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Years long wait barn find

6K views 39 replies 19 participants last post by  Full_Spectrum 
#1 ·
I ended up with this moto that I've thought is very close to perfect for me. I'm interested is figuring out what all the custom parts are. This is my first attempt at a post so we'll see how the picture turns out before I add any more. I just previewed this and I will have to do better next time.
 

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#2 ·
Click the on picture when it opens in the new window and it will straighten out - at least it did in Chrome..
 
#4 ·
Me neither - my house was a barn conversion, already part built as a residence when I bought it.

There were two barns included but the only stuff the seller left in them was crap...

That said the Monster looks interesting, a small pic so hard to see detail but it appears to have a 916 style single-sided swingarm.
 
#6 ·
Attempt number two on photo upload.
It was actually in a Quonset hut so maybe you could start looking in those?
As for the price, I may have paid to much after looking at the Bimota threads and seeing what they are getting for them. But I'm justifying the purchase due to it being similar to a new Ducati and it has only has 6k miles on the clock.
I'm new to Ducatis and my first of many questions is this battery any good? It just turns the motor over but not especially vigorously. Or would a lithium battery be sufficient? If I ran a lithium I'm thinking of relocating the fuel pump into the battery box with it. I'm looking to clean up the engine area a bit.
So far I've installed new belts and the new style belt pulleys, changed the fluids and rode it a few hundred miles. So nice!
 

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#11 ·
Nice bike! I like that SSSA conversion; always wanted one for mine.
Looks like someone put a lot of time/money into it... I'm really surprised to see the TiN coating on the forks. They look like the 40mm spacing, and I don't think there were ever any that came that way from the factory. I think that only started after the 65mm spacing was introduced.
 
#14 ·
I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned this but if you are new to Ducati they will all seem to crank over slowly - ducs crank slow. Big cable etc may not be a bad idea but compared to other bikes it will still crank slow. And 6000 miles is not particularly rare on bikes like this - tons of people buy these bikes and never ride them. So if you paid a lot for the bike your lack of familiarity probably didn't do you any service. The bike does have a lot of goodies on it including magnesium wheels and a decent exhaust but those things only increase the value slightly because some guys like the things POs do and others don't so it narrows the audience and thus the value. I paid $6K for my S2R1000 when it was just a year old with under 3000 miles on it. I'd say your bike is worth somewhere south of that. If you paid less than 6 You're probably alright. Personally, the wheels and stripes and all the carbon and aluminum bobbles are not valuable so that bike would have to be in the $4500 range for me to even consider it. Sorry, I'm not trying to play a guessing game I'm just trying to give you an idea of where you're at.

No matter what you paid its a cool bike and it will be tons of fun so enjoy it. good luck.
 
#18 ·
I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned this but if you are new to Ducati they will all seem to crank over slowly - ducs crank slow. Big cable etc may not be a bad idea but compared to other bikes it will still crank slow.
I think you are correct, I greased all the fittings after cleaning them and even jumping with my van the starter turns over at the same rate. It always starts fine, I'm just used to a quicker sounding starter. This is my first twin and that may have something to do with it. I'm concluding everything is fine with the starting system. Thanks for the input.
 
#15 ·
Someone spent a large amount of money on that bike, I would continue to research to find out what you have. I would start by finding out about the motor, high comp pistons or big bore? Stock carbs or keihins?

The forks have been apart so it may have been revalved/re-sprung (both good things on this era bike). Gold fork tubes were never oem on this model. Rear shock spring is not oem so it may be an aftermarket shock (penske, bitubo?) damper looks like bitubo.Ducati performance (GiaCaMoto) 916 style exhaust and rearsets though I do not recognize the additional hangers.The wheels could be marvic penta II or marchesini magnesium the rear is straight off a 916 but the front wheel may be a unicorn as I am not sure anyone still makes a small axle (early) front wheel. Or someone may have converted a 25mm axle to fit the small axle.

Whats it worth? Up to you.
I can tell you it you could not replicate it today for what you paid ( and I do not know what you paid). If those are magnesium wheels and the suspension has been set up for close to your weight you should find it will handle as well or better than any new monster. if the motor has been built then you should be about the same power as a 1000/1100 and that's no slouch when you factor that bike should be just around 400-420bs wet.

I will guess it is a 98 or 99 so the work must have been done around then.

Change the belts,battery,fluids,tires clean the carbs and then enjoy your new toy.
Nice Bike!
 
#20 ·
Thanks, I'm happy I have it. It does have flat side carbs but I'm in the dark about the engine internals. It isn't modern bike fast but it rolls on out of the corners beautifully and with such a nice sound at full throttle.

The rear shock is a Penske and I was told the entire rear suspension was sourced straight from Ducati Corse. I'll take some photos tomorrow and ask you what you think about this possibility.

I was told the wheels are magnesium but I don't know what kind. I'll take closer photos of those too because I'm curious about all these parts.

It is a '99 M900 and I the only thing on your list that I haven't done are the tires and you are right, I should change them.

What its worth? More to me than others think is reasonable but isn't that always how it is?
 
#17 ·
Looks to be polished oem aluminum to me, polished magnesium would be a bad idea. But I have seen it attempted.

I am more curious about the shock link rod and shock angles, they just look wrong. Shock should be vertical and link on an angle. If the rocker is right it might be fine but if not the ratios might be wacky. I have seen builders just cut and paste without thinking this through, A customer has a hawk/ktm thingie that collapses as you use travel.
 
#22 · (Edited)
I think someone was able to take advantage of your unfamiliarity with Ducati. A lot of people who don't own or ride Ducs think they cost more than they do. It seems like the seller caught you with your pants down. Sorry. M900's are not valuable bikes and can generally be had for a very reasonable price. $3500 is not uncommon. :crying: All the stuff on the bike is cool but it doesn't increase the value by much IMO.

And Ducati Corse doesn't sell parts for a monster. Ducati Performance has some parts but they've never sold Penske suspension products. Ducati Corse is the racing arm of Ducati and those parts are strictly for race bikes and sold only to legitimate racing teams. Ducati Performance sells accessory parts to the public which includes a few select performance parts but usually not true race spec stuff.
 
#25 · (Edited)
You know what, The more I look at those pictures the more confused I become about what it is. Its obviously designed for a 916 series bike but it doesnt look like anything stock or from the DP catalog... the mounting points and geometry look like nothing from Ducati. I just dont know what it is


I can see from the pic in the catalog that is not a DP mag SSA:



A monster ssa is made from tubing:

 
#27 · (Edited)
Start by looking at the engine cases where the swingers mounts, if the cases are flat (no case bearings) then you have probably some super bike swingarm. If you have bearings in the cases then there will be about an inch protrusion on either side of the case where the swingarm meets. Superbike cases are different than 900 monster cases so it is not a "bolt on" mod to put a super bike swingarm onto a monster.

I believe it is either a Febur , Ducati performance or someone scratch built it from parts. Most likely it its a Ducati performance kit. Corse is very unlikely but people would call it a corse part if someone who raced once brushed up against it while trying not spill their drink.

It looks well built and again the end results will let you know if this is true, check/set sag and ride it. if the suspension is wrong you will know. I cannot tell from the photos but I would want to know if it is magnesium (unlikely if a Dp kit) if it is it needs special protection or the metal will corrode and fail. Magnesium often would have a gold coating much like a strain so look for it in areas that are not seen. You just want to make sure no one has removed it.

I also would look for a protective cover (carbon) for the swingarm as what you have is probably not replaceable and it is common in a crash to scratch up the left side of the swingarm. There would probably be no structural damage but after a fall it will have scars.

Price only matters to you and if you are selling it. If you are happy with the bike know you could never build what you have for 3500 even if you did all the labor yourself so comparing it to a 3500 monster is not possible. A friend bought a 1000.00 monster and spent another $2500 building it, his son bought a mint monster for $3500 that was all stock. neither had what yours have which is very customized.

My ONLY problem buying a fully built bike is I will still tear it apart and make it mine, I look at them more as parts(yours has a lot of good parts).Until you figure out the motor (hi comp pistons) only run hi-test fuel and non-projected reach spark plugs. If the motor does NOT have hi-comp pistons then you should run 87 and dcpr8ea-9 plugs are preferred.
 
#29 ·
Start by looking at the engine cases where the swingers mounts, if the cases are flat (no case bearings) then you have probably some super bike swingarm. If you have bearings in the cases then there will be about an inch protrusion on either side of the case where the swingarm meets. Superbike cases are different than 900 monster cases so it is not a "bolt on" mod to put a super bike swingarm onto a monster.

I believe it is either a Febur , Ducati performance or someone scratch built it from parts. Most likely it its a Ducati performance kit. Corse is very unlikely but people would call it a corse part if someone who raced once brushed up against it while trying not spill their drink.

It looks well built and again the end results will let you know if this is true, check/set sag and ride it. if the suspension is wrong you will know. I cannot tell from the photos but I would want to know if it is magnesium (unlikely if a Dp kit) if it is it needs special protection or the metal will corrode and fail. Magnesium often would have a gold coating much like a strain so look for it in areas that are not seen. You just want to make sure no one has removed it.

I also would look for a protective cover (carbon) for the swingarm as what you have is probably not replaceable and it is common in a crash to scratch up the left side of the swingarm. There would probably be no structural damage but after a fall it will have scars.
There's some great info! Thanks for that. Here's some more pictures, at least one side locates the bearings inside the motor cases. And I'll save the carbon cover until, god forbid I crash, I'm involved in the bicycle buisness and carbon seems to be the new aluminum, it's getting cheap.

Is there any chance you all believe the PO when he says this rear suspension is from Ducati corse? I do but I know the guy. Either way I think I scored and plan on riding this bike for decades! Thank again for the info.
 

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#34 ·
Yes Gia.ca.moto got folded into and became Ducati performance so it makes sense. Your cases are proper 900 monster from your pictures so it is a semi factory upgrade/mod. It should be correct and work just fine but yes do not plan on finding many more if it gets damaged. Many of the hub parts are likely right from a 916 so as long as nothing damages the swingarm you should have no worries.

Corse? No
Factory offered mod? yes, consider it a rare bike and I would say worth what you paid if you like it.

When it comes time for a rear sprocket make sure to put a quick change on the oem sprocket cush drives sometimes un-bond and mill down the hub. When you replace it (look to see if it has been done already) make sure there are metal tabs built into the new one to prevent this from happening. The hub is probably 916,748,996,998 so if something happens it is NOT the rare part.
 
#35 ·
These days when a bike can be worth more parted out, I'm just happy when people find what they want and save another bike. I never ask, I never tell. If a friend wants to brag about a price, congratulations. Life is delicate, health can be lost in a heartbeat, a bike totaled in a parking lot. Time is the thing. Nothing is moe valuable. You only get so many heart beats. If you see what you want and you can afford it, buy it. The things you think about in your idle time affect the rest of your life. Don't waste your thoughts being worried about over paying for something. That will cost you much more than the money. It's impossible to pay too much to make your dreams come true. ....FWIW IMO
 
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