Sig Change

I appear to have added a 1995 Ducati 750SS to the garage....

http://www.italiancar.co.uk/ducati.jpg

Collection next Saturday.

 

**** 1995. The year of the big crank defect. They grenade around 15k.

 

Heh, you ****.....

 

Looks nice, but also looks really uncomfortable...

Then again, you're a bit shorter than wot I am

 

hardly an issue, it's not he will ride further than the MOT station once a
year

 

Oddly, that's the one thing that the old carb-fed bikes aren't (can't
comment on the newer ones).

They're really comfy over distance. You've got a deep well-padded and
well-shaped seat and a riding position that's just about perfect. It's
nowhere near as radical as the similar-era 748/916 bikes.

I've done over 600 miles in a day on mine, and been compos mentis with
no aches and pains at the end of it.

I've got to admit it's not exactly what I expected when I bought mine.

Steve, a few things to check:

The nuts and bolts that join the two halves of the fairing under the
engine always corrode to ****, making getting the fairing off a PITA.
either grease them really thoroughly or, better still, replace them with
those black plastic number plate nuts & bolts.

Head races - no water seals on the lower races so they're short lived.
When replacing, absolutely massive amounts of grease are the way to go.

Rear wheel spacer, the one that goes on the left-hand side by the
sprocket: it is possible to get this the wrong way round, and then the
sprocket carrier has lateral movement and can grind against the swinging
arm. DAMHIKIJK,OK? FFS, make a careful note when you remove the wheel.

Make sure you have the correct sized allen keys to remove the wheels in
the toolkit. These are *not* supplied as standard.

Swinging arm bearings - ball races that go into the engine cases, blind.
Without the right tool to get them out, forget even trying.

Connection to the starter motor solenoid can get manky and then it won't
start although you can bump it). Dead easy to clean and re-fit, though.
Had to do it on mine.

Brake calipers just never, ever, ever seem to corrode and seize. Looks
like the pistons are made of some sort of stainless material. This is A
Good Thing.

I see yours has had the fairing mirrors replaced with bar-end units,
probably because the OE mirrors don't let you see much. Halfrauds do
some aftermarket sports car items that are a direct bolt-on to the
fairing, or just Google for pattern mirrors.

Has it got the rear seat pilion cover? They're in the want as they seem
to self-detach easily. I have never, ever used mine, and it's still in
the garage, but people will pay £40 for them. They do make the bike look
nicer.

Exhaust manifold collets, especially on the front pot (which gets all
the road crap) corrode and fall to bits. Mine were replaced last year.
Not a real hassle, but something to bear in mind.

Black chrome on the exhaust cans doesn't last. I fitted as-new cans to
mine last year. I've actually got a brand new r/h can in the garage.

Still on the cans, remove them *now* and smother the stubs with Copaslip
before refitting. Unlike just about every other can I've come across,
they don't slip *over* the headers, but *into* them and they rely on
being a nice tight fit. There are no clamps to tighten up at all. Yes,
they can seize absolutely solid and then applying serious welly to
remove them will damage the headers. Again, DAMHIK. Oh, and again, the
header pipes *are not the same as 900 ones*.

The fluorescent orange needles fade to pale orange over time. As does
the 55mph mark on the speedo. They all do that.

Get a Ducati front paddock stand. You'll need it. Any decent paddock
stand copes with the rear.

That looks like a nice one, and for £1500, superb VFM. well done. You
are now the third person to buy a 750SS after having ridden mine, which
amuses me rather.




Wheels are soft and deform easily, especially the front. I had to have
mine re-straightened a couple of years ago. Cheap job from a specialist.

Don't be tempted to lift the tank on its hinge with a full fuel load:
this can overload the hinge.

If you decide to replace the cans, no matter what people tell you, 900SS
ones *are not the same* and may require a bit of bodging to fit. Always
make certain that you're buying ones designed for the 750.

 

What's so special about the front forks that a universal type paddock
stand won't work well enough?


--
Lozzo
Suzuki SV650S K5
Honda CBR600 FW trackbike
Yamaha SR250 Spazz-Trakka
Suzuki GSXR750 L
Suzuki TS50X
Suzuki TS50X

 

Um, not sure, actually. You're probably right. I find a Ducati one is
easy to use, though: it just slots nicely into the bottoms of the fork
legs.

 

Heh!

 

The owner has kept the standard mirrors, they'll come with the bike.

Yup, comes with that, too.

And the original rear indicators, which will be going straight back on
it when I get it home.

Just a bit of luck that I spotted it on eBay at the right time and it
wasn't in a place that was too hard to get to.

 

I did 160 miles before lunch today.

 

I bought this a little while ago, it's brilliant and so easy to use.
Both prongs are height adjustable with internal spacers, so those
stupid uneven height forks like RGV250s can be accomodated.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350036285760

--
Lozzo
Suzuki SV650S K5
Honda CBR600 FW trackbike
Yamaha SR250 Spazz-Trakka
Suzuki GSXR750 L
Suzuki TS50X
Suzuki TS50X

 

Bloody hellfire. I really don't think they come much better than that,
then. Not for £1500, anyway. When were the belts and shims last done?

 

Belts I've been told were 'done on time' - but I plan to get my local
MOT guy to do them for me for peace of mind - he has a small workshop
with a shop selling Chinese knock-offs, but is Ducati factory trained.

 

Wise move. It's a piss easy job, to be honest, and cheap.

Valve clearances take a lot more time, and if I were you I'd get them
checked too, and reset if necessary.

From experience, they stay in clearance for a long time. I think mine
needed no attention at 6k miles, just one shim changing at 12k miles,
most changed at 18k, and none at 24k. 30k is looming and we'll see.

 

Funny you should mention Ducati exhausts. Termi performance sets for the
ST4-S with the 996 engine are an eye watering £1000+ a set and almost
unheard of second hand.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250244603403
therefor I am feckin delighted, though it still *really* hurts an TOC like
me.

I've heard an ST with these. Fair to say clutch rattle at idle is no longer
an issue ;o) 1000 bomber raid anyone?

 

Really nice bloke Allan at A&R. He should get similar billing here to GLF.
I think he's mates with Graham anyway.
Bloody good source of pads, levers, stands, chains&sprockets and most other
stuff.

www.arracing.co.uk
http://stores.ebay.co.uk/A-and-R-Racing-Services

Is he in the FAQ?

 

No, but he and Jay, his missus, are two of the friendliest faces in the
race paddock. I always try and give them my business for these sort of
things before anyone else.

--
Lozzo
Suzuki SV650S K5
Honda CBR600 FW trackbike
Yamaha SR250 Spazz-Trakka
Suzuki GSXR750 L
Suzuki TS50X
Suzuki TS50X

 

Pah! Paddock stands....

That's what trolley jacks and axle stands are for.

 

Worse. A wannabe