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What have you done to/with your SS today?

288K views 2K replies 256 participants last post by  jdaniele 
#1 ·
Just checking to see what others are doing with their bikes right now.

Since mine is new and I'm going down the customization path (busted up side fairings makes this easier than it would be if they were pristine), I'm doing maintenance, reading up on things I don't know about (plenty) and shopping around on Ebay (Sorry, I'd buy from you guys here but I can't post in the classifieds yet).

Done something interesting?
New parts show up?

It might be inspirational to see what the rest of you are up to.
 
#897 ·
I snuck out for a test ride yesterday afternoon and the suspension mods were immediately apparent. I was also bedding in new front pads, so I didn’t do any heavy braking yet. At only medium lean the difference was immediately apparent. It was so bad before (22 year old fork oil and grossly undersprung on the front) that the contrast was huge.

Today, with the help of a friend, we took sag measurements and the front was bang in the middle of the Ohlins recommended range. The rear was on the soft end of the range, so I gave it a turn and a half of preload, which made 3mm difference to the rider sag and brought it closer to the middle. I’ll leave it at that until I get some time up and see how it goes.

Having a bike’s suspension set up for YOU makes such a difference. I know this from my 899 Panigale, which was way undersprung up front for me also. It took a grossly incorrect setup on my 899 to force me into investigating, and subsequently learning from experience, how important it is, and what a difference it can make. 30 years since owning my first bike, I am no longer in the ball park of a generic rider weight, which is commonly assumed to be something like 75Kg. I used to be 78Kg in my late teens and early 20’s, so everything was about right, but now I am 90! (Too much beer and curry - 30 years worth :crying:). But now I have two sweet bikes. Very happy!
 
#902 ·
FINALLY rode it to work today, and looks like I will do so for the remainder of the week. Riding opportunities, for various reasons, has been pretty thin this season. So much so, that I started questioning if I should even have it. The ride this morning, and THAT SOUND, quickly put the notion to rest.
 

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#906 ·
Got a load of new parts in for my resto mod. The biggest of them I guess is the the front wheel. The old one was bent, twisted and egg shaped. When I rolled it across the floor, it both wobbled and hopped...and as I stood looking at it once it stopped, I could see a definite twist to the wheel hoop. So, got the bearings out of it, along with the spacer and the speedo drive and bought myself an SSie front wheel. At least it is straight. New bearing for all on the horizon..sean
 
#907 ·
SS today...

Well, maybe not just today, but I re-installed my gauges with freshly repainted needles into a new foam surround. Prior days, I installed a Shorai battery with a new mosfet voltage regulator from roadstercycle.com to cure my charging problems. Some changes to the wiring harness as needed, with excellent results.
So, on the road again, just can't wait to get on the road again....

Fred
 
#908 ·
Well, maybe not just today, but I re-installed my gauges with freshly repainted needles into a new foam surround.

Fred
I'd be curious to hear more about this. My recollection looking at my gauges was that there was no easy way to get the outer ring off the gauge without destroying it. Are you willing to share your method? My bike is garage kept and the needles are OK, but the rings could use some refinishing.
 
#910 · (Edited)
SS today....

greetings,

The work involved to remove the aluminum trim rings on the instruments is tedious. The trim rings were originally installed by machine, and not designed to be removed. Careful, gradual prying on the under side of the gauge allows the trim ring to come off. And slowly crimping the trim ring back into position gets things back in order. Patience is a necessary requirement, no replacements are available that I know. Break the glass and now you have to spend money....
I would not remove the trim rings to refinish them. I think one could mask the glass, remove the bad finish, and repaint. But, I have not done this, or any other method, in an attempt to refinish the trim rings. One should do all the gauges at the same time, to get a color and luster match, not just one or two.
Everyone has different skills and those needed to do this type of work are not learned by doing it the first time. No offense, just offering my advice. Redoing someone else's project is usually a disaster.

Good luck,

Fred
 
#915 ·
Made my bike a media star? https://www.ducati.ms/forums/6940121-post1.html Just posted up my first Youtube clip. Part of a longer one that I've just about finished editing and checking. Lol - just need my wifes phone to upload it, as our ADSL connection is way to slow to deal with 40 odd minutes (of pretty near continuous corners).
 
#916 ·
Nice! Same kind of roads I grew up on living out in Clevedon. I chuckled when you got to the road works. You can never go far in NZ without those. And they have a nasty habit of clearing up all the signs when there is still a lot of loose metal lying around, waiting to trip up unsuspecting riders. Never seen that hazard in other countries, where they usually clean up the road so it is safe before calling the job done.
 
#918 ·
Last time I went through there, the stop lights were back a bit - but they'd repaired that bit, and moved onto the next. There's a river down below, eating the hill away.

As for the remains of gravel - yup. Also from where they've resealed the road, and not swept up the loose chip. I've almost finished the full length version (still trying to get the editing right), but in that, you'll notice me slow down at odd points, for no discernible reason - and that's it - there is, or was recently, some repairs, and riding the road fairly often, I know when to back off...
 
#917 ·
My exhaust system was recently finished.


Bimota db4 headers and collector, Cone muffler, KTM Duke 690 powerparts hanger (massaged to fit the duc frame). I did the thinnin' and fitting, local welding guru did the welding.



FWIW, I have a second set of DB4 headers if someone wants to be creative. Fits the 900ss (carb'd and ie) engines, and perhaps the 800 or 750?
 
#919 ·
My exhaust system was recently finished.

Bimota db4 headers and collector, Cone muffler, KTM Duke 690 powerparts hanger (massaged to fit the duc frame). I did the thinnin' and fitting, local welding guru did the welding.

FWIW, I have a second set of DB4 headers if someone wants to be creative. Fits the 900ss (carb'd and ie) engines, and perhaps the 800 or 750?
Wow, impressive and very nice welding. How's it sound? :wink2:
 
#922 ·
Back in the 90's we would head out to the wilds of Brooklyn's Floyd Bennet Field. This was NYC's first "airport" and the runways made for perfect high speed runs as well as a home to the MSF school. Today tended toward the latter. Instead of 125 mph I was practicing turns, avoidance maneuvers and hard braking at 25mph. Lol. Also scrubbing in the new Pirellis and refamiliarizing myself with lean angles. I had the whole place to myself and it was amazing. Possibly one of the last best days of the season here.
 

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#923 ·
Got keen, and did a few things over the last couple of days - like fix my 'too bright' problem with my Lights On and High Beam dash LEDs. Really simple in the end - I just dabbed the end of the LEDs with a felt tip marker pen. Dropped the light output down so that they are still visible in the day, but not eye piercing bright at night. Photos to come in the 'Dim dash lights thread'. Also took some photos and measurements of my current suspension settings/preload/ride height - also to come in another thread. Then did the oil and filter change thing - and all set. So today, I headed off for a 400 km round trip to Auckland. :D To see my wife, and youngest son at Starship Hospital (childrens hospital). :( They've been there a week now (after several days in the local hospital - who were somewhat out of their depths with him), and looking like being there a few more days yet. Sadly no good ending on this one, just trying to deal with his pain levels.

The plus side was that the weather was great, and traffic not too bad (for a Friday). I even managed to avoid the local cops speed trap - but the cager that had been trying to catch me didn't! :yeah: Heh - I'd been aware of his lights catching me for some time - but I have the advantage in traffic, and had opened up a good gap - and into a high patrol rate area, I was sitting at a pretty exact 102kph, and those lights were closing... Then I was past the cop sitting on the side of the road, and no reaction. But I got to the end of the next straight, and 'those lights' - never came back into view. I didn't see any blue and reds come on, but ...
 
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#924 ·
G'day Steve

I hope the SS gives you some joy and takes your mind off other things in your life at the moment. Whatever ends up happening, I hope it can be the best possible in a difficult time. Stay safe.

Regards

Muddy
 
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#925 ·
I bought a junk set of adjustable Showa forks because they had good sliders and I had a bad one. I gutted them , one fork cap is broken but other than that they’re in good shape. I’m going to put new seals in them and transfer the GSXR guts over to them. I could put the stock Showa stuff back in mine and sell them, or keep them for spare parts. It appears the GSXR slider could be used in the Ducati forks if I cut them to the correct length.
 
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#927 ·
trying to get enough charge out of the battery to run it enough for the gas stabilizer to hit the carbs. I've waited WAY too long to try and winterize things.

I'm also building a stand to support the front end while the forks are being re worked.
 
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