[woodsman]

I'll give them a call as soon as I get a chance next week.
I've used a guy called Bill Roberts for seats/ fairings quite a few times. He supplies the likes of Mead Speed MeadSpeed
Don't think he has a website, and he's not the easist to get on with on the phone, although nice enough when you meet in person. It's been over 3 years since I've spoken to him, but I'd be happy to give him a ring. I think the postage costs could be a deal breaker tho.

No hurry on this, I really need to get the bike into some heat and go through it before we commit to the spend. It was a hitter, looks alright, but you can't see much with the fairings on.

Shipping to the middle of nowhere is always costly. In this case there is a real added value to knowing the parts are of quality and going to fit. Some extra shipping cost doesn't feel nearly as bad as banging your head against the wall.

 

[woodsman]

I got the 900 running. Clutch is very noisy but it seems to engage smoothly. The temperature was below freezing and it fired right up. I generally take that as a sign that you have a pretty good seal in the cylinders.

The plan to build it into a Stevio Imola is moving in the right direction. It has become a more involved process but a lot more interesting at the same time.

Having the tank made is the most difficult problem to overcome. It's shaped by hand (I picture a grumpy guy smoking a pipe) and to do this they need a buck or the bike. We have come to a decision on how to resolve the issue but it may take a some time to get it done.

While the opportunity to have custom gas tanks made was here, we started thinking about what could be done with the ST. Completely different frame rail angles, plumbing sticking out the left, electronics and battery on the right, rad at the front. What do you build?

ST3- the green line is the angle of the SS's frame. The tail of the ST sits at less of a pitch than the SS. A lot more clutter to hide on a liquid bike.

 

[woodsman]

The 800 is running, It was the immobilizer that wasn't letting me start it, Deleted the immobilizer and it fired right up. Actually has a nice sound from the pipes, I thought it would be brutally loud but it's only obnoxious.

The SS has really grown into a bigger project than we first anticipated. It turns out that the easiest way to proceed is to buy a bike in the UK and have Steveo build and ship us one along with an extra set of parts for the SS we have here. Steveo has sent us several listings for potential donor bikes but what are we going to tell him about Ducati's

Having built the Imolas in the past there are some things Steveo has said he would like to change or do differently and we are thinking about some small cosmetic changes but it will basically the bike Steveo has built in the following link.

900ss Imola project

Decided to take the plunge, and give this a go. Bought a 1999 900ss for £1700 last Friday, and spoke to Chas Mortimer this morning. Hopefully he'll pick it up for me tomorrow, and deliver it in a few days time.

www.caferacer.net

For the ST we are considering importing a TT seat and fairing from TGA who special in parts for vintage TT builds. The idea would be to keep the tank and just incorporate the new body panels and more period correct exhaust.

Ducati Bodywork

Ducati Bodywork TTF1 TT2 TT1 Pantah Imola 750/900ss GT750 Mike Hailwood

www.tga.co.uk

 

[woodsman]

Thought I would update things.
We have bought a bike in the UK and it is in Steveo's shed where he has stripped it and is going through the bikes systems. It is being picked up by the engineering firm shortly for the fabrication work. We also made the decision to build a second bike here. Steveo and his people will make 2 complete sets of parts, including the tail framing and ship it with the completed bike sometime in the fall.
The 900ss we bought, with this project in mind, is just not in nice enough condition to justify the spend, so we'll clean it up and sell it. We did some hunting and came up with a 2005 800 with 5500km that we will modify instead. It has spent so much time sitting that we will do a complete service.

 

[woodsman]

While I have done nothing interesting with bikes since the spring Steveo has been working his magic on our bike.

Steveo is going to do a major service, belts, brake lines, pads, chain/sprockets, forks, tires and anything else he should feel needs attention. I believe he had a clutch in mind as well.

We went through several ideas on how to lower the top of the tank, compared to his previous design, and still maintain a decent fuel capacity. Moving the battery, changing the air box height, relocating electronics, etc. but there is no solution that wouldn't involve a bunch of design/fab work... and money. So it is not going to be for endurance runs.

We decided to go with a flush mount fuel cap rather than the Monza style.

The tail has been modified to fit the new seat. They have also made the second tail section for the bike we have here. I blew it on the order of the pics.

The exhaust tie in has been done and looks really good.

We decided to go with side covers which are a little tricky with the frame shape. The shape is starting to come, gives you an idea of what it will look like.

This bike will be black and gold but we are still undecided on the scheme. On the second set of parts I have been toying with the idea of going to an nontraditional colour. Any thoughts on colours?

 

[CaTacL1sm]

Simple color ideas:

Satin metallic green
Volkswagen Toffee Brown Metallic
Audi Nogaro Blue
Metalflake silver

Or....


Andy Warhol BMW art car inspired:

 

[Tinsnips]

I’ll second the Satin Metallic Green. And ask for the Silver Metal Flake for any stripe work.

Great looking build Woodsman.

 

[jcw]

Side covers aluminum? Very nice metal forming right there!
Nice job of the frame/subframe fab... Makes me want to weld something again.

 

[OldMan]

Black and gold and silver metal flake for sure I might be biased though haha

 

[woodsman]

CTac, based on the sample sent I believe we would want that Warhol guy to submit a design before he was considered. He didn't do that BMW any favours.

Fabrication of the tank is underway and Steveo has sent me some progress photos. I don't know if I mentioned it in an earlier post but the aim is to more of a 900ss style tank than the Imola design Steveo has used in the past. I think they are really capturing the feel of an old bevel.

This is the first time that my partner and I have been involved in a custom project of this complexity and thousands of miles away too boot. The saving grace is that Steveo agreed to build it for us. We have never met in person but through this process I have come to believe he is one of the most honest and decent people I have known. If, for your project, you want to commission a high quality person, not just skilled hands, then Steveo is the guy.

When they started into the tank and side cover fabrication it was a little nerve racking. You hope that we are all seeing the same picture of the finished product. And what we buyers have learned is that they are not right in step with our thinking but actually always a couple paces ahead. From the buyer perspective we feel we are at the STFU and let them do their thing point.

You can see the general ss shape is there. He'll continue working it until there is proper junctions and gaps.

We have become extremely confident that when Steveo is done we will have the finest SS replica/ restomod that has ever landed on our shores. We have an old friend, in the 40+ year riding club, that is so excited to take it on the show circuit next year that he is planning now for the season.

 

[jcw]

Ok, now I just feel embarrassed as sh!t. Lol...

 

[woodsman]

Ok, now I just feel embarrassed as sh!t. Lol...

Wouldn't you like to spend a couple days just watching him work. I imagine you would learn a pile of little tricks.

 

[brad black]

fu kin eh

 

[woodsman]

Cap is installed, although I guess it is not really a cap.

 

[jcw]

Stating the obvious. But his metal finishing work is excellent

 

[woodsman]

Just got a few shots of the tank bottom. Another week or 10 days and it will be out of fab shop and back to the Super Shed where Steveo will work his magic.

 

[Tinsnips]

That looks really good. Thank you for not showing the welds any closer and making me self aware of how much mine suck.

 

[woodsman]

That looks really good. Thank you for not showing the welds any closer and making me self aware of how much mine suck.

I'll bet he wouldn't sweat the leak test like you or I would. The other thought I had was how stiff my neck would be after sitting in TIG hunch that long.

 

[CaTacL1sm]

Couldn't you just POR15 the inside of the tank if you were concerned about porous welds?

 

[woodsman]

Metal work is done. It will be interesting to see, as they are handmade, how close he has gotten to making the two sets identical. The bike should get back to Steveo's shop this week and he will start the disassembly and rebuild.

We are currently trying to source the 5 spoke wheels that came on the 1998-2002 800-1000SS or the 2000-2001 Monster 900. Or an aftermarket pair that bolt on to a 2000 900ss. If anyone knows of or runs across a pair I'd love to hear.