Ducati 1000 DS build

[stopintime]

I must work on my photoshop skills!

Please don't. You have enough skills 

C and D are out.

A was in the race until I imagined how the rear light/license plate will balance the visual (on it's own) over weight of the "race number", below seat area on B. So, B it is 

[buzzer]

Still undecided on the seat shape but that can wait… for now I have also made the seat base. I bonded in some alloy plates for the rivinuts to secure into. It fits rather well!

[greenmonster]

Another vote for B.

[buzzer]

One thing I have often regretted is not fitting a steering damper… they are difficult to retro fit so I decided to fit one to this bike… This entailed making a lug which I wanted to be a tight fit on the frame…I didn’t have a 30mm cutter, So I used a fly cutter adjusted to size!

[ducpainter]

I'll buy the paint...

as long as it isn't orange.

[buzzer]

I'll buy the paint...

as long as it isn't orange.

thanks for the kind offer...  but I have plenty of the right colour in stock 

Two jobs in the last few days… Collect the headlight brackets from the water jet cutter, and make an engine cradle so I can lift the frame off easily. I love going to the water jet place, always an interesting visit! Today they were cutting 100mm titanium plate!

[buzzer]

well it didn’t take long to get it all apart! Engine out and on the bench… frame welded and off to the shot blasters… I have to say the frame is exceptionally nice, the welding is superb, and its very light... dare I say a lot better quality than Ducati!...   I have always had my frames powder coated at a company I have used for years… Last year they let me down badley, lots of broken promises, and in the end I went and collected an unfinished frame. I decided to have it media blasted and do it myself… That worked out well so I have done the same this time. It was back today from the blasters and it's an excellent job.  I will be etch priming it, undercoat, then 2k Clear over base

One of the common problems with the sportster engine is leaking cylinder base gaskets, this one had sighs of a slight leak so for the cost of a set of gaskets I decided to replace them… Pistons are very big! its all like new in there as you would expect for 5000 miles. While I looked a the bike, one thing was bugging me… that straight case line on the engine… so I modified the casing slightly…I like it… many won't!

[stopintime]

I wondered about that line (the vertical?) - it attracts disruptive attention. Maybe less if it was all black, but your mod is much nicer.

[buzzer]

I wondered about that line (the vertical?) - it attracts disruptive attention. Maybe less if it was all black, but your mod is much nicer.

Yes, it would have bugged me forever 

The engine is all back together now… its a BIG old lump! I also finished the frame as the weather looks like it will turn too cold next week to do it under the gazebo.

I etch primed it, a coat of 2K primer, them base silver and 2K clear. I don’t think i will go back to powder coat…