yes the day has finally arrived where my 906 starts to get stripped down for a good going over and clean and rebuild. its gonna take a little while so i've just bought a 1997 ST 2 IN GREAT CONDITION to get me through the winter and do some long journeys and touring on. im very pleased with the new purchase and it takes the pressure off the paso which i,ve owned for four years and have really enjoyed as a "within a hundred miles if its dry" bike. she never let me down except when the starter motor croaked big time. other than that she just kept on pulling. an oil leak prompted this rebuild and i figured the bike needed a rest and some tlc before the spring. i,ll get some pictures up off before durring and after as i go and will probably drive a few people mad with requests of advice help and parts. engine will come out this weekend. the oil is leaking from below both exhaust manifolds and could well have happened when she got really hot one time. she does not like being in heavy traffic and this once she got well hot. its a shame as the oils only 1000kms old. but it could have been worse! i intend to keep the bike "original" as i got her. the paint is a respray that is black and gold and looks great. the carbs are del orto with some cheap conical plastic air filters. the silencers are boscat and pretty much straight through. they sound lovely but pop a bit at low revs. full credit to the previous owner who had her set up pretty good as she always ran and pulled like only a 906 can.

The ST is basically the rebirth of the Paso, and a real versatile bike. Add to that you can get them cheaper than a Paso, and they make a great deal. A good pair of bikes.

Cheers,

cheers ducati in the bay! i wish i was there riding one of them right now! it has been lashing down all day here in autumnal sussex. still it given me time to start to strip the 906 down and the engine is ready to drop! no problems so far, just a bit oily but thats to be expected on a twenty one year old bike. im gonna put some pictures up as soon as someone shows me how. a picture tells a thousand stories as they say!
i am very happy with the ST2. it does feel simular in some ways to the paso and performs very nicely both with power and handling. the brakes work good too. im glad i didnt get the ST4s i looked at. this bike is just what i need right now. there is an ST3 i am half interested in but the jury is out for the mo. any opinions recieved with interest on these bikes. ducati are so cheep in the uk this time of year but of course you have to be careful and there are always running costs to consider.
meanwhile its back to the strip down on the paso........

Buying that ST was a mistake nnnnnnorman , Nice bike , thats the problem . Every time you find yourself with enough spare time to work on your paso , you go out to the shed , full of good intentions , see the ST and say " nahfuckitt! Im going for a ride" . My paso has been in recovery mode for 4 years now, only needs painted but I have always had something else to ride. But seeing as how its now my only duke things are starting to move again

You always need two bikes, at least. So that one is running. My ST is apart, and the Sport is the one running.

Cheers,

The only correct answer to the question
"how many bikes do you need?"
you answer - MORE.

I have 4 3/4 bikes now, and still have a list of others I want some day.

Cheers,

Week? what about the rest of the month

A day , a week , a month , Im expecting to see a post from Jay Leno any minute now

well progress is being made. engines out of the paso swinging arms off things are getting cleaned that havent been cleaned for years. the ST2 is great and im lookin forward to getting some long distance and touring done on it this next few months. i wanna get to portugal this winter for a month. BUT THE 906 IS STILL MY FAVOURITE AND WILL REMAIN SO. im gonna fix the oil leaks replace the worn out bits rebuild the rear damper spray all the hot bits heat resistant black clean the rest up and get her running just right as only a paso can and then it'll be ready for a blast the first day of spring. they are different bikes and they satisfy different roles. i want to keep it as original as i can so the sixteen inch wheels are staying. ive still got three thou kms on my tyres before i have to choose a replacement set.

sure mctool will do. i will be making any descisions based on best advice gleened from these pages.