The Mikuni carbs on my bike, 38mm CV-type, had been jetted years ago using a Stage 2 DynoJet kit. I might tell you that if I was doing it over again, I'd use the FactoryPro set up. I do like their products a tad better, but I'd still be lying. I'd skip the jet kit altogether. Its a mediocre improvement, and a waste of money in the long run. The Keihin carbs function worlds better, don't have ten-gazillion tubes running in and out of them for vacuum comparison, and remove the choke. Regarding that last bit, removing the choke is something I'm looking for. After upgrading my master cylinders on both sides to Brembo GP Radial masters, the clutch side lost the mounts for the choke. I had to simply wedge it between the master and the switch housing. It worked, but removing cleans up the cockpit and starting a bike with Keihin's isn't difficult even without a choke. Sidenote: switching to Brembo GP's also loses the ability to use standard mount mirrors, you must use bar ends if you change (Fine for me, I like the CRGs a lot).
This addition of "proper" carbs for my Ducati 900 rounds out a pretty decent engine package. I've yet to install the MBP collets, or the VeeTwo cams and valves, and haven't decided about pistons, but things are waiting until further down the road, much like lightening and polishing the crank, and lightening the primary gears.
The motor, upon throwing on the new carbs, will consist of:
- Keihin FCR 41 carburettors
- UNI Foam Pod Filters
- Sil-Motor Equal Length Spaghetti Headers
- Sil-Motor / NCR titanium round low pipes
- DynaCoils
- Ignitech TCIP4 Programmable Ignition
- Nichols Flywheel and Jamb Nuts
- VeeTwo Adjustable Cam Pulleys
- AG Hammer Power Pulse Box (PPB) - a capacitor to help out the electrical system a bit
- Ceramic Coated intake manifolds and exhaust headers
- Kickstarter (just kidding)
I call that a fairly good start. It runs like a champ, smoothly (and quickly) revs, and drives fairly hard out of turns. Its no superbike, but it is a blast to ride. That's what I've been going for and the bike certainly keeps me happy.
The motor has a few small dress-up pieces or 'insurance' pieces on it as well, here's a short list:
- Rizoma billet aluminum belt covers
- SpeedyMoto billet alternator case cover
- CycleCat billet aluminum sprocket cover
- Case Saver Insert
- DP Billet Valve Inspection Covers (on the horizontal head, with the oil cooler mount powdercoated black)
- DP Billet cam end covers (on horizontal and vertical heads - just a decorative plate over the actual cam end plate)
- Rizoma Oil Cooler Guard
Future engine work won't be extreme, but will be done as time and money allows. Since I'm into making lists today, here's a short bit of that:
- Lightened Primary Gears, preferably with hunting tooth, a la VeeTwo's former kit.
- Crank pulled for polishing, lightening and perhaps knife edge when its balanced for...
- High Compression Pistons (904, 944, or 964? No, I don't want to modify the cases for 984).
- Might as well throw in some higher quality rods while I'm at it.
- Install VeeTwo high torque cams, new valves (OEM sizing)
- Port heads for increased flow, then paint the suckers a nice black or red
- Dual Plug heads (only a passing thought)
- Oversized Oil Cooler. The new NCR looks very nice, as does the new Febur (the curved one for the Hypermotard which would require plugging the oil temp port on the top.) The old Febur was not curved, but would be a bit cheaper. Perhaps I can be convinced to relocate the oil cooler under the seat like the Benelli (see picture below)
- Set squish on assembly, adjust timing to run on pump gas.
That's all the lists for today. In the spirit of DucatiSuite, I'll be posting up progress pictures of the Keihin installation, and possibly making a how-to for my battery box and pod setup.
Benelli Tornado's under seat radiator,
