mouseman wroteHi all, this is my first post here. I have a 1992 851 Strada that I am going to turn into a track bike. It has 10,600 miles on it and is in great shape. I have had the bike since 1998 and can't bear to part with it. My question is; what type of mods have you guys found successful? I am an intermediate rider, the engine is strong enoough for now, and of course I can't spend too much money on the project. The current mode are: open airbox, Ferracci stage one Eprom, custom high mount, slip-on pipes, Pro-tek rear sets, Vortex clip-ons, and some carbon fenders. The suspension and brakes are stock. I need some bodywork, I will post a thread in the classifieds, is Shark Skinz my only option? Thanks for inputs.
First, I'd contact the guys over at Ducati Indy (Maybe you already know them? If not, tell them I sent you..) and have them do a basic suspension set-up for you. They're great guys; they'll be able to tell you if your fork needs any mods (it should definitely suffice with, at most, new springs, oil, and a shim restack. maybe it won't even need that...) and if your shock is up to the task (if not, then a new Penske would be the way to go.) Regardless, at the very least, have them put you on the bike, measure everything, and do a basic set-up with sag, preload , and rebound; this may very well be all you need to get started, but it'll be extremely worthwhile.
Now, mind you, this won't be extremely cheap, but, on the other hand, it won't be expensive either, especially considering what it will net you, because THE most important aspect of your motorcyle on the track is suspension, by far. Spend money here first; do it right from the beginning, and you'll learn much more, more quickly, right from the start. (Trust me on this, I learned the hard way..)
Brakes? Get some braided front lines if you don't already have them (don't worry about the rear, you'll never use it on the track) and look at some good pads. I use Ferodos; if you call them up (Braketech), they'll tell you what compound will work best with your rotors (stainless? iron?). Also, make sure you change over to fresh fluid and give them a good bleeding (I usually do this at least 2, sometimes 3 times a year.) One more pointer: what kind of master cylinder do you have? If it's original, I'd consider upgrading. Nothing fancy; I run MCs off of 996s on all my bikes. They're also the same MCs as fitted on the last gen SSs and later Ms. You could go even fancier, but these offer ample capability at a reasonable price.
As far as clip-ons and rearsets go, I'd take the ones you currently have and replace them with Woodcraft pieces (I'm figuring this out; I'm pretty sure that SS rearsets are going to work well. If not, never mind about this part..) Woodcraft parts are extremely strong, reasonably priced, and, most importantly, replacement parts are readily available. Speaking of which, have as many spares as you can, for everything you can ( I carry an extra SET of rearsets, complete extra clutch and brake MCs, clutch slave, clutch plates, clip-on bars, levers, etc, etc). I know this seems overly excessive, but think about it: you low side the bike first session...now what? Because trust me, nobody is going to have much by way of spares for a Ducati, (unless I'm there; everyone with a Duc at the track knows where to go when they need something..) so now, you're done for the day. See what I mean? Admittedly, this is extra money spent, but the nice thing is that should you ever get out of the sport, you can easily sell your extra parts.. Anyway, something to consider if you're taking up the pasttime...
As far as the motor goes, you don't need more power (I can dust guys on 1098's with my 83 RWHP Monster..) but you definitely want to have the belts checked (Don't skimp here. When in doubt... I usually go through 2 sets a year on my 2 valves...) and valves adjusted if necessary. More money, yes, but nothing compared to a blown motor. Do not kid yourself, you will be wringing the piss out of your bike, especially compared to street use. Thus, checking the valves again mid-season is not a bad idea. Also, oil. Change it often. When I ran my 996, I changed it EVERY weekend. On my 2 valves, I go 2 weekends. On your bike, I'd err towards the 996 end of the spectrum...
So, this might seem a little discouraging, but, you might recognize a common thread, that being preparation and maintenance. Admittedly, this looks like a lot of expense, but believe me, if you're going to take up this pasttime (passion), especially on a Ducati, and especially on a four-valve, and ESPECIALLY on a 18 year old 4-valve Ducati, anything you can check off this list will go a long way towards fostering a positive experience. It's incredibly rewarding to go to the track, and Ducs definitely belong there, but it's a very expensive hobby even if you go out on a japanese 600. Try to do as much of the above as possible and it'll pay big dividends.
I'm in Chicago; feel free to contact me if you ever have any questions...
Jim
