Hi all,
So last year I sold my 916SP for parts after the engine was scrapped (worn crankshaft- long story - ever tried to find an SP crank and price a rebuild with Ti rods under guarantee with a shop!). Bad news.
Good news - the shop bought it back minus a small fee for the year and a half or so I had it. Once I paid off the loan, and stripped out all the parts I added/owned, then I had a little bit of cash and some nice parts.
So I found this site and a good, low cost 906. I thought I could buy it, modify it with all the good advice on this forum, sell the 916 parts I couldn't use, reuse a whole bunch of 600SS parts I had spare and roughly break even. First I went on holiday for 10days in the Alps with the 906 and destroyed the last of the 16inch tyres over 5000kms......
Then I started the modifications.
As most projects go, I did nothing much for a long time and am now in a rush before going on holidays again, and I'm not really technically breaking even on cost either
But I finally have some milestones to share.
The most important being I have a 17inch front wheel on!
With a 120/60 R17 tyre I think i have roughly the same trail as OEM with a 160/60 R17 Rear tyre based on my rough calcs and Ian Falloon's great 2v Ducati (belt drive) book.
I stuck with the OEM speedo drive as I roughly figure the 120/60 R17 is pretty close to the 130/60 R16 circumference - I suppose I'll see once I GPS check it:) This required an adaptor between the wheel and OEM speedo drive, new wheel bearings and a new spacer.
While I'm at it I need new brake calipers of course. 916 65mm type two piston calipers were spare from the 916SP.....adaptors from drawings on this site (thank you all!)
Of course, every day on last years holiday I had to top up the coolant as I had a leaking expansion reservoir like every one else
Again, thanks to folks on this site I have a CBR neck, Mazda Miata 0.9bar cap and new tank from a Kawasaki 250. I'm still setting up the tank to make proper, rigid aluminium brackets (based on the shaky thin little steel ones I've used here to get the setup right.)So far I've replaced the hoses between the radiator and the cross pipe (the one with with the thermal switch) with Viper Performance superflex coolant hose and that is working out great.
And while I was at it I thought I might try and fit the ohlins steering damper and Harris mounting clamp I had left over from the 916. This is really just as cheap insurance given I'm messing with the steering geometry with 17inch wheels and also the suspension setup. I certainly don't ride hard enough to need it I think, but I usually have the missus on the back so any insurance is welcome.
I am still setting this up to ensure I have a good mounting, clearance with the coolant tank, headlight etc and enough stroke (hence the wooden frame bracket prototype to get the measurements right before I start cutting aluminium). I might use a 41mm fork clamp machined to 41.7mm or another custom bracket attached to the fork pinch bolts on the lower yoke for the other attachment point - any ideas or thoughts very welcome!
So, now the rear wheel and the annoyance of chain alignment and centering the wheel! I've got new excentrics for a 17mm axle and a brake caliper adaptor sorted but nothing fitted just yet
Cheers,
Mick
