Latest Progress

Tomorrow is the final day I'll be able to work on the bike in person for some time. I was able to resolve several issues with fitments and decide on my game plan for the next few weeks.

The brake/clutch lines are due in late next week or the beginning of the following from Motowheels in California. Again, Brian & Ed have done much to make things go as smooth as possibly for me. Along with the brake lines I should also be receiving a set of billet fork preload adjuster knobs for the tops of the Showa forks. They'll give me the opportunity to change the preload when I desire, and just as important, they will look quite nice.

Unfortunately for me came the realization that the sidestand mounts on my M900 are the older much larger diameter style and thus the CycleCat Billet Sidestand (DKS-35) will not work with my system unless I change the mounting to a newer style configuration. This looked quite feasible until the costs were investigated. A quick look at the mounting plates and costs through BikeBandit schematics show that the system is around $100 and at this point I'm not willing to spend nearly 250 big ones to have a better looking and slightly better functioning sidestand.

The installation of the Nichols Breather went without any problems as one might expect and the K&N filter slid neatly on top of it and came supplied with the necessary plugs to close off the airbox where existing hosing ran. Quite convenient and easy to use. In the same neck of the woods the gas vapor canister and oil breather box have been completely removed as have the carburetor vent pods. Other body parts I have decided to remove from the bike include the model indicating side panels as well as the rear-hugger. I may decide to revert to a rear hugger after several rides so I am keeping all parts for just such an event.

The removal of the existing license plate bracket and blinker mounts in the rear went smooth, though it required the removal and disassembly of part of the rear brake light to access all the appropriate bolts. The TPO license plate bracket bolted right up and the wiring for the blinkers, etc was relocated to the under seat area. The Rizoma blinkers were slightly trickier to plug in than I originally anticipated but not because of the stock wiring but because of the proprietary plug in the middle of the LED signals wiring. Apparently my fingers were a little big, but with a narrow straightedge the problem was solved.

Alain installed a new tire on the rear as it was due while he replaced the chain and both sprockets. The tire is a Michelin Pilot Power while the chain is a D.I.D. 520ERV3 purchased along with the AFAM sprockets in a group buy on the DML. This proved a very cost effective method of changing to a 14T front sprocket and a 40T rear. While installing the tire, chain and sprockets, I purchased from Corsair Industries a set of billet chain adjuster plates that are much nicer looking and have less "slop" in them (as Alain defines it).

In other news, the fiberglass short bellypan purchased from Red Racing will be mounted tomorrow morning and trimmed as necessary before it shipped out of state for paint. This is to be coupled with the receipt of the Ducati Performance carbon dash with tachometer in the mail to me that should be here on the 16th. Talk about things all coming together! Sorry There Were No Pictures in this LONG Post!