Frame Cutting/Chopping

discussion about the 750 Sport and '89/'90 900SS, which share many mechanicals with the Paso series
angelix
Posts: 338
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2007 2:38 am
model: 907 I.E.
year: 1990
Location: UK

Re: Frame Cutting/Chopping

Post by angelix »

I just found this old thread were I was stating the bike was finished.... in 2012. yeah right... it took another 8 years and a Pandemic.

Now it is definitively finished. Insurance is paid, next week is MOT and Tax. fingers crossed.

http://www.ducatipaso.org/forum/downloa ... ef64f8b3b2
http://www.ducatipaso.org/forum/downloa ... ef64f8b3b2
http://www.ducatipaso.org/forum/downloa ... ef64f8b3b2
http://www.ducatipaso.org/forum/downloa ... ef64f8b3b2
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Frank.61
Posts: 264
Joined: Fri Jul 24, 2015 11:21 am
model: 750 Paso
year: 1989
Location: Belgium

Re: Frame Cutting/Chopping

Post by Frank.61 »

Wow, impressive!

The 916 looks with a desmodue engine, love it!

Am a big fan of the Ducati air-cooled engines and also a big Massimo Tamburini fan, so thumbs up!

Frank
Bimota SB4-S - 1984
Ducati Paso 750 - 1989
Suzuki SV1000S - 2008
Ducati Monster 796 abs - 2010
Tamburinifan
paso grand pooh-bah
Posts: 1527
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model: 907 I.E.
year: 1991
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Re: Frame Cutting/Chopping

Post by Tamburinifan »

Impressive indeed!!
Gert

907 I.E. -91
M900 -97
MTS 1100s -07
HIGHWAY89
paso grand pooh-bah
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model: 900 SS
year: 1989
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Re: Frame Cutting/Chopping

Post by HIGHWAY89 »

Angelix thats amazing , unreal mate, that must have been a hell of a lot of work, , imagination trial and error and all the rest, well done. i bet she goes and handles as well.
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randtcastell
Posts: 356
Joined: Fri Nov 13, 2009 4:33 pm
model: 750 Paso
year: 1987
Location: San Francisco Bay, California USA
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Re: Frame Cutting/Chopping

Post by randtcastell »

Yes, Ma Ta would love it I believe. He'd get a real kick out of your tight compact beastie. I imagine you have to fold yerself up pretty tightly to be a rider. Thank you for sharing. Tell us the stories: most difficult part?
1987 Ducati P750
1973 Honda CB450
2022 KTM RC390
angelix
Posts: 338
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2007 2:38 am
model: 907 I.E.
year: 1990
Location: UK

Re: Frame Cutting/Chopping

Post by angelix »

Thanks!

when I started the project I had a webshop selling racing parts, the idea was to build THE SS that Ducati never made dressing it up with parts I was selling on my website unfortunately I had some arguments with a couple of suppliers and for sometime the project was in limbo, then I discovered that Alex Orton in USA had built a singledsided Arm SS and that made me even angrier so I decided to abandon the project, this was around 2005-6 , I sold all the bits that were worth something and for a couple of years I forgot about it

I did have the engine ready and a lot of money was already invested so I decided to restart the project , but in economy using mostly parts sourced on ebay , as cheap as possible.

the most scary moment was when it caught fire... ELECTRICAL FIRE. I had a and old SS carburated loom and in made a mistake swapping two connectors and that caused a short circuit of such intensity that melted together the loom and the only way to stop it was cutting the battery leads, luckily I had nearby a set of pruning scissors and I managed to disconnect the battery; I think that was an oversight from whoever designed the look, later versions were made in a way that swapping connectors is not possible.

That was scary as I had a temporary nylon gas tank sitting on the bike and just by a miracle it did not catch fire.

The most difficult bit i think was getting the tank and the bodywork right... in over 15 years playing with it I tried several combinations of SS tanks , bodyworks original and modified ( SS old , sport, new SS , 848) in the end a friend of mine asked me what was the initial Idea... and I said " Singleside swingarm Aircooled SS with a hint of 916 looks without trying to copy it" so he convinced me to finish it that way.

I had few set backs, the worse was when I was preparing the tank for paint and discovered that it had been repaired in the past in such way that I could not believe someone would go that far....basically I had the tank repaired at the back, then I treated it with POR15 and all was getting ready for paint...

Then while cleaning it with a very agressive agent I noticed that all the paint at the bottom was melting and under that there was the original tank Paint (the original did not melt) ... I found that curious since it was weird that the bottom had been repainted making sure that the original decals (in, out and vent) remained untouched.

so I kept removing the melting paint when I discovered that all around the front bracket there was filler dressed in a way that it looked like a well made weld and under that a good dose of silicone sealant

Basically the bracket was moving, the tank was leaking and the pig who did the job instead of welding it decided to glue the thing with silicolne , paint it carefully and make it look good.

it took me 6 weeks of shacking and cursing to get the POR15 removed from inside and it did not even com out completely, I was so upset I decided just to repair the leak/bracket and not to reseal it and I will wait to see what it happens... should start giving me issues I will have one done in Aluminum by TA Classics.. I will be 600 quid poorer but my menthal sanity is more important.

Another issue was the fuel delivery, I was using a vacuum pump but that needs to be gravity fed or it wont work properly, so after much cursing I decided to go electric and fitted a inline Facet Posiflo and that works wonders with the Ignitech (it primes itself, and runs only if the ignitech senses the engine rotation)

The Special is the result of many bikes mixed together :evil:

Engine is from an Elefant 750 with dry clutch (racing 851 cover!) , Paso heads, F1 Primary and I have the gearbox modified using the Monster 750 secondary shaft and a mix and match gearset so they are more close ratio.

The engine was lightened , all moving parts were shotpeened and polished, I fitted a set of very hot NCR camshafts and FBF 13/1 pistons (real compression ratio measured ar 12.2/1)

Fitted with FCR39 carburators and Ignitech ignition and a TPS on the throttle; I am planning of upgrading the pickups to a HALL sensor sistem (supported by the ignitech) but I will decide after I use the bike a little.

The frame is from an SSie 900, modified using the rearpart from a friend's 748R or SPS (I don’t recall) who destroyed the bike in a superport race back in Italy (the bike went straight into the barriers , he could only save swingarm , suspension and silencers!)

All rear suspension is from a 916, the same goes for the fork, with the triple tree modified to fit the SSie Frame, also the rearsets are 916.

Tank is from a Sport 750, slighly modified to fit the frame and inside I fitted a ST2 fuel sensor so I can measure the level.

Bodywork is 996/998R with carbon ducts modified to match the SS frame; the ducts serve 3 functions... make it look finished, hold the direction lights and the bodywoork and take some air under the tank & seat to keep things cooler (especially under the seat)

The loom is a modified M900 and the clocks are ST2 so I can read the fuel Level and the OIL temperature; I also fitted a gear shiftlight (manageable through the Ignitech) and a StarkBright intelligent LED to keep an eye on the charging system

Rear brakes are 916, Front are 999 with reservoirs modified using the 1098 brackets and reservoirs

The side stand is from a Cagiva Mito modified so it closes itself like all Ducatis (I prefer that)

Clipons are 916 modified with longer Avional custom made bars (+25mm longer)

Then there are bits here and there from SS 750 & 900 old version

Ah yes the wheels are from a 996 and the front rotors came from a friend who had them on his Moster S4R

The seat is a standard monoposto covered with a beautiful cover made by MOTOK Greece (fantastic service and producs)

The exhaust headers are custom made and the silencers are standard 748/916 , I had a set of racing Termignoni (came with the bit of the frame from my friend) but they were so loud I though I would get arrested, I could not even start the bike!

I am pretty pleased with the result and it seems very nice to ride, tomorrow is MOT day...fingers crossed...
Tamburinifan
paso grand pooh-bah
Posts: 1527
Joined: Thu Jun 21, 2007 12:00 am
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Re: Frame Cutting/Chopping

Post by Tamburinifan »

Even more ipressed!!! :thumbup:
Good luck w MOT.

.The frame is from an SSie 900, modified using the rearpart from a friend's 748R or SPS
How did ypu do that?
Gert

907 I.E. -91
M900 -97
MTS 1100s -07
angelix
Posts: 338
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2007 2:38 am
model: 907 I.E.
year: 1990
Location: UK

Re: Frame Cutting/Chopping

Post by angelix »

Tamburinifan wrote:Even more ipressed!!! :thumbup:
Good luck w MOT.

.The frame is from an SSie 900, modified using the rearpart from a friend's 748R or SPS
How did ypu do that?

I met a guy who did Singleside conversions on Monsters and asked him to help, although initially some mods had been already made by Spondon Engineering.

For the frame always better go to the specialists...The same guy did the exhasust headers to fit the 916 central body and silencers
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randtcastell
Posts: 356
Joined: Fri Nov 13, 2009 4:33 pm
model: 750 Paso
year: 1987
Location: San Francisco Bay, California USA
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Re: Frame Cutting/Chopping

Post by randtcastell »

Thank you Angelix for the detailed write-up. Thank you for you care and consideration. Most enlightening and interesting. Good luck w/MOT!
1987 Ducati P750
1973 Honda CB450
2022 KTM RC390
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Derek
paso grand pooh-bah
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Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2011 10:13 am
model: 907 I.E.
year: 1994
Location: Scotland

Re: Frame Cutting/Chopping

Post by Derek »

I am very, very impressed by this build. Well done. I'm sure the MOT will be no problem.
1994 907ie
2017 Supersport 939
2015 Scrambler Classic
1982 Pantah 500SL (now sold)


Scotland
angelix
Posts: 338
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2007 2:38 am
model: 907 I.E.
year: 1990
Location: UK

Re: Frame Cutting/Chopping

Post by angelix »

The MOT went OK, going to the MOT was.... interesting. :phone:

First the bike did not want to start, :wacko: then it started but ran like crap :drunk: ;4 hours later and 4 sparkplugs it was running, but a little less than crap... :banghead: :banghead:

anyway I decide to go anyway... 1/4 thottle ... absolutely horrible then alfter its is blissful extasy :drunk: , I mean the "thing" (that is how I am calling her) over 3500rpm runs like a bat out of hell, I am actually impressed.

My arse-meteter tells me that it is faster than the SS750ie I have at my dad's in Italy and not far from the 907.... this thing is savage; I don't want to say it is more powerful than the 907... most likeky it is the power delivery that makes il look like is more powerful... like ....nothing, nothing, nothing, then WOWOWOOOOOWWW up to the limiter (set at 9500) and i9 am sure it would push further.

under 1/4 throttle or 3500 rpm is absolutely shit , I hope it is just a matter of fueling and tuning, I would be heartbroken if it was so hard to ride just because it is that way.

Anyway, Mid-top range is a rockect and I am impressed. The handling ....I find it frendlier than the SSie but I did not push the "thing" hard, I need to sort the carburation first and start trusting the bike, at the moment I am still looking for things that need to be tightened or adjusted.

One thing I learned today is the importance of the "shakedown" process... I lost a M12 exhaust header cap, so after 20 miles the "thing" was wistling lik a steam train... few other things became loose, and a couple of other things need to be addressed, but nothing serious fortunately .

Anyway now it is road legal (sort of :mrgreen: ) and I am happy. :P
Mc tool
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year: 1990
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Re: Frame Cutting/Chopping

Post by Mc tool »

ducbertus wrote:Hey Clive,



I heard great things about New Zealand. my son was there a couple of months as a apprentice in Invercargill on a dairy farm.



Best regards,

Bertus
No point in discussing the greater points of New Zealand with a jaffa :D ,he wouldnt know ....unless he has jumped the ditch :lol: .
I wish I was young again............Id be heaps smarter than last time
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Frank.61
Posts: 264
Joined: Fri Jul 24, 2015 11:21 am
model: 750 Paso
year: 1989
Location: Belgium

Re: Frame Cutting/Chopping

Post by Frank.61 »

Hi angelix,

Pleased to hear you passed the MOT!
Two valved Ducatis have a nice torque curve!

Sleep well tonight.

Frank
Bimota SB4-S - 1984
Ducati Paso 750 - 1989
Suzuki SV1000S - 2008
Ducati Monster 796 abs - 2010
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