Fulvia-hf
Hello,
I'm William and since one month the proud owner of a Dutch registered 14000Km 1989 851 Strada monoposto.
The bike has spend more years as somebody's living room ornament than as a road bike. Its condition is as new but standing still for such a long time means I will have to change fuel lines, belts, filters, oil, coolant, some hoses and the battery. What else is left?
Through a Dutch parts specialist I was able to buy a set of almost new reverse cone conti mufflers and a set of Marvic magnesium three spoke corsa wheels. The mufflers took 5 minutes to fit but the rims are a different story. They measure 3.75" front and 6,25" rear and have provisions for a 23mm axle, a three bolt rear disk (not supplied) and a carrier which doen't fit. So far I have new bearing spacers made, new bushings for the carrier, bought new bearings for the 17mm axles. After a lengthy internet search I found a Yamaha 50cc 220mm scooter disk which fits the rear wheel with only very small modifications. I also have modified the sprocket carrier to fit. I had some difficulty finding a rear tyre which would fit without fouling the chain. Fortunately alternative tire sizes to the stock 180-55ZR17 a made nowadays. The new 180-60/ZR17 fitted the bill. I wouldn't have picked it but a well know 888 racer has the same wheels fitted to his SP3 racer and fitted this size with great results. Being a larger tire means the stock plastic hugger does not fit and the wheel cannot be moved all the way forward in the chain-adjuster slots as it will rub the swingarm. This is also meaning the chain is now too short. The same larger wheel prompts a bigger rear sprocket anyway so I will have to get a longer chain or splice a few shackles in the existing chain.
All in all not the plug&play I was hoping or but in the end it will look awesome and these gold wheels and Conti's will give me the look of the Lucchineli replica which I like the best of al 851 versions.
Have a good Christmas!
William
RWG
Welcome, photo would be nice
firefly_1965
Hi William
Welcome to the Forum. Pictures definitely needed. Also, can you send a link to the Dutch Specialist as we always on the lookout for specialist parts supplier.
Inda
econti
If it's been sitting for so long if it was me I'd do the clutch and brake masters, and the clutch slave too, plus the hoses associated. They aren't too expensive and it's cheap insurance.
Get some pictures up!
Fulvia-hf
Thanks for the feedback. I will sort the clutch and brakes too. Just added a few photo's in my picture album: 1989 851 Strada Lucchineli tribute.
A new Eprom for the fuel injection is also on its way. An open airbox lid and Foam Uni filter is accompanying it.
I have noticed the rear swingarm on the Tricolore Kit bike and the Lucchineli rep is different to the later models. It seems like a F1 /750 sport item but modified with a bottom brace and the top cantilever F1/750 sport brace removed. Is this item bespoke for these 851's? Who made it?
One other thing I noticed about my bike is that it seems it never had rear view mirrors fitted. I received a box with never used original round mirrors when I picked up the bike. It seems drilling two holes in the top fairing is needed when you want to install these mirrors but my top fairing is original and undrilled. Any thoughts?
Cheers,
William
Fulvia-hf
Lots of stuff happend in the lost couple of months. The 851 has received a lot more attention and new parts than I anticipated but this only adds to the final result.
Marvic wheels bought as Plug&Play units from an unreliable parts supplier in Oudewater were a pig to fit. Everything had to be modified or made new. Sprocket carrier, spacers, rear disk, bearings, seals, speedo drive, sprocket, rear brake caliper, caliper hanger (needed replica late Corsa floating hanger type to work with the small disk). The rear rim turned out to be .75" wider than the stock wheel so chain alignment was off, the stock 185/55R17 tyre size could not be used so I had to resort to an exotic 185/60R17. This taller wheel prompted the purchase of a new hugger as the OEM hugger did not clear the tyre. The chain had to be lengthened as the tyre didn't clear the swingarm and so on.
A few months later and a lot of money and time spend these jobs are done. Hopefully it rides accordingly.
Reverse conti's and a open airbox with UNI foam filter called for a ECU flash. This new ECU had a small internal flaw as it did not provide a gnd for the fuel pump. Took me a few hours to find this out. A new ECU is being made at the moment.
Brake disks are a set of cast iron floaters I had bought a few years ago to fit to my 1000SC monoposto. I sold the SC and kept the disks. They look the part combined with the gold Marvics.
I replaced all fuel hoses for an Ethanol resistant type. Also in the alloy fuel tank, together with a new filter. I replaced plugs, drive belts and all fluids. I needed to replace about half of the waterhoses as they were perished. Luckily I could find just enough NOS rubber hoses to do the job.
the M1R was stripped, treated to new oil and seals and a good clean. the rear Marzocchi was rebuild and modified for better operation and new seals to prevent the rapid loss of gas were these shocks are famous for.
Front calipers are rebuild and fitted with organic Ferodo brake pads to protect the soft cast iron disks.
A 916 throttle grip with cold idling button replaced the normal handle and I'm waiting for a Brembo PS16 brake master to arrive to replace the slightly small PS15 Ducati originally fitted. They look exactly the same which is a bonus.
I have bought a set of gold anodised Probolt fairing screws to replace the originals and help to enhance the Luchinelli rep look.
The weak front light has been improved by a very 2020's LED type replacement from ABD. The H4 Twenty20 bulb. Added advantage is the fact that it draws less current so the cables and switches don't add to much to voltage loss. With the lights on I still measure 11.5V across the LED bulb. Without relays that is very acceptable. Only downside to this bulb is that it has'n got a classic look. Switches on/off without any delay and the color is of the brightest white.
The battery was shot so a new LiIon battery was sourced (saves a ton in weight) and a MOSFET V/R replaces the unreliable original. I fitted the MOSFET on a 5mm thick alloy plate for extra heat dispensation but in the original location to keep things looking stock(ish).
When the new ECU and Brake master arrive it won't take long for it to hit the streets for the first time in over 15 years. Looking very much forward to it!
PS: For the interested; Plenty of pictures of this build in my picture album. Lucchinelli replica
MarkT
Willaim---Welcome to 851/888 passion. Congrats on pushing forward and making your new bike exactly the way you want/imagined it to be.
Like many other passionate owners on this forum, it has been my experience (and now yours) that whatever project I buy it always arrives way way more of a mess than repressented.
I get mad/pissed off for about one day and then get on with making it right--- and because I love projects/challenges as much as I love riding/driving machinery, I always find that it becomes an all-consuming project which gives me great pleasure--- and most importantly provides me with a deep education/bonding about/with the new machine.
Ask any question- there are many on this forum who can/will provide help either via a pm or with a reply.
Steben
Some great work, looking really nice.
