Topic: If you could chop or customize one bike

[Retro Rocket]

What are you going to improve on the Ducati 

 How about;
 improved riding position..so you can ride 20 hrs a day.

 make it look like your bike, not Taglionis

 make a bike that fits your needs..
I think you pretty much just nailed it on the head.  Most Ducati's intended use is pretty narrow and specific...high performance street and track use.  Why chop up a bike that excels so highly at it's intended use so you can putt putt around to the pub, scraping pipes that flow less than the stockers on every barely enthusiastic corner.  "Hmm...that front brake doesn't look right, I think I'll take it off."
Do you really intend to ride 20 hours a day with a hardtail and ape hangers?  I'll gladly do half that with stiff suspension, rearsets, and clipons.  Maybe we need to define the word "chop" a little better here. 
I think you can improve any bike for long distance comfort and personalization without slicing off lifetimes worth of suspension development.
 In case some did not get the bulletin, North America, is well connected by Interstate highways.. Plus there is plenty of windy backroads you can enjoy, with bikes with moderate ground clearance..

Over stating things a bit eh.....    "lifetimes worth of suspension development"..... Actually the old Ducati's have a rather long wheelbase and steer fairly slow, might just make a cool custom...At the end of the day and engine is just an engine so who decides what should be done with it...?  The builder of course.....

Mick

[hotpocket]

seanbarney, the point of chopping a bike is to change it from a cookie cutter bike that everyone else has to something uniquely your own.  While improvements on some aspects of the bike may be made, this is not the purpose. you obviously don't get this or at least don't care for it.  
That is why i would love to chop a ducati. i've never seen it done and it would be awesome. I would build it the way I wanted it, not the way that everyone else wants it.

[seanbarney41]

Yeah, I see what your sayin' hot pocket.  Ducati's just another bike, right?  Unfortunately, one I'm not likely to be able to afford anytime soon.  Unless...you start a big Ducati chopping trend...then, in a few years, I can go around buying up all the old, out of style, lost interest projects and restore 'em.

[Kong]

Sure there are lots of bikes that could be chopped successfully, but the question was if you could only do 1.  Of course it has to be a Harley.  Now if you let me do two the second one will be a 650 Triumph and it will look a lot better than the Harley, and if I could do 3 I'd do a 750 Honda that would give both of them a good run for the money, styling-wise.

You can build anything and I dare say that even though it would make any purist want to vomit, I could make a mighty good looking bike out of most any modern Ducati if I had all the money in the world and a desire to turn a great bike into something much less just for the sake of a style - which thank goodness I don't.

By the way folks, there isn't a thing on this earth wrong with modern Harleys, its just a different kind of bike.  They have their place and the new ones are amazingly well made

[Retro Rocket]

Yeah, i think Harley engines definitely suit this application. I would be inclined to use a 1200 sportster engine simply because they are smaller and tidier than their Vtwin big brother....something like this..


Same bike ,different seat.



Mick

[Raef]

Yeah, I see what your sayin' hot pocket.  Ducati's just another bike, right?  Unfortunately, one I'm not likely to be able to afford anytime soon.  Unless...you start a big Ducati chopping trend...then, in a few years, I can go around buying up all the old, out of style, lost interest projects and restore 'em.

Used one's are not that out of reach, I got a 70 year old buddy getting read to sell his naked 750, it's 2000 I think I bet 2000-2500 would buy it.

I have rode it several times, it's nice, but it didn't seem like it was far Superior to many other bike I have rode and I really didn't care for the sound.

Mark

[754]

 I would chop a bevel Duc ,way before the new stuff.. some motors do look better a bit hidden..

 Also choppers do not all have apes, nor are all rigid..nor do they have to have poor brakes..

 I can ride 20 hrs on a rigid, not finding it a huge problem..

[Nikkisixx]

I'd bob a Late 60's Triumph. 

Harleys are the dead horse drawing flies in the corner next to the baseball bat.  In-line fours look goofy as a chop/bob.  Newer bikes don't have the soul for a hardtail.  The Yamaha XS is just a good substitute for the Triumph and this is a hypothetical situation so why replace sugar with sweet-n-low?

[Retro Rocket]

I'd bob a Late 60's Triumph. 

Harleys are the dead horse drawing flies in the corner next to the baseball bat.  In-line fours look goofy as a chop/bob.  Newer bikes don't have the soul for a hardtail.  The Yamaha XS is just a good substitute for the Triumph and this is a hypothetical situation so why replace sugar with sweet-n-low?

I'd say the XS was the sugar, those bloody old Trumpies were a #$%* for maintenance... The old Yamaha leaves them for dead...

Mick

[Nikkisixx]

Hmmmm, my Brit bikes never really give me any more trouble than my Jap bikes.  I've known guys that weren't very good mechanics or riders that had problems with British bikes though...

   

[Stev-o]

Hmmmm, my Brit bikes never really give me any more trouble than my Jap bikes.  I've known guys that weren't very good mechanics or riders that had problems with British bikes though...

   

But you don't have to be a mechanic if you have the Yammie!

[Nikkisixx]

Hmmmm, my Brit bikes never really give me any more trouble than my Jap bikes.  I've known guys that weren't very good mechanics or riders that had problems with British bikes though...

   

But you don't have to be a mechanic if you have the Yammie!

LOL!  
You can be deficient in bed and still be married, but what is that like?

[Retro Rocket]

Hmmmm, my Brit bikes never really give me any more trouble than my Jap bikes.  I've known guys that weren't very good mechanics or riders that had problems with British bikes though...

   

But you don't have to be a mechanic if you have the Yammie!

LOL! 
You can deficient in bed and still be married, but what is that like?

Good mechanically,  Tick,  good rider,  tick, and good in bed.....ask the misses.. 
Still rather own the Yammy.... Unless the triumph is a late model one...different kettle of fish then....

Mick

[Stev-o]

Hmmmm, my Brit bikes never really give me any more trouble than my Jap bikes.  I've known guys that weren't very good mechanics or riders that had problems with British bikes though...

   

But you don't have to be a mechanic if you have the Yammie!

LOL! 
You can deficient in bed and still be married, but what is that like?

I honestly don't know.

[754]

 I have seen and built one Honda sohc4 chopper, but have seen many I dont like..

 I prefer very low (relocate stand) and short forks (but raked)with good brakes, high pipes. Some you see are excessivley wide looking due to the pipes they run and other factors.. not what I like..

 As far as Triumphs, I liked the old ones, dont care for the new ones.. As far as H-d, I like the look of the generator shovels..

[the technological J]

I have seen and built one Honda sohc4 chopper, but have seen many I dont like..

 I prefer very low (relocate stand) and short forks (but raked)with good brakes, high pipes. Some you see are excessivley wide looking due to the pipes they run and other factors.. not what I like..

 As far as Triumphs, I liked the old ones, dont care for the new ones.. As far as H-d, I like the look of the generator shovels..

you got any pics of said sohc?

[the technological J]

as far as the duc's go heres an interesting one........ more customized ducs here.....
http://www.bikeexif.com/search?cx=partner-pub-0137117447132876%3Ayweoma521j0&cof=FORID%3A11&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=ducati&sa=Find&siteurl=www.bikeexif.com%2Fbrough-superior-pendine#1341

[754]

 I think we scanned and posted a few pics quite a while ago..  will see if I can find that..

 I found them, they are under.. 754 pics... on sohc4 bikes..

[Don R]

Gee, I donno,

[Stev-o]

Don - the top one!

[the technological J]

is the neck the only thing adjusted on this bike to increase the rake for the extended forks?

[754]

Thegabriel, did you check the pics?, probably on page 3 by now on  main forum section..

[Nikkisixx]

I think chopping some things is criminal.  A Ducati?  What are you gonna improve by chopping it?  It's already light, fast, looks good, handles good(in general).  People need to remember "if it works good, it looks good."

This thread is the first thing that came to mind when I saw this on CL:

http://charlotte.craigslist.org/mcy/2136370414.html


Ducati 900ss bobber - $1500 (South Charlotte)


1996 Ducati 900SS/CR. Bike has been changed from a streetbike to bobber with forward controls. Swingarm has been extended. New springer seat. New stainless braided clutch and brake lines. New front and rear tires, not even 10 miles on them. New chain. New sealed battery. Single round headlight, single round led taillight. This bike roars, is very loud. Bike sits low and is very light weight. This is a one of a kind bike. You will never see another like it.
Does need the wiring shortened. Right now none is showing, however its tucked under the tank and could be redone.
I can throw in a helmet with it.
I am hopping to get $1500 for it, but I am moving and need cash bad, so I am open to many offers. NEED it gone!
Please call, txt, email anytime. Rob at 704-930-4548
Pics are from before the wiring tuck.

[Retro Rocket]

What a waste of a nice Ducati....

Mick

[JAG]

XS650 All the way. It has the same looking engine as the Triumph but half the cost. I have been looking for a XS for quite some time that someone didnt want an arm and a leg for.

Seems like I can get CB's for around $400-$600 all day long, but a piece of sh*t XS is well over $1600.. 

Can't wait to bob an XS.. It's going to be my next build and probably be cataloged here in the "other bikes" section just got to find one worth purchasing..