Jag, what does an Italian mutt, being of various bikes, not a single model year or even model, sell for? Send me a PM, since even if you were to be willing to share that number, I doubt you would want it public knowledge.
I think I personally would have opted for the 16" Cone Engr mufflers. A long baffled can before the reverse cone would change the exhaust note and quieten it down. I had used a Dynamax Super Turbo muffler under the passenger compartment of an old 4 cylinder street rod I had, it had uprated motor and was already light and additional lightening and suspension mods made it very entertaining, not expected. Anyway, back on point, that was a 2" exhaust on a normally 1.5-1.75" exhaust in stock...the short free flowing muffler gave it a very deep and throaty exhaust and the increase in pipesize allowed the motor to pump more air out easier without dropping backpressure too much. Many thought it a v8 with its overlap on the cam giving it the typical v8 rumble.
Point is the placement of that muffler made the interior of the car resonate like a big bass drum and at 65-70 mph highway speeds it was intolerable as the muffler was beneath the rear seat area right at the rear axle allowing that resonating to occur both inside and out. To solve this I had two options, move the muffler further back below the trunk or insert a
16" glasspack muffler a few feet ahead of that muffler. I did the later and it changed the frequency of the exhaust to kill the resonating but inside the car would never be very quiet, the car was too old and it would have required a few thousand in sound deadening mastic panels all over the interior and the outer skin accessible where the rear seat side panels opened up into the quarter panels behind the doors. This car was from the 60 s.
So what? I think your exhaust could be easier on the ears if you put a pair of glass packs below the motor and then tied into your exhaust work.
Nice work by the way. I wish I had those skills.
Changing your cones to 16 inch versions would really quieten it further without removing the snarl and it would still have that meaty high strung italian charm.
I know, too late now for this...
You could sell the cone rev megaphones here if you were to say fit them with an extension that would give them a nice line for a 550 with the Delvevic ?spelling.? Header or another of the popular headers.
I need to have a set of 4 individual 550 header pipes be paired up to mate into a pair of Kerker 550 open megaphones I picked up a while back. I think they would sound nice... not sure if the muffler guys at a custom shop could do it, they are very good but I never see them do collector work welding pipes together after cutting them to join... beyond their typical work. You have that skill. They will be a back burner project until those intermediate pipes are fabricated.
I think Terry's suggestion is the way to go installing a lowering kit to get the bike to a comfortable height. I have seen very petite women ride Goldwings, that is a huge and heavy machine. Part of it is going to be psychological and experience. But, gravity and physics will take over from the psychological and smack you upside the head...so see if a lowering kit would be affordable and determine if this fiesty Italian will keep your interest while not breaking your bank account or marriage...or kill you.
It is pretty, the monster and scrambler are the two Ducati models I like and might consider buying. Finding a former one that isn't flogged or beaten to death might be a challenge if I am in the market for one. They tend to be well exercised.
Ask FunJimmy about his 916 or 919, forget which he has, it been eating very expensive crackers since last winter...I think all the parts made it to the Ducati mechanics/shop this week. The repair bill is more than a MC for how I would typically buy them...
I think part of this bike is going to be it will not be "perfect" and if you can accept its character, then you will get along with it. I have seen guys learn how to rebuild plastic body work and there are good how-to s on youtube and out on the web if you choose to do that for the front flyscreen plastics. Sanding back that screen I would pick up a good quality random orbit sander w/ dust collection to help speed things along and use one where you can usewet dry paper and rig a slow drip feed for a couple jets attached to keep the screen and paper wet. A small screw shutoff valve (maybe an air shutoff valve from an aquarium) could be used to throttle the flow of water in small tubes hot glued to the sander to apply the water while you work. Plastic needs to be sanded or buffed at slow speeds, less that 1500and probably more like 500-800 so, using a drill powered buffer is going to be better than trying to use a traditional buffer. Keep your heat down on the plastic or you will get deformation you may and probably will not be able to remove. Distortions fromleaving the buffing or sanding block/sander in one spot is another thing to avoid with plastics.
Buy high quality sandpaper that does not load up or fracture away, cheaper in the long run. Do not use below 600 and I would see what 800 would do... you are going to have to go through many steps from 800, 1000, 1200, 1500, 2000. For better results you will need to go to 2500 and 3000. 3M makes some expensive film based abrasives, call 3M's auto distributor or specialists, ask a paint supply for autobody for a regional rep #. They can guide you on what is going to be best for this (acrylic most likely) windscreen. Weigh the cost of materials against the cost of an aftermarket windscreen.
Novus and Meguiars make good plastic polishes once you get it sanded back to start returning to clear... Novus makes a deep scratch remover that you should probably use one you have the screen sanded to 2000 level....
I know plastic modelers who go to 4000 and 6000 when doing clear plastics. Technique is important and you will be Daniel-san level of wax on and wax off from Mr Miyagi ?spelling? for car and painting techniques.
Expect 15-20 hours if it does not go well and maybe if it does, that is a lot of time.
Time is the one resource which is limited for us all.
David
