Author Topic: I lowered my standards (Read 6540 times)

Scott · « **on:** June 11, 2021, 03:03:17 AM »

I picked this up from a mate the other day.

Scott · « **Reply #1 on:** June 11, 2021, 03:13:35 AM »

Whoops pressed send.

I used to have an SS years ago, but it hurt my back so I sold it. Haven’t missed it once really cause that’s when I bought my first CB750

A mate was selling this and it seems as comfortable to sit on as the CB750, just not as cool, but I thought I’d give it a shot.

PeWe · « **Reply #2 on:** June 11, 2021, 07:51:34 AM »

900SS, right?
The old Ducatis are collectors bikes too.
Restore this to old stock look and you'll have a winner!
They looked very nice!

Mark1976 · « **Reply #3 on:** June 11, 2021, 01:23:05 PM »

that's a great little purchase..... keeping an eye out on this.

Scott · « **Reply #4 on:** June 11, 2021, 01:43:48 PM »

Yeah it was a 900SS 1982

It was my only bike for a long time so I used to ride it everywhere and loved it until it started hurting my back and that's when I got into CB70's

I've never ridden a Darmah and this one isn't running or have brakes so it will be a few more weeks yet, but sitting on it felt very good riding position.

I ordered an exhaust from UK, rubber bits and pieces from here in Oz, brake master is being sent to me by a mate overseas, electronic ignition (Silent Hektik) plus odds and ends from here in Oz and lastly a rear wheel from here in Oz as the one on the bike has a crack in one of the spokes.

Some parts arrived already and waiting on others to arrive soon

Terry in Australia · « **Reply #5 on:** June 13, 2021, 02:18:34 AM »

Ha ha, enjoy that Dramah Scott, the old Bevel drive Dukes are a joy to ride when they're running well, but not so much for the other 364 days per year. I bought a 1979 900SS in 1989, and I've never been more miserable, but they're very collectable now, so mostly only seen in museums and private collections, which is probably a good thing. Regardless, enjoy it mate, I hope it's better than mine was.

Scott · « **Reply #6 on:** June 13, 2021, 05:19:40 AM »

G’day Terry, how’s it going

Surprisingly my SS only let me down twice and both times was because I didn’t switch it to reserve. Fairdinkum.

PeWe · « **Reply #7 on:** June 13, 2021, 11:58:04 AM »

Ducati bikes were rather expensive and above my dream area together with Rickman and Bimota.

Laverda looked and sounded fun but not my interest back then.

I was very close to trade my K6 into a new Suzuki GS1000G 1981, black with lightblue graphics.
I changed my mind in the last minute.
Too little money for my bike was my thought. This was before I made a total restomod. New bike should have been much cheaper!!!

Today happy I did not, Suzuki forum cant be as fun as this!!

desertrefugee · « **Reply #8 on:** June 13, 2021, 12:31:43 PM »

Dang. A 900SS. Sadly, too rich for my blood. I have to chip away at a collection, bit by bit. Don’t really have the means to grab a piece like that.

Congratulations on getting it back. Don’t let it go again.

Scott · « **Reply #9 on:** June 13, 2021, 07:15:48 PM »

The prices of the SS are stupid now.

When I bought my SS I put $40 to $50 a week into a coffee tin for 8 years. When it got to $16 000 that’s when I got the Ducati.

When I sold it I got $23 000 which was about $2000 more than I expected.

Terry in Australia · « **Reply #10 on:** June 13, 2021, 11:34:58 PM »

Quote from: Scott on June 13, 2021, 05:19:40 AM

G’day Terry, how’s it going

Surprisingly my SS only let me down twice and both times was because I didn’t switch it to reserve. Fairdinkum.

Good thanks mate, and you're not the first who've told me they had a really good run with their bikes, so I think mine was just a lemon, but in 1979 quality control was pretty much non-existent in the factory, and all sorts of scams were happening where factory workers were stealing parts and substituting non OEM (Chinese) bearings, leading to early failures. I first started looking for a 900SS in 1987 when there was a few 900SS' around Melbourne going cheap, and all of them were "non runners", looking unloved.

I went to Melbourne Suzuki looking for a 900SS, they were also the Ducati agent in Melbourne for a few years and the salesman I spoke to told me that they'd dropped the brand due to numerous warranty claims. He told me that they'd get a new Suzuki in, take it out of the crate, put fuel and oil in it, fire it up and ride it to Vicroads to get it registered. They'd get a new Ducati in, put fuel and oil in it, spend half the day trying to get it running, then trailer it to Vicroads to get it registered. I ended up buying a Harley, which I wish I still had. Enjoy that Darmah, I hope you get it running well. Where are you located?

Scott · « **Reply #11 on:** June 14, 2021, 12:47:38 AM »

Mate I live in Sydney near Parramatta.

The bike still needs a bit of work and I need the motivation, but I'll get there.

I'm putting electronic ignition on it and I might update the charging system too. So that's gotta help get it to run well. The wiring has been messed with a bit so I can see some head scratching in the near future.

I had a mate lined up to do the work on the bike for me, but he is tied up for quite a while with other projects and I thought I'd make a start on it.

I should be pretty familiar with the bike by the time I get it on the road.

Terry in Australia · « **Reply #12 on:** June 14, 2021, 02:35:56 AM »

Good luck with it mate, and keep the thread updated with lots of pics, for all my 900SS's faults, it went around corners and stopped like nothing I'd ridden up until then, and the sound from those Conti pipes was magnificent.

Scott · « **Reply #13 on:** June 16, 2021, 01:32:40 AM »

Exhaust turned up from a joint in the UK.

It was about $1300 to $1500 cheaper to get this one than to get a Conti replica system in Australia.

It looks a bit cheaper in places(mufflers) but it also looks great for the $1100 delivered.

Terry in Australia · « **Reply #14 on:** June 16, 2021, 04:05:10 AM »

That looks pretty good mate, and brings back memories. I was in the Army in 89/90, posted to Enoggera in QLD. Each morning I would ride past the 6 RAR (Infantry) parade ground, and being a straight road, I'd give it the berries, then back it off, enjoying the "BRAAAAP, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM..." note from my original Contis.

One day my Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) knocked on my door and warned me to hide my bike, as the RSM of 6 RAR was looking for me, and not to say "G'Day". No problem, I always parked it next to my office, inside my building, so he never found me, but I was happy that I'd pissed him off with the booming note from my old L twin.

Scott · « **Reply #15 on:** June 18, 2021, 12:57:28 AM »

That is a noise that I missed for a while, that V twin through the Conti’s. It took me a while to get used to the 750/4 sound.

It actually sounded quite strange for the first few weeks, then I got used to it, then I liked it and now I love it.

I’ve actually changed the exhaust on my 750/4 for the fourth time now just to hear the difference between exhaust systems.

Caliper kits turned up for the Darmah along with a genuine front master cylinder from a mate in Switzerland.

Terry in Australia · « **Reply #16 on:** June 18, 2021, 12:59:37 AM »

Nice. I've got a box of Brembo calipers here if you need any more.

desertrefugee · « **Reply #17 on:** June 18, 2021, 08:31:16 AM »

Speaking of calipers and (regrettably) completely irrelevant to the SOHC/4 discussion, a couple of months ago, I upgraded the brakes on my GEN1 Vmax to Hayabusa calipers. Let's just say that brake improvements are one of the BEST things you can do for a vintage machine. Since this photo was taken, I've added Galfer braided steel lines.

I'm not yet up to speed on the options for the 750 without changing fork lowers, but there "must" be adapter kits available.

Night and Day.

wesleypaul · « **Reply #18 on:** June 18, 2021, 03:07:01 PM »

Not bad at all

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Terry in Australia · « **Reply #19 on:** June 18, 2021, 06:00:38 PM »

Quote from: desertrefugee on June 18, 2021, 08:31:16 AM

Speaking of calipers and (regrettably) completely irrelevant to the SOHC/4 discussion, a couple of months ago, I upgraded the brakes on my GEN1 Vmax to Hayabusa calipers. Let's just say that brake improvements are one of the BEST things you can do for a vintage machine. Since this photo was taken, I've added Galfer braided steel lines.

I'm not yet up to speed on the options for the 750 without changing fork lowers, but there "must" be adapter kits available.

Night and Day.

Nice work mate, I've got the same calipers on my VTR-1000F, and installed a pair on a set of Kawasaki Z1-B forks as I was going to install lester wheels which allowed a bit more bulk on the inside of the disc rotor. I installed a PM 4 piston caliper on the front of my 1994 Harley XLH1200 and it pulls it up magnificently. My K2 has dual drilled cast iron discs, braided lines and a Yamaha FJR1300 master cylinder, and it hauls the old four down as good as any modern bike (well, from the last 20 years at least) so I don't think it's necessary to go any further, but there is an aftermarket 4(?) piston caliper setup available from Beringer for SOHC4's, if you don't mind the hole it'll leave in your wallet. This will do me.

https://beringer-brakes.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Catalogue-2021-EN-interactif-1.pdf

K2 Bitsa weekend 2-3 May 2021 1 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

desertrefugee · « **Reply #20 on:** June 19, 2021, 08:40:34 AM »

Quote from: Terry in Australia on June 18, 2021, 06:00:38 PM

Quote from: desertrefugee on June 18, 2021, 08:31:16 AM
Speaking of calipers and (regrettably) completely irrelevant to the SOHC/4 discussion, a couple of months ago, I upgraded the brakes on my GEN1 Vmax to Hayabusa calipers. Let's just say that brake improvements are one of the BEST things you can do for a vintage machine. Since this photo was taken, I've added Galfer braided steel lines.

I'm not yet up to speed on the options for the 750 without changing fork lowers, but there "must" be adapter kits available.

Night and Day.

Nice work mate, I've got the same calipers on my VTR-1000F, and installed a pair on a set of Kawasaki Z1-B forks as I was going to install lester wheels which allowed a bit more bulk on the inside of the disc rotor. I installed a PM 4 piston caliper on the front of my 1994 Harley XLH1200 and it pulls it up magnificently. My K2 has dual drilled cast iron discs, braided lines and a Yamaha FJR1300 master cylinder, and it hauls the old four down as good as any modern bike (well, from the last 20 years at least) so I don't think it's necessary to go any further, but there is an aftermarket 4(?) piston caliper setup available from Beringer for SOHC4's, if you don't mind the hole it'll leave in your wallet. This will do me.

https://beringer-brakes.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Catalogue-2021-EN-interactif-1.pdf

K2 Bitsa weekend 2-3 May 2021 1 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

Brilliant Terry! If one is good, two must be better. Right fork tube lower is already machined to accept the adapter and caliper. Looks like I just need to source the parts! I think I'm going to do this! Did you simply run two lines from the master?

Honestly, this will probably be after I can get a couple of other items squared away. And perhaps after some of the heat in Arizona dies down...only 47C today.

(Apologies to Scott for hijacking his thread that incredible acquisition)

MauiK3 · « **Reply #21 on:** June 19, 2021, 03:15:27 PM »

The two lower lines to the calipers are stacked on a double banjo under the headlight, easy stuff. I used the stock master cylinder, when it’s bled well, it works fine, some here will say it needs an over size MC but that makes the feel a little stiff due to less advantage. My stock MC works fine. Several shops sell all the stuff you need, mine came from Yamiya. I had the bracket and discs, just needed caliper(s), lines, the longer spring and the modified speedo drive.
My lines are black stainless, a must to reduce line flex and hence, lever travel.

MauiK3 · « **Reply #22 on:** June 19, 2021, 03:25:18 PM »

The calipers have the bleed and line connection ports swapped so both bleed holes face forward.

desertrefugee · « **Reply #23 on:** June 19, 2021, 03:56:46 PM »

Thanks. Yeah, I realized that I will need the bracket for the right side caliper - hopefully will be able to source one.

MauiK3 · « **Reply #24 on:** June 19, 2021, 07:52:51 PM »

Yamiya
David Silver Spares
Maybe other vendors.

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Author Topic: I lowered my standards (Read 6540 times)