Where is the sanity? - Ducati.ms

Sofa King · Nov 27th, 2011, 11:28 am

So a little over a year ago a friend offered to give me a Ducati. It was/is a 1995 900SS. I knew very little about the model, but it was 'free', right? I did know, however, I have lusted over Ducati's for as long as I have seen and heard them.

This should have been the first warning sign.

He needed to clear out his storage and was even willing to deliver!

This should have been the second warning sign.

He brought it over, and it looked pretty complete. A rolling bike, appears to have all the fairing bits, one a little busted up, brakes work, no real road rash that I can find, this should be easy. I mean, "How hard can it be?".

This should have been the third warning sign.

The next year is a dark and cold blur, punctuated by rage, sadness, extreme highs, and equally extreme lows. It's now been a year, and finally, it's working machine. But I find myself constantly torn between love and hate with this machine.

I just rode it to and from a friends house, about a 20 mile round trip on back roads. It's brutal to sit on, I will be lucky if I can ever write my name again from the carpel tunnel syndrome I now posses, and my ears are bleeding. But I love it. But why? Clearly this is irrational, like the COUNTLESS hours I have spent putting her back to her former glory, clearly this doesn't make sense, right?

As someone who has owned about every kind of jap bike made, the asian bikes always made sense. The Magnas, Sabres, CB's of many types/sizes and a cruiser too, each still made sense in it's own way. They ALWAYS worked, the maintenance was straight forward, and when you didn't do the maintenance they were extremely forgiving. However, none of this appears to be the case here.

It's like burning your tongue on that perfect cup of expresso. It hurts at first, but god it tastes good. Whereas the coffee pot right next to it has a cup of joe just waiting for you, and it won't scald you. But something, there is just something about it just doesn't seem to measure up.

So still I search for parts for this bike. It seems like by the time I am finished most of the bike will have been replaced. The PO didn't look after the bike well and so I am left replacing a LOT of the bike.

I suppose I really don't have a point here, just the ramblings of someone who has ridden bikes for nearly 30 years and now is on an old Ducati, and left questioning his sanity.

Perhaps there is a therapy group I can join? US Desmo? DOC? Others?

Blueboarhound · Nov 27th, 2011, 11:41 am

Welcome to the addiction.....

SP3 · Nov 27th, 2011, 12:05 pm

before you got to the part where you said you love it, I was going to pm you and tell you I'll be down to relieve you of your agony. I'd even pay you a bit. F'ing whinger.

Congrats!

JackisMe · Nov 27th, 2011, 2:17 pm

So faking,
This IS the therapy group. We're all afflicted, but there is a certain comfort in numbers.

Sent from my Motorcycle iPad app

judd184 · Nov 27th, 2011, 4:18 pm

I have a similar story with my '01 750SS. Previous owner didn't know much about bikes, let alone Ducatis. Over the past 2 years have rebuilt the engine top to bottom, inside and out, new hi-comp pistons, one head, and everything else I could think of. Had in and out of the bike 3 times to chase oil leaks that I didn't seal up properly during the assembly. I now have a great-running, smooth idling, hard pulling little Duc. It's still ugly (bad paint & fairings) but at least it seems mechanically right. This winter will see new springs front and rear, re-sealed and re-oiled forks and (hopefully) paint. Nothing professional, but anything will be better than what it is.
Had lots of heartache throughout the whole process and spent way more than the bike's worth, but even so I still love the little beast

CaribooBC · Nov 27th, 2011, 6:35 pm

What, you talking about insanity? You only have one Duc, insanity is when you become a multiple Ducati owner!

Punch · Nov 27th, 2011, 6:45 pm

It gets "worse"

I came back to motorcycling after 20 years of marriage "got in the way" and bought my 900SSie new in 2001.

The addiction to two wheels means I still have that, fairly customised bike.

I now have 3 more projects on the go.

A 1964 Lambretta LI150 Special basket case where very nut and bolt has been undone.
A 1959 BSA Shooting Star - long term cafe racer project, but with lots of carbon planned and a general diet.
A 1969 Yamaha DS6 (free) that will be fully stripped and restored to original.

In between I restored and custom painted a CBR250RR and a ZXR250C. Both are 250cc 4 stroke, 4 valve screamers that rev to 18,000 and sound like F1 cars. Lightweight, addictive and a hoot to ride, but they had to go.

Just keep your eyes peeled for the next one!

TassieDave · Nov 27th, 2011, 6:59 pm

That is sofa king sad.

I'm with the others and would like to be in the same situation as you. Mine was bought from a caring owner so anything I've done was to enhance it. I have started thinking about looking for a cheap rough early Monster (for when I get older) that needs work. I've gotten over the oriental makes. Been there, done that - kept my last Honda but don't have a t-shirt yet. I'm another of those that have been riding for 30+ years and an none the wiser.

But my 18 year old bike can keep annoying my 50+ year old right wrist a bit longer. I just need to wait until I am older and the bladder breaks to have to occur more often so I can the "relieve the pain".

Ducati 748 Delaware · Nov 27th, 2011, 8:04 pm

You are to be commended for taking on such a project.

Can you post a photo, it sounds so kool.

Your enjoying something a lot of people would love to have, pat yourself on the back and proceed on.

Later, George in Delaware

Sofa King · Nov 27th, 2011, 8:27 pm

Thanks guys, it helps to know others are like me. I mean, if I were in a room with all of you, I'd be pretty close to 'normal'.

So let me see if I can post a pic here from facebook. It's about a month old, and I've since gotten the 1/2 fairings on since then. In addition to new belts, rear wheel (since the PO didn't replace the bearings and it wallowed out the bearing race), new tires, new DID gold chain, and cut down the clutch cover.

I will get an updated pic ASAP. It's dark now. But I did upload a video of it running the other day too. Check it out here...

https://www.facebook.com/video/video...=2365489529041