[ifly65]

This forum is not like others

I just wanted to thank Fredsmoot23 for helping me. It has been a long journey since Jan when I bought this bike. I will NEVER buy a bike again without looking inside the tank with a flashlight and mirror.

After fixing the tank with Evaporust, I took off the old rusty carbs. I couldn't get the bolts off of the bowls. Fred picked up my carbs from my work. Super nice gesture considering we had never met before.

The carbs looked like an underwater ocean find, sort of like my tank did before I reconditioned it. I don't know how I ever got 200 miles (10 miles at a time only is how), with these bad carbs.

Fred suggested I grab a set of non-rusty, 'like new' 900ss 1995 carbs from Wounded Duc. They arrived in 2 days. Today he rebuilt them for me with 2 sets of 750ss carb kits off of ebay (thanks casor).

Ive never been a part of such a great forum as this one. Fred found me on here and reached out to me after reading about my tank/carb issues. We live in the same area (pretty close too).

Thank you Ducati MS, Fredsmoot23, Wounded Duc and all the members on here that have helped me!!!

Now I am nearly 'banned' from riding my bike until he helps me change my belts!

Wow...thanks again Ducati ms.

 

[Peevedkitten]

It is definitely an awesome place filled with awesome people. The amount of knowledge and willingness to share that knowledge is nothing short of incredible. The passion of everyone on here is absolutely infectious!

 

[FredSmoot23]

like others..

I am more than glad to help another enthusiast with their Ducati, knowing the pleasure riding mine gives me.

Fred

 

[ifly65]

I am more than glad to help another enthusiast with their Ducati, knowing the pleasure riding mine gives me.

Fred

Thanks again Fred! I forgot to ask when I was over...is that your x-ray in the avatar?

 

[ifly65]

It is definitely an awesome place filled with awesome people. The amount of knowledge and willingness to share that knowledge is nothing short of incredible. The passion of everyone on here is absolutely infectious!

Yeah Peevedkitten you are right about that. Ive been on RC forums for years. The bad apples on those forums nearly ruin the hobby. I read a thread on here where a new guy...first posts...was being a real smartass for no reason...the members on here didn't flinch or fall for it...they stayed calm, polite and professional throughout the post.

Great name btw. I have a hybrid Bengal and he is a riot.

 

[ifly65]

I am more than glad to help another enthusiast with their Ducati, knowing the pleasure riding mine gives me.

Fred

I just took a good test ride. For the first time since Ive owned it...no issues!

Thanks again Fred.

The power band is much different now. Much more pull in the higher revs from 4k on up without any hesitation.

 

[FredSmoot23]

like other....

yes, that is an x-ray of my right ankle, three breaks - two plates, and ten screws. It only took me 60 years to break it....

Glad your 750 is running better....

Fred

 

[WileECoyote]

Good on you Fred for the willingness to help. I have often thought this place in the interwebz is special. You have confirmed my thoughts.

Yall be safe out there......atgatt.

 

[ifly65]

yes, that is an x-ray of my right ankle, three breaks - two plates, and ten screws. It only took me 60 years to break it....

Glad your 750 is running better....

Fred

Ouch that sucks.

 

[SpeedyCorky]

so good to hear these stories where a forum and its members help avoid someone from having to go to the stealership!

 

[ifly65]

so good to hear these stories where a forum and its members help avoid someone from having to go to the stealership!

I was close to going to the dealership for the first time!

Ducvet talked me down off of a cliff a couple of times. RockAZ and Iwannaduc, casor and spacey I cant thank you guys enough for watching my posts and helping. All super nice guys and helpful to a first Duc owner/noob that I am.

I got a PM from Fredsmoot23...my new St. Louis Ducati pal. He put my carbs together like a surgeon. I was barely an assistant. He was very organized and methodical during the process. He actually did the rebuilds like Ive seen instructors do in tech school videos.

Im now waiting for new belts from Ducati. My upgraded 900ss carbs test ride went great. Its fast and nimble. I love the torque and the way this bike handles.

Thanks again guys!!!

 

[casor]

Good on ya man - you actually CAN work on these things yourself, but the learning experience is often not fun. To wit: Experience is something you get after you need it.

And, as always, I am happy to offer bad (but free) advice.

 

[rwantin]

I've gone to this well more than a few times over the years, there are indeed some great people here.

I'm pretty decent at twirling some wrenches and screwdrivers, but sometimes you get stuck, and the people that have been there know all the useful hacks. A 27-year-old Italian motorcycle is often a fickle mistress, but keeping her on the road is a noble cause. And to have this kind of support, well, it is, for lack of a better word, awesome.

 

[casor]

I've gone to this well more than a few times over the years, there are indeed some great people here.

I'm pretty decent at twirling some wrenches and screwdrivers, but sometimes you get stuck, and the people that have been there know all the useful hacks. A 27-year-old Italian motorcycle is often a fickle mistress, but keeping her on the road is a noble cause. And to have this kind of support, well, it is, for lack of a better word, awesome.

I agree that the Ducatis can be high maintenance and sometimes problematic. But I have to say that the two "modern" Ducatis that I have owned (900SS and 916) I bought new and had very few if any problems. I still have the 1995 916 with 17K on it and had only a water temp sensor go bad as well as the infamous WT gauge lens crack. That is it according to my log - the bike looks and runs like it did when new. But while I used to run it a bit hard, it was always coddled in a warm garage and up to the minute maintenance. So, the message here is that, once they are set up and cared for, they are great bikes.

 

[ifly65]

I agree that the Ducatis can be high maintenance and sometimes problematic. But I have to say that the two "modern" Ducatis that I have owned (900SS and 916) I bought new and had very few if any problems. I still have the 1995 916 with 17K on it and had only a water temp sensor go bad as well as the infamous WT gauge lens crack. That is it according to my log - the bike looks and runs like it did when new. But while I used to run it a bit hard, it was always coddled in a warm garage and up to the minute maintenance. So, the message here is that, once they are set up and cared for, they are great bikes.

And the Ducati kindness continues:

Today Fredsmoot23 came over and put on new OEM belts. Know I now how to do this. I was needed to hold the pulley on the back belt, other than that I watched and learned.

I am now done with the maintenance with a new log book. I have an excellent running and looking bike (thanks to you guys on this forum...and thanks to belter, I forgot to add him to the list above).

Thanks again Fred for coming over in the heat and teaching me more about my bike. Great tips all the way around.

 

[spacey]

Excellent to see knowledge passed on. FYI there is a seller on Ebay, "thomasperformanceparts", that makes a tool for holding the cam pulley when changing the 2V belts. It is only a few dollars and I found it to be very helpful when I changed the belts on my 900SS. First time I did it, I over tensioned the belts slightly using CA Cycleworks 5mm-6mm wrench measurement process.

 

[ifly65]

Excellent to see knowledge passed on. FYI there is a seller on Ebay, "thomasperformanceparts", that makes a tool for holding the cam pulley when changing the 2V belts. It is only a few dollars and I found it to be very helpful when I changed the belts on my 900SS. First time I did it, I over tensioned the belts slightly using CA Cycleworks 5mm-6mm wrench measurement process.

Thanks spacey, Ill look for that. Yep Fred did the 5mm-6mm trick.

 

[StraDuc]

Excellent to see knowledge passed on. FYI there is a seller on Ebay, "thomasperformanceparts", that makes a tool for holding the cam pulley when changing the 2V belts. It is only a few dollars and I found it to be very helpful when I changed the belts on my 900SS...

He sells them direct from his web site as well and that saves him the PayPal and eBay fees. Just sayin'. Phil is a good guy, makes good tools at reasonable prices and deserves our support. I have the clutch holder tool and it works great and has held up well. His use of Delrin and Urethane keeps the tools from scratching your engine parts. Two thumbs up.

 

[spacey]

Thanks for the info. I also have the clutch basket tool. When I need something else, I'll look to buy it direct from him.

 

[redpato]

Seeing the info on Thomas Performance Parts here I ordered the cam pulley holder and chain alignment tools direct.