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…

[buzzer]

The seat is back from the trimmer, and as usual it's a superb job! The weather has turned cold which meant I had to resort to drying the smaller painted parts in the oven… Good job she is OK with it these day, although the line had been drawn on the dishwasher!

I debated on taking the parts in to the platers, they did a great job last time BUT they did lose a few items, luckily nothing of importance. Not wanting that to happen this time I decided to do it myself again and got out my plating kit which I have been using for years… still great results! They say the devil is in the detail, I see so many builds spoiled due to dull and rusty plated items…

[buzzer]

Going together nicely… I do need to slow down! However I made a big fxxxup the other day when I took the rear shocker apart… I forgot they work opposite to normal so when I undid the adjuster nut, I was actually applying more tension onto the. it came off the threads and I realised I would never be able to get it back on… rookie error. I had to cut the outer shroud off. I hope to rescue it as a new one is mega expensive… will post pictures in a few days! but for now here it is going together.

[Howie]

 

[buzzer]

Well I pondered about the shocker… The reason I took it apart was I wanted to expose the spring, but it just didn't trigger that it works the exact opposite to normal! I looked around and liked the design of the Ohlins one and decided to copy the idea. Back to the water jet cutter to have some plates cut, and I turned them down in the lathe. I drained the oil out and put some in a small bottle with a funnel type top… I timmed how long it took to drain out… then tried some 10 grade oil… much slower… then tried 5 grade and it was the same time! Looks like its SAE 5 in there! Soon as it's on the road I will take it and get it nitrogen filled… but for now I have put some air in there.

[buzzer]

Break in the weather last few days and I was able to paint the wheels… Etch primed, undercoat, and then clear over silver base. I don't think I will ever go back to powder coat as the 2K finish is FAR better! One tip I picked up many years ago is if you are creating paint lines, (rims are only partially painted) use proper lining tape, not masking tape as that tends to slightly bleed under. Also, don't wait until the paint is fully cured before removing the masking or you risk pulling paint off.

I also stripped the brakes down and cleaned and re-assembled them… all good in there, the pistons were perfect

[buzzer]

couple of milling jobs in the last few days… Firstly, I will be using an aftermarket speedo so I needed to have a pickup… I made a small bracket to bolt onto the calliper bracket, and fitted some magnets out of the speedo kit to the disc. Second job was actually quite challenging due to the multiple angles…. the original owner had cut the rear footrest mounting off… He hadn't made a bad job but it didn't look right, and was not that rigid, so I made a new bracket to also incorporate a side stand stop. this is the first time I have used the tilting head on the milling machine, worked a treat!