Progress on 888S*000782

duc904red

Nice

851corsa

wgsvintage wroteWhat a pair of bikes...they are beautiful!

Says it all.

Terry

wgsvintage

I, for one, have made notes of these helpful posts. Unfortunately, I'm still dubbing around with pre-assembly stuff and my other bikes that need attention. Hopefully Bruce will finish the engine this fall so I can build the chassis over the winter so we can do some AHRMA rounds in that new class if it starts up next year.
Thanks,
Bill

Mr.R

Hi Mark,
I never get tired of looking at pic's like those, are the red barends good for an extra couple of RWBHP?
On another note I'd trust my own welding, but if you don't/can't trust yours maybe you should have got the frame repaired by someone you do trust?
It would be a crying shame not to use the bike as it was intended again to my way of thinking.

Steve R

MarkT

Mr.R wroteHi Mark, I never get tired of looking at pic's like those, are the red barends good for an extra couple of RWBHP? On another note I'd trust my own welding, but if you don't/can't trust yours maybe you should have got the frame repaired by someone you do trust? It would be a crying shame not to use the bike as it was intended again to my way of thinking. Steve R

Hi Steve-

Not only do they add .004 HP they are also lighter then the black ones.

My welding has never let me down- but welding on a headstock on a crashed frame for someone that does not weld everyday was a challenge. I have already ridden one of my bikes hard that I had to weld in new tubing and it has not cracked.

I spent a long time trying to decide if I should send it out or do it myself using Marvin's jig. Based upon my experience with the last frame I had repaired I decided to try the repair myself.

About 10 years back I sent a frame with a bent headstock to a well recommended expert welder of Ducati frames. The frame came back with the smaller tubes at the headstock kinked and not straight-- When I asked about that he said even in a jig these frames are hard to get perfect once they have been crashed -- those small tubes he joined last and they did not completely line up after welding the big tubes. This was a welder who's day job was welding in the aerospace industry and had fabricated many frames and exhaust systems for Ducati's from scratch.

I put that frame into Marvin's jig and it was off more then how mine turned out

So my choice was to do it myself or send it to Italy. I figured that I could always send it out if I failed in my attempt.

I had never completely cut off and re-welded on a headstock before so I found balancing the amount of heat to get good penetration without pulling- even in a jig- was challenging. I spliced in aircraft frame tubing I turned down to metric.

Do I trust it will hold up under heavy braking- yup- but I am prudent enough to take it easy and check my welds when I come off the track.

MarkT

Just a very short update - been riding more then projects.

For the winter I am going to try to get decals made for both of the Ferracci bikes. When I got back from a ride I had some good light so I put on the bodywork for 888S*002149 which has original Ferracci decals--to take some snaps to send to Tapeworks. I am hoping I do not have to send the panel to them. The bodywork was repaired from the original crash that Brad Hazen had in '94 after he bought the bike from Ferracci - very bad shape. The last copies of the decals were used after the panels were fixed so I have to get them all reproduced. I am going to paint up new bodywork for both bikes using the last of my spare NOS bodywork.

Mechanically both bikes are finished except for safety wire and making the aluminum bodywork brackets for the '91. The original brackets were pretty mangled when crashed by the last race team- but I have them as copies.

As for the /2 BMW in the picture (now that we have a "Vintage" section😄)-- the light was going away so I did not move it into the garage before taking the snaps. It is the bike I ride most often on the street- great rider and much better in the curves then you would assume. Basically a '69 /2 with a '77 R80 motor with Dellorto carbs. While most conversions seem to be going to calipers- I prefer the look of drums for this bike. About six years back when I was completing the bike I was lucky to find a four leading shoe racing drum off of a Yamaha TD2. I machined up axles, spacers and torque stays -looks almost stock.

marvin

They look great Mark!!
Does Tapeworks screenprint their decals or just laminate them up? I hate the laminated ones because they are so thick that it takes about 50 coats of clear to level them! 😝

wgsvintage

I have to say Mark, you really have some very nice bikes. I love those old R bikes. I'm dying to get my '74 R90s that I used to race back on the street, but my friggin' Ducati's are taking up all my time!
Bill

marvin

wgsvintage wroteI have to say Mark, you really have some very nice bikes. I love those old R bikes. I'm dying to get my '74 R90s that I used to race back on the street, but my friggin' Ducati's are taking up all my time! Bill

Yes, he does have some nice bikes! But if he would only ride them! All he'll ride on the street is that old slow Beemer and, if and when he goes to the track, he wants to take that POS D16! 😄

P.S. In his defense I did talk him into taking his SP2 to the Ducks Fly South Rally in Hiawassee Ga. But that was at least two years ago!

wgsvintage

Absolutely, they have to be ridden.

"POS".....I'm shocked!

(I don't know what a D16 is, but I liked the "POS" part)

marvin

[QUOTE=

"POS".....I'm shocked![/QUOTE]

Just kidding of course! It's a very nice bike, just ain't no 888!

MarkT

marvin wroteJust kidding of course! It's a very nice bike, just ain't no 888!

Full agree Marvin- it ain't no 888--- but when I look at it I see a design that strongly pulls from the 888- sort of what the 888 could have evolved into-- organic shape rather then the sharp creased lines of the bikes that evolved from the 916.

OK- two extra cylinders--- but for me it is the first Ducati that caused me to feel strong lust since I first saw/rode/bought an 851. I was absolutely drawn to it but they sold for such stupid money I just figured I would never own one.

But somehow this year I ended up with two D16's

Last fall a crashed D16 came up for bid - got no bids- so I called the guy and he let it go for cheap-- it did not have any bodywork, front forks, or its original wheels- and a salvage title. I rebuilt it using a 1098S front forks, stuck on traction control, repro track bodywork, and put it on the track. Just a joy on the track once you set up the geometry to where a mere mortal can ride it. About six months later I sold one of my old project cars I was never going to get to so I had money I was going put into a no intrest CD. Just about that time (seems to always happen when you have uncommitted cash)--a very rich guy who hated his full boat D16 so much he was bad mouthing it on the D16 list. I looked back at his past posts and he had been trying to sell it for 10 months. I called him and he sold for low money just to get rid of it.

For me the D16 is better on the track then on the street-- my /2 and my 888 are much easier to ride and are far less intense. But when I want a hit of adrenaline I grab the D16 and take a lone ride. The time I rode the D16 on the street behind Marvin- who is a demon fast rider on these mountain roads -I am worn out in about 4 hours.

If I want to ride with Marvin and not be a dish rag at the end of the day I have to ride my 888 which is much faster then the /2 and much easier to ride fast relaxed then on the D16. Still sorting out the 888 after I installed the 955 motor so it may not be until spring that I ride behind Marvin - well that is my excuse for now.

Mr Bumble

What a lovely bunch of machines, I dare say that they provide you with quite some enjoyment. Bellissimo and thanks for sharing!

Mr.R

Hi Mark,
Those D16's might not be no 851/888, but I wouldn't kick either of them out of bed. 😄
Mind you if I had that kind of spare cash they wouldn't be the 1st bikes to buy on my wish list as you know.

Steve R

MarkT

Mr Bumble wroteWhat a lovely bunch of machines, I dare say that they provide you with quite some enjoyment. Bellissimo and thanks for sharing!

I would not have posted them if I did not firmly believe that every member of this forum is nuts-- not just about Ducati's- but are nuts about all of the kinds of machines which we share with each other. I am very lucky to have ended up with all of the bikes I have- they bring me immense joy to work on them, ride them, and share them with others!

Steve R -- and I highly approve of your choice if it is the particular bike we talked about a few months past--- forums where the member's can actually get "off topic" and show other machines that they are passionate about-and get an interactive discussion going is nice-

MarkT

MarkT wroteis nice-

Boy- I need to proof read and make sure I finish my sentences- I was a bit too relaxed when I posted this last night. -- I meant to say "... is a nice change from some other single marque forums I follow.

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