just fix the needed bits,,.

Congrats!

'Grats Dave.

I say leave it. It won't be happy being something it isn't.

I think the wheels are going to go. I wanted to run a 180 on the rear originally since that was the max the chassis would accept, but a 150 was as wide as I could go on the mag wheel. I'm thinking classic chrome spokes front and rear at the moment since that's what I wanted back then but couldn't afford. The rear rotor is toast, I guess the brake liked to stick, probably due to the second owner's shitty forward controls. They're going away and it will be back to mid shift as I had it. The engine has an Edelbrock carb on it now, it used to have a RevTech that was borderline too big. It has a different set of heads on it now also after the PO had a piston mishap due to detonation; it had domed pistons with healthy aftermarket heads originally, and was barely streetable on pump gas as it didn't like to be lugged around like a typical Harley. It was pretty stout in its day.

After some initial cleanup, the paint is in remarkable shape given its age, just needs some touch ups. It needs a new rear fender entirely too as the plastic original as shown is badly stress cracked but I have a new steel one in the archives. I think I know a guy that paints stuff....

And now for the tremendously shitty part. Deep breath. I lost my stepson, Kevin, to a heart attack on Monday morning not long after my initial post. He was only 32. What a terrible thing. He was about 10 when I gave him his first motorcycle ride on this very bike. He and I talked about the bike on the phone last Saturday, and he was beyond stoked that I got it back. He was supposed to inherit it someday, and it's soul crushing to say the least. With all this coming to pass, it makes sense to just correct the wrongs and leave it more or less intact with just a few minor changes, and ride the shit out of it.

Hug your peeps, folks.

That's heartbreaking, I can't even imagine how I'd feel.
So sorry for your loss.
Indeed, hug your peeps.

So sorry, Dave.

My sincere condolences.

Sorry to hear that brother. RIP

Damn, so sorry to hear.  My heart goes out to you

Our sincere condolences. So glad you got the bike back with that history.

Damn.  So sorry to hear.  RIP

oh no! very tough to read that, dam shame. at a young age, condolences to family.

Thanks, guys. It means a lot.  :)

Based on what I've been able to gather, the wheels in question are likely Dymag CH3. The cross section of the spokes is certainly right. My memory is IZ_ on many things from the mid-1990s, but I seem to recall some sort of maker markings hidden behind rotors or the sprocket. I guess I can look when I get around to tearing it apart. Word to the wise, don't think you can keep magnesium polished unless you want to do it daily - when I originally built this thing, the wheel centers got painted and I polished the lips. As you can see, they have attained maximum oxidation.....

The universe has since dictated which direction a portion of this will go. A buddy stopped by over the weekend to chat about the kid and have a few, and brought a near-mint rear wheel off an early V-Rod with, one of the solid ones. I've always liked them (and had a somewhat similar rear wheel off a HD Deuce around that almost went on this thing before I sold it), so I guess that 180 will be going on out back for sure now. I just have to decide what will go up front, still pondering classic spokes. The original look for this thing since the beginning was sort of a drag theme, so it all fits.

 [thumbsup] 180 will fit that rim correct?

Yep, a 180 was OEM fitment on that wheel.  [thumbsup]

I'm still getting caught up on DMF stuff. ..

Im happy you were able to bring this bike back home, and terribly sorry you lost your stepson.  This has not been the best year.

This has definitely been a shit year.  :P

Well, the viral scourge has made me even more antisocial (if that's possible), so what better thing to do than work on bikes....

Here's the old girl as of today. The new steel rear fender is in place. The V-Rod rear wheel has been adapted (talk about a squeeze), complete with 180 tire and chain drive, and new custom brake mount. I ended up scoring a nice used RK Excel rim dirt cheap on eBay for the front, bought a hub (eBay again), and learned how to lace a wheel, kind of fun once you get your head around it. Otherwise it's been lots of inspecting and cleaning and replacing of critical hoses, which were all still as I had built it originally.

I should get my seat back this weekend, a buddy redid it using the original leather portion of it along with new vinyl to replace the tattered parts. Once that's on, it'll be time for me to ride it for the first time since 2006 to see what it needs next; I'm hoping nothing in the drivetrain. I already know it needs throttle and clutch cables, but they can wait until winter when it gets torn back down to paint the rear fender. This thing has patina in spades, so I'm trying to keep as much of it as possible. It's my rat, see.

Oh, and it's old enough for a classic plate so I put one on it. Kind of weird to put a classic plate on something you built.  :-\

(https://i.imgur.com/cPB36uj.jpg)

It's looking good and the wheel combo really works well. Youre patient lacing wheels. I like the mid controls with the overall style.

What carb are you running?

It took a couple tries to get the lacing right. It shouldn't be as hard as it is initially, it was comedy the first attempt. I had the local shop that mounted the tire true it up since I don't have the gear for it and didn't want to go totally insane.

It has an Edelbrock carb on it now, but I plan to put a hot-rodded OEM CV on it this winter. They just plain work once you get past the factory calibration and tweak them a bit. I have one on my panhead and it's fantastic.

Badass!! 🇺🇸

I remember the Edelbrock carbs. Spares NLA? Have you considered a Mikuni HSR42 or 40 flatslide? Mikuni make a "Total Kit" with a performance manifold and hi flow air cleaner. I put a Mikuni HS40 on my FXR back in the day when everyone ran S&S carbs.
Zippers and other shops work over the CV carbs, boring, porting, contouring slides and extending float bowls, etc. Are you getting one from one of those shops? Dynojet make a special slide kit for the Keihin CV too.

Spares and support for the Edelbrock are basically zilch. I hope it gets me through what riding I plan to do with it for the year and it'll be shelf-bound. It might work OK, but I'm not fond of using stuff I can't get parts for.

This bike had a RevTech carb on it originally (I got it back with the bike), but it was overkill on only 90". I've read that the Mikunis are good, but have had no FHE. I've had a couple of S&S carbs over time, and I'm not really a fan like some are as they tend to be great at idle or WOT but tend to be a compromise otherwise. Maybe I'm fussier about how my stuff runs, I don't tolerate sputter or surging....

The CV I have on my panhead came from Killer M/C Products, who I believe sells on eBay only (a buddy turned me on to them). It came fully reworked with a polished throat and a few other trick things, and works perfectly. I've got exhaust on that bike that's less than ideal and I could never get an S&S to work well no matter what I did, but the CV is flawless at all speeds and loads and all I've had to touch is idle speed. That bike is 93" and kick only, and I hated starting the thing until putting on the CV. I've been thinking about plopping down the cash for another for this bike too. Nothing wrong with bikes that use common parts. CV Performance sells some good stuff for these things too.

I'm going to look those shops up on ebay, there are some clever guys tuning the CVs. At least the CV carb for H-Ds has an accelerator pump and is a well evolved carb.

The Mikuni HSR42 for H-D is akin to FCRs for a Ducati. Like an FCR the increase in peak hp is only a couple but the response is night and day.

I agree about the S&S as tuning shops add a tunable air jet and a power jet to them to make them work. Having to add extra circuits backs up your experience with them imo. S&S are popular because the air cleaner is too beautiful. ;D

Really liking your bike. Got a pic of the pan?

Weber side draft?

Well, how about a pair of em on a cross-ram style manifold?

Surely someone's tried an SU?

Im sure you'll see plenty of those carb set ups at Sturgis [laugh]

I like how clean Bag's bike is. I wanna see his pan. [thumbsup]

Still laughing about the side drafts.....SUs are a pretty decent carb on these things, but you don't see too many people running them anymore.

Here's an artsy pic of the pan from a couple of years back. And one in better light.

(https://i.imgur.com/XRA2ywr.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/nNEbKFF.jpg)

I got my seat back for the Evo over the weekend, and did a little test fitting while swilling beer.

(https://i.imgur.com/ATASXo8.jpg)

This was the original seat that I built the bike with, reworked by a buddy who recently started messing around doing seat stuff on the side. It was definitely showing its age with some holes and tatters in the vinyl, which also wasn't very pliable anymore. I wanted to keep the leather seating portion intact along with all of its quarter century of wear and patina but have the vinyl replaced, and he nailed it. Just what I was after, it's ready for another 25 years. I just have to come up with some new bumpers underneath and this thing is ready for me to take it for a spin for the first time since 2006.

"RING RING"
"Larry!"
"Sam! WTF! I left my Gasser parked on the street overnight and now it's on a cinder block and I'm missing a front wheel!"
"Dude! Who would do that!?!?"

 [laugh] [laugh] [laugh]

That damn wheel was the spark for the entire build.....

Random sparks start entertaining fires.  [thumbsup]

They sure do.  [thumbsup]

Great artsy fartsy pic of the Pan in the leaves. The new seat looks great.  8)

Thanks for the pic. Nice [thumbsup]

Neither of them do it justice.

It's waaaay louder. ;D

I can hear it, he's running it right now. That is loud.

It is a little raucous.  ;D

I picked up flanges few years ago to fab a set of baffled shotgun pipes for it that would run parallel and inline with the center of the rear wheel and end at that point as well, but have never gotten around to it. My back doesn't like to ride it much, so it's not a priority.

I just realized you guys were talking about the pipes...

I was referring to the color. [laugh] [laugh] [laugh]

I did a job for a douchebag builder a bunch of years ago that was eye assaulting. That was the intent. The customer frigging loved it.

Of course when the WSJ dumbed it down with lighting for the photo shoot the douchebag builder was all 'Yeah...that's what I saw'.

I'm so glad I'm retired.

 [laugh]

Yeah, the flake never really stands out well in pictures of that thing. It always appears green. But when you're actually standing there looking at it, it's pretty wild. I had it at a benefit show for local veterans a couple of summers ago on a perfect day, and the paint was a draw.

              (https://live.staticflickr.com/8210/8282005063_65ca8e2b93_b.jpg)                       

Good thing I wasn’t eating when I looked at that.

You don't like it?

Just get it wet and throw on the flake by the handful.

Then cover it in clear.

Nothing to it.

Not especially, no. 

Different strokes.

You probably wouldn't like Dave's bike either.

I like mine better.  8)

What did the assembled bike look like?

Saturday was The Big Day, the first time my butt has been on this thing since 2006. Runs fantastic. Add a defunct oil pressure gauge to the list of little stuff to fix, along with new throttle and clutch cables. But for the rest of the riding season, it's all good to go until it's time to pull the rear fender off for paint this fall.

I forgot how snotty the cam was that I put in it. 8)  [evil]

Another thing that needs to change are the bar risers. I know I have a set buried in the attic that have a little pullback to them. Funny how my back doesn't like that riding position anymore 25 years later, although some of it seems to be related to the same phenomenon that 'shrank' my favorite old leather jacket.  

;D

(https://i.imgur.com/Vwog3AS.jpg)

Since I got the bike back, I've been on the lookout for a possible keychain for it. The guy that had it had a cheesy hard plastic thing on it that chipped the paint on the frame around the switch all to hell, so it went in the trash immediately. Almost as if it were fate, I found this one in a box of stuff later on Saturday after my first ride while cleaning and having a few beers. The Kid had made this one for me back when he was a wee lad. Wow. It would almost be wrong not to use it.

(https://i.imgur.com/VX7oxQh.jpg)

It would.  Nice find.

So nice when things come together.

:D

waow; that's super flakey!; hurts my eyes dude! (double entendre ... intended)  ;D

More little stuff....

I replaced the clutch cable, no more oil leak there, and routed it a little more tidily. The riding position is slightly improved now due to the slightly taller risers with a little pullback, which necessitated replacing the brake line from the master to the junction block, which necessitated a full front brake fluid flush which it needed. The bar relocation allowed adjusting the fork stops for tighter turning, which will be nice. All this reiterated the old adage 'never throw anything away' - I had the bar risers left over from my Panhead build (weren't right for that), and the brake line was left over from the original build of this bike (the line was too long then with the short straight risers). Weird how this works out sometimes.

That should do it for the short term needs, time to ride it some more before winter hits. Once winter happens (or gets close), it's time to pull the back fender for paint. Other winter fiddling will include new throttle cables and pulling the tank to clean up the grime under it as well as redo some wiring under there; I had a kill tether wired in originally to make it legal for dragstrip use, but when I got the bike back it was broken so it hit the trash can and the wiring for it got abbreviated for the time being. Beyond that it'll be a matter of removing the ugly forward control mounts and touching up a little frame paint. Still thinking about putting that CV carb on it too, although the obsolete Edelbrock seems to be dialed in nicely.

(https://i.imgur.com/7L020ae.jpg)

Oh hell yeaah!  [evil]

Hell yeah!

Lookin' good!

Well kids, it's time to finish up this thread....

This thing is done. As done as it will ever be, that is. I got my freshly painted fender back from a buddy over the weekend, and got everything all back together as you can see. I gave him explicit instructions to not do a better paint job on the new fender than the old, but he went a little overboard and it looks better than the rest. Oh well, the lightly pitted chrome and other little tatters hide it. 

Otherwise, it got the CV carb over the winter along with new throttle cables. Riding the bike a little more last fall revealed that the old Edelbrock had some issues at certain throttle transitions, so that and the lack of parts availability sent it to the recycle bin. Naturally, changing the carb meant that my old air cleaner wouldn't work, because the backing plate had an integral support to tie the carb to the cylinder heads and there was no way to make it work. I bought a carb support for the CV and made a cool custom air cleaner out of a new K&N element I had laying around. But it bummed me out that my original round air cleaner wasn't there. Then on a whim one day, I did some scanning around on eBay and found a new but older outer cover, which had much nicer chrome than my original. Go figure. Made a new backing plate and we're golden. So if anyone needs a nifty, one-off air cleaner for a Harley CV, I'm your guy.

Beyond that, I just did a little rewiring and tidying under the tank and a thorough cleaning while under there. Time to ride this pig and get that new carb dialed in. Man, is it a weird feeling to put a collector plate on something you built....

(https://i.imgur.com/2tLBCfd.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/6BT3AWH.jpg)

[thumbsup]

Oh yeah, it lost the forward control mounts too. That was a major pain in the ass, along with repainting those little sections of the frame....

Oh hell yeaah!  8)

That back wheel suits it so well.  It come up so good, just right. Great touches and not over done.
Interesting about the collector plate, I remember when Evo motors were the latest thing! [laugh]

Nice [thumbsup]

You can't tell painters anything. They are singularly focused. ;D

Looks good Dave! [thumbsup]

Thanks, Nate.

Damn painters. I wanted orange peel!  [laugh]

That's really beautiful the way it's come together, and I love the story of the bike's creation and return to home.

And because I was away from the DMF for a while, it was only yesterday I saw the news about Kevin. I can only try to imagine how that felt, and send my fully-inadequate and belated condolences.

1+

... ya very tough, heartfelt situation; nice to see you worked through and have a nice bike to show too.

ride on

 [Dolph]