Kit frame

dudlington

Seems like I bought a bike with a KIT/TRICOLORE frame. I thought I would seek some expert advice so thought about starting this thread.

If I wanted to turn this bike into an original race bike spec (Albiet for the road with headlamp etc) where would the best place to get some parts :

Front subframe
Rear Subframe (Aluminium (?)

The bike is a bit of a BITSA so any advice on what I have would be greatly received.

dudlington

Photos attached

wgsvintage

You'd might be happier with it as it is now. Assuming you could even find some of the more obvious Kit parts like the braced swing arm, MK1 GP calipers, Kit 851 M1R's and triple clamps, Pantah era Marvic 3-spoke wheels, 280mm rotors, reverse megaphone low exhaust, etc, etc, it would be taking a step backward in operation and safety. There were good reasons why the 851 evolved away from the Kit pretty quickly.

customhead

I thought the frame number would have to be 851S1, not S3 to be a tricolor (1988)

then again what do I know.. anyone?

dudlington

The standard Strada frame number were stamped afterwards onto a KIT frame. You can see the poor way it has been done, definately not Ducati. When I bought the bike I knew it was a replacement frame but could not work out where it had come from. BABA was kind enough to identify it for me , however this might change my plans for the bike..............maybe I build it up as a race KIT bike. I like the look of this prototype bike and the frame has a lot of features mine has so maybe this is the direction it goes ???.

Where to get the rear swinging arm ??? Has anyone got one for sale or know of one similar ????

BABA

This swing arm on the 89 test race bike is very special and very very rare (very few made by the factory and not for customer bikes only on Factory bikes in 1988/89 I think).
I think it's "easier" to find the good 851 kit version.