Project 900SS/SP refresh

[lawmaster891]

engines looking great. someday id like to tear my monster down and have it all powdercoated

[Travman]

What headlight or fairing are you putting on this bike?  I like this dual headlight setup. what do you think?  The engine looks good so far. I don't think it looks too dark. What color are you planning for the bodywork?

[TAftonomos]

Gonna get the kaemna/RW "short" CR fairings.  Bodywork/tank in red.

APE studs arrived yesterday.....but of course I have a full plate this week so I might not get a chance to assemble until next week sometimes.....this weekend is American Supercamp!

In any case, I should have all the bits to actually put the motor back together here shortly.  Then I can make it a roller, and find out what I'm REALLY missing


Thanks btw!  The more I look at the color the more it's grown on me.  Should look good with the black barrels and red heads to match the clutch.

[TAftonomos]

Parts came in today....well some of them.

Actually there were a bunch of parts that showed up, unfortunatly for me the dealer I ordered from send the cush drive PINS, not the damn cush drives themselves.  This sucks in monumental ways as I waited 2 weeks for the parts to show up from Italy, and they ordered the wrong bits.  Thankfully I'm not planning on using those wheels, or I at least have a set of wheels to roll the thing around on.  Also a few other parts were wrong, but at least I've got the inspection/timing window and the oil sight glass....I can now bolt the side covers back on.   I'm not super happy with the way the finish turned out on the side covers, but from 12" away they look pretty darn good, so I'll live with them.   I'm not building a show bike, but a nice clean rider that I can be proud of (I have to keep that concept in my head!)

I should have the O-rings needed to put the barrels back on this week before I go to ASC, so I can button the motor up for good (I hope).

Sorry, no worthy pics

[junior varsity]

Those Kaemna fairings are sexy.


Can you elaborate on what all you did (prep through present) to paint your crankcases and sidecases?

[TAftonomos]

I used paint stripper (aircraft stripper at 'zone) to remove a bunch of the paint.  They I masked it off as good as I could and soda blasted the rest of the loose paint.  I then washed it off, blew it dry and masked it off again.

Then used VHT's engine paint starting with the primer, then the paint.  I did 6 coats total, 2 primer and 4 light color coats.

Was a whole day affair, and a pain....but better than what it looked like before by about a million times. 

[junior varsity]

i take it you have your own soda blaster contraption?

[TAftonomos]

yup, bought it at HF last time I was nearby.  I think it was $70 after a 20% coupon.  The large one, holds 40lbs.  So far, it's been great.

[TAftonomos]

heads should be here tomorrow.  All new guides, a new cam bearing, surfaced and seats cut ready to go.  Was a lot more than I was thinking, but at least I know they will be better than new.

The last little box of stuff needed to reassemble the motor ought to be in as well.   

Took me forever to get one friggin stud out of the motor last night.  I'll have to try a different approach tomorrow and see if I can't figure something better out.

Any harm in re-using the head stud nuts if I double-nut them on the old studs to remove? 

[junior varsity]

that's how i did it on the "placeholder" crankcases in my garage (one half has a crack in it, so I thought it was a nice "free" version of the SpeedyMoto tool for the 2v bikes where the frame doesn't connect to the swingarm - so you can roll it around when actual motor is dropped) - removed the cylinder studs to make it easier to grab it by the cylinder holes and take up less space, etc.

[TAftonomos]

Got the studs out and new ones in 

O rings should be here today, I should have the heads on tonight 



Question.....anyone have access to a parts diagram for this bike? 

Ex: taillight.  I bought an entire assembly new from ducati, but I can't figure out how it mounts.   From the inside w/grommets?  Pics would be helpful.

[junior varsity]

I have 851/888 & SPO, which is minimal help - only that there are quite a lot of "similarities". (lemme know if you want 'em).  You may want to check Duc.nu for a owner's manual/workshop manual.  For motor stuff, that 900 is like every other 900 - and the only difference is those external oil lines and small alternator setup when comparing to new-fangled 900 diagrams available online. To make it "more accurate", I frequently use the '00 750 diagram, since it was carbd, as is my 900's.

[junior varsity]

also, i don't know if I dig the dual headlights posted above. Its kind of neat, but since its a long-since discontinued bike, having a clean example of the original is pretty cool too.   I liked the "supermono conversion --> superdue" fairings I found for the supersport from airtech streamlining awhile back (until I learnt they are supposedly now great quality) - but I'd only use something non-traditional like this *if* I didn't mind wholesale departing from the original bike. (Such will be the case with my M900/888/S4 "Monster Cup" tribute bike I will dub "the Trackster")

[junior varsity]

here's what I was talking about:







runs aboot $800.  (which ain't bad if you compare to the price of just the front fairing for a 916-996-998 in carbon fiber - from CM Composit its no less than $500!)

[koko64]

IMO, I would have close to stock looks. They are a classic.