fixing up a 907ie

[samandkimberly]

I just became a Ducati owner -- again. A 907ie just seemed like too good of a value and, before you know it I owned it. I paid $3,400.00 for a bike with 18k miles, pipes, chip, Corbin, nice bodywork (albeit with a couple of scratches), a new clutch, recent regulator, a new rear tire. Ran great; good deal.

The first problem I encountered was the chain/sprockets. I should have looked closer, but the rest of the bike was in such good shape! The rear had exactly two teeth left. So, $250 gone to a chain/sprocket set. Oh - and the front tire needed replacing: there's another 150.00 for a new Michelin.

The valves didn't sound right, so I popped the covers and radiator (a mere hour or two on this bike) to check them. Uh-oh - lots of side play on both exhaust valves - needs new exhaust valve guides. This, as I'm sure many here know, is not an uncommon problem with Ducatis. So, off go the heads, and I take them apart, only to find that not only are the exhaust valves shot (not surprising) but the intakes are bent! Riddle me this: how do valves on a stock, never taken apart desmo engine get bent?!?

A quick call to my Ducati dealer (one very highly regarded by many people, including me) and I find out that new Ducati valves are 126.00 each! WTF?!?!? Even the Ducati dealer thought this was extreme, but hadn't really looked around for an alternative. That's where I'm currently at, trying to find a realistically priced set of valves..anyone have a suggestion?

So, here's the current bill for my 907ie:

bike 3,400
tire 150
chain/sprockets 250
Valves, if I'm forced to buy from Ducati 500
guides 50
headwork 200
gasket kit, with shipping 50

Total of 4,700.00 give or take, plus a lot of labor. I'd guess conservatively ten hours once I'm done, bringing the total to... well over 5k, or what I thought the bike was worth in top condition. I'm still glad I bought it, but I'd certainly lose a lot of money if I sold it tomorrow..

There are two points I'd like to make. First, to Mr. "Looking for a 907IE to fix up". Great bike. Great idea. But realize that you will probably spend more fixing one up than buying a clean one would cost you. I'm a relatively knowledgeable Ducati guy, having built and raced both singles and a belt drives for years, and I'm still only coming out even on this one. I'm not saying it's a bad idea to fix up bikes, just that it's hard to even break even fixing up any motorcycle, let alone a Ducati.

Second, to the buyer looking for tips - there are a million problems that you can't/won't see on a bike w/o taking it apart at least enough to check the valves. Most sellers are not going to let you bring the bike to an expert to do so, and anyone knowledgeable is going to charge you 100 bucks to really go over the bike, so to a great extent you just have to trust the seller. Well documented service records are a major plus - I now realize that the bike I bought, while obviously washed and waxed regularly, had probably not had more than 1-2 services in it's 18,000 mile life. Caveat Emptor.

Sam

[Tamburinifan]

A quick call to my Ducati dealer (one very highly regarded by many people, including me) and I find out that new Ducati valves are 126.00 each! WTF?!?!? Even the Ducati dealer thought this was extreme, but hadn't really looked around for an alternative. That's where I'm currently at, trying to find a realistically priced set of valves..anyone have a suggestion?

I bought 2 ST2 heads w good valves & guides on ebay f 110Eu.
Only problem is rev counter drive but that can be fixed.
Lotsa work, if you don`t do it yourself, expensive.

I agree, lots of hidden problems on a +15 years old bike.
Things like sprockets & things that wear, just normal IMHO.

[persempre907]

I agree, lots of hidden problems on a +15 years old bike.
Things like sprockets & things that wear, just normal IMHO.

It's so, after 15 years a replace of chain and sprocket seems just normal.
Unfortunately, 907 is known as prone to the valve guides failures.
You will find many topics here about.
Ciao

[Desmo_Demon]

Riddle me this: how do valves on a stock, never taken apart desmo engine get bent?!?

Sam,

Welcome to the forum and we wish you luck with straightening out your 907. I also know what it is like to get into a bike and find more wrong with it than original suspected.....which is normal with a used bike, I guess. As for bent valves.....sounds like either a broken belt at one time in its life or maybe someone had gotten the cam timing off by one tooth. If the valves are the same or interchangeable with another model Ducati, you can probably find used heads cheaper than new valves.

Terry

[jcslocum]

Sam,

Check out Chris Kelley for parts; California Cycle Works. He may have valves listed on his site. BCM in New Hampshire is a reliable source. Ask for Miles and tell him Jon Slocum sent you.

Bent valves are not eas on these bikes. Did it run "great" when you bought it?

[samandkimberly]

Riddle me this: how do valves on a stock, never taken apart desmo engine get bent?!?

Sam,

Welcome to the forum and we wish you luck with straightening out your 907. I also know what it is like to get into a bike and find more wrong with it than original suspected.....which is normal with a used bike, I guess. As for bent valves.....sounds like either a broken belt at one time in its life or maybe someone had gotten the cam timing off by one tooth. If the valves are the same or interchangeable with another model Ducati, you can probably find used heads cheaper than new valves.

Terry

Thanks. The valves were a surprise, but not a shock: I generally assume the worst when i buy a bike. I doubt the PO even knew; the bike didn't make a lot of unusual noise.

There isn't a scratch on the pistons. If the timing slipped enough to bend a valve there would be evidence on them. On a spring motor, I'd guess at overreving as the cause, but obviously not w/a desmo engine. I'm coming to the conclusion that they were bent when they went in at the factory. They aren't bent bad; they were seating OK. But they were too bent to regrind.

Sam

[samandkimberly]

Check out Chris Kelley for parts; California Cycle Works. He may have valves listed on his site. BCM in New Hampshire is a reliable source. Ask for Miles and tell him Jon Slocum sent you.

I know and highly respect BCM, though I haven't had a reason to deal with them since Bruce Meyers left. Now that I have another Ducati, I'm sure I'll be visiting them more. But they were the ones that quoted me 125.00 for the valves and, surprisingly, they didn't know of an alternative.

Fast by Ferracci has them on their site - 69.00. But I can't seem to get a return call from their parts person.

I looked at CCW; nice site, but no valves. That got me to MBP Ducati. Now I realize that I have an opportunity to improve on the existing design by making a larger slot instead of a groove for the retaining collet, and making some better collets than those pesky rings. So I'll be going with blank valves and designing my own retaining collets inspired by MPP's design, but with a wider seating surface on the valves. Fortunately I've got a good set of tools. :-)

Sam