So far behind on updating!

I can't believe how I've let things get away from me as far as updating this blog goes.

Lets see - I acquired another frame awhile back - yes, another M900 frame (pre-02, like the others - something about the racing 851-888-926 derivation of the early Monster frames that excites me most). So that makes 3 M900 frames and the 2V SBK.  For a swingarm, I happened to acquire a certain Febur Single-Sided Swingarm for the 94-01 Ducati Monster - so it will be a 916-Styled Swingarm on a '99 M900.  Whoo hoo!   Its not so straightforward, obviously using a different exhaust setup, different wheels, different rear brake setup, different suspension linkage and reaction rod, and get this: one-off dished/offset front sprocket. That was hard to come by (and you can bet I got a spare in case the source dries up down the road!)   I plan to use a bit of a custom exhaust setup to pull this off as I won't be able to migrate over the Sil Moto Spaghetti headers and Sil / NCR titanium pipes.

IMA Special Parts MOD4 Hybrid top triple with MOD1 Lower on Ducati Monster

Also, I've gotten another set of IMA billet triple clamps to put on the bike - but these are fancy, very fancy. They've got adjustable offset, anywhere from 25-31mm - I pick. Feel like changing? Change two bushings, and its done. IMA has gotten a US distributor now - and the 'full name' of their motorcycle parts brand is IMA Special Parts. That's worth noting since IMA SrL - the main company - does much more fabrication than motorcycle parts alone. Their bread 'n'  butter is manufacturing parts for FIAT Group Automobiles, the legendary car manufacturer (in existence since 1899!).

Here's some cool parts related to that tidbit - I can make a few short jumps (OK, some are stretches), and go from my Ducati Monster all the way to World Champion Jorge Lorenzo and to legendary automobile manufacturer Ferrari. Here we go:

IMA Special Parts MODEL 4 Adjustable Billet Triple Clamps ("MOD4"), and Adjustable Clipons

IMA Special Parts N.A. is the "North American" distributor of IMA Special Parts, the motorcycle products division of IMA SrL, of Torino, Italy. IMA SrL's main client is FIAT, and FIAT is an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino - Italian Automobile Manufacturer of Torino. IMA Special Parts has just released their newest triple clamps design - highly versatile track-oriented triples for modern superbikes. They have branded MODEL 4 or "MOD4" (the next number in their products lineup. The new design is a product of a university study, with some pretty significant changes to the profile of the top triple to allow a designed-in amount of flex - and this reduces the front end 'chattering'. So you get more confidence over the front, and as they say "With more confidence, more podiums!"

IMA Special Parts MODEL 4 Adjustable Billet Triple Clamps ("MOD4"), and Adjustable Clipons (detail of profile)

"More podiums? Prove it, I say" And its not hard to see: The MOD4 departs from the basic triangle or bar configuration of triple clamps made in the last 50 years. Many manufacturers make aftermarket triple clamps from billet aluminum - whether is 6061, 6082 ANTICORODAL, or 7075 ERGAL. Big deal, nothing new there... but they are all the conventional shape with straight edges, or perhaps a decorative cutout here or there. The MOD4 has curves on the side of the triple towards the rider - like cutouts - and across the top are longitudinal cut outs - literally channels from front to rear. Its pretty wild looking. I've posted the pictures I got off their website (I'm sure they wouldn't mind) to show what I'm trying to describe. So, looking at these...I thought "I've seen this before"...and from another person related to FIAT, no less: Jorge Lorenzo uses triples like this - nearly identical to this - on the FIAT Yamaha M1 he won a world championship on!

 If you peak through the windscreen of his bike on the track, you can see the top triple pretty clearly.

And here's a detailed view of the cockpit on his pure prototype, no-expense spared, MotoGP FIAT Yamaha M1 from his World Championship season:

Same changes to the profile and same longitudinal cut-outs?! Both related to FIAT in a motorcycle capacity?!  Surely no coincidence... and sure enough: IMA has lots of pictures of on-track testing the triple clamps!  (Here's but one from their IMA SrL website)

Sometimes the world feels like a smaller place in the neatest ways.

2010 Trackdays!

Advanced Motorsports has released their lineup of trackdays for 2010. I'll be at these, whether or not I'm riding on track.

Here are the dates:

• Sunday,   April  18th  2010
• Monday,   May    10th  2010
• Monday,   June   7th   2010
• Saturday, July   24th  2010
• Monday,   Sept.  13th  2010
• Sunday,   Nov.   7th   2010

I like the way that Jeff Nash and the crew handle these. Last time I was out there, Larry Pegram was out on the track with the group and the numbers were nice and small on the track. These are, like the one I went to in the fall, Ducati-Only trackdays. Perhaps you can come on other euro-bikes, but the focus is on Ducati Enthusiasts and their bikes.  Based on the other trackdays I headed to last year, this kept the squids out, which brought dangerous moves and crashing down considerably. Perhaps its just the mindset at the other tracks, but some of the riders forgot that there's no trophy ceremony or podium waiting on them when they pull off!

I certainly plan on getting the bike out there on the track for a few of these, and perhaps I'll have built the 900SS or 900SBK by the last few!

Here's the link to the AMS site and the trackday info is on the banner at the top: http://www.advancedmotorsports.com/

Parts, Winter Plans, and Local Help

Some new parts are on their way, mostly funded through the sales of old parts that I no longer used, or found alternatives for. Among these are DP/DPM Billet Cam End Covers and Valve Covers with Oil Cooler Mount (which should go nicely with the a)VeeTwo Cams yet to be put on and b)Rizoma Billet Oil Cooler). Things will look nice, machined, and tidy on the motor. Only thing left is some actual motor work in the indefinite future (putting in the cams and high compression pistons, maybe 944 kit).

Some paint work will be undertaken this winter as well. A new 'cafe' style rear cowl is being made by a former DFW Ducati rider, Jesus, which will be bolted up for evaluation and later sent, along with my carbon fiber front fender, off to paint. New to the DFW area is Brad Miller, of Motion Ducati, who will perform some paint, powdercoating, and engine work (when that time comes around).

Also here to help is a friend who enjoys doing the mechanical, and an extra set of hands will be quite handy during the IMA triple set install. This requires removing front wheel, forks, controls, gauges, the triples, and the bearing races that will be in the steering head, as well as installing new tapered bearings (original equipment on pre-02 Monsters) and races, and butting it all back up.

So far behind...

But fear not. New pictures and post are soon to be added.

Wiring has been moved. Powdercoating things will be done. Here's a few pictures to keep you going until I can post up some substance: