Dukedesmo's M900 project - the intro...

[Dukedesmo]

The intro...

OK, so I started this project back in September 2010 and have flirted with 'project
threads', a few pics here an update there and the odd question somewhere else but I've lacked continuity so I'm starting an official 'Dukedesmo's M900 project' thread for those that maybe interested.

Bike has progressed somewhat from the early days and I'd like to offer thanks to those that have helped with advice, ideas and parts etc.

Things have slowed down of late but I'm hoping to get things moving again with a view to actually being able to ride it this summer.

At the risk of repeating stuff that I've already posted on other threads, I thought I'd better start from the beginning for this thread.

As such it may take me a while to get up to date so forgive me if you've already seen it or you've lost interest and feel free to advise/criticise/ask/praise/insult/ignore me as you see fit.

The beginning:

[Dukedesmo]

As a long-time Ducati fan, I'd always fancied a Monster; an old-school Monster 900 and I always liked the high-level exhausts, so that was the project 'brief' a 900cc Monster with high-level cans.

I considered buying a ready-built & working bike but, for whatever reason (probably insanity!) decided to buy loads of bits and put them together along with a few parts that I had lying around in the workshop and whilst I enjoy this sort of thing it is definitely not a cheap way of acquiring a new bike.

Anyway the base for the build was a frame from a 1999 M600 that I bought, along with a few assorted bits; rear suspension & wheel, airbox, hugger, wiring loom etc. All looking a bit 'tired' but in generally good condition.

I had also seperately acquired an aircooled 900 engine in, seemingly, good condition so was thinking 'I only need a few bits and I'm there' a couple of months and I'll be riding it.

The frame;



Probably the fastest skateboard in the world?;



So now the goal was to marry the above parts along with my 'left-over' 916 forks that I had rebuilt by Ktech with their internals, lighter springs, ti-nitride tubes and Brembo radial brake mounts;



I had a plan, and a mission...

[Dukedesmo]

So, searching breakers and ebay etc I started acquiring some of the 'few' bits that I needed and started a test assembly of random parts as & when they were sourced;



Metallic silver tank, alloy swingarm & termi high-level cans.

I then discovered that the 916 forks were the wrong size to fit the Monster yokes (916 are 53mm top and bottom, Monster are 50mm top, 54mm bottom) so I took the yokes to a friendly engineer who bored the top to 53mm and turned some (0.5mm thick) bushes for the bottom;



Forks now fit;



Up until now I was planning a fairly standard Monster (other than the forks) but then I got tempted by the dark side of modifcations just as I did with the 916 (owned since new and very far from 'stock').

I then realised that resistance was futile and that I would only upgrade the standard parts soon after fitting them anyway, meaning I'd be buying double the amount of parts so I had a 'bugger it' change of plan moment.

I started to deviate from the plan...

[Dukedesmo]

So, I got to thinking about the engine and specifically the power, I know 2v Ducati engines are not high HP 'monsters' but as they are relatively unstressed was thinking that there must be more available.

Research showed me that there are several ways to improve the output of a 2v, including; big-bore, high compression pistons, cylinder head gas-flowing and split carbs on short intakes - I decided to do them all.

I'd already had my 916 heads gasflowed by Chris at CJS racing and seen a healthy 15hp+ increase so knew that he was the man for the job so the heads went off to CJS.

Cylinders were bored & replated by Langcourt to 944cc and suitable 94mm JE high-compression pistons were sourced.





A pair of Keihin flatside FCR 41mm carbs were bought along with Malossi short intake manifolds to do away with the long intakes that hinder serious HP increases on these engines.



I 'discovered' that to take advantage of the short intakes and big carbs that I needed to replace the cams, ideal replacements being ST2 or 900ie cams and these proved difficult to find so I resorted to buying a complete ST2 engine to use as a 'cam donor'.

[Dukedesmo]

So having bought the FCR's and the short intakes, a test fit tells me that they don't fit.

The reason being that the diagonal brace in front of the vertical cylinder sits in the way of the horizontal cylinder carb body (and, yes I know the wrong carbs are fitted to the wrong intakes in this pic but I don't have another pic and you get the idea).



So out with the grinder, cut it off - job done.

However with the brace removed the horizontal cylinder carb just touches the underside of the main cross member (battery support rail) in front of the vertical cylinder.



Machining off 5-6mm from the FCR intake adapter shortens the intake sufficiently to lower the horizontal (downdraft carb) to clear the cross member and at the same time causes no issues to the vertical cylinder's sidedraft carb.

Now in removing the diagonal I have made the frame less rigid and hearing some reports that Monster frames are already a little 'flexible' I decide to put some strength back into it.

The removed diagonal goes back in, but has to sit further back on the frame so not quite as stiff as the original. I also put another brace across the other diagonal although it can't quite sit corner-to-corner but the thinking being that two braces in slightly compromised locations are better than one compromised and certainly better than none.

The FCR mod does away with the airbox and having studied the airbox area, particularly the front part behind the headstock I can see why Monster frame is more flexible than the 888 from which it was derived - it's missing the front bracing which doesn't fit in the Monster design due to the airbox placement.

So taking inspiration from the 888 and, it's descendant, the 916 - I set to work with some steel tubing, grinder and mig-welder, and add some bracing in the headstock area;



I reckon this frame will be stiff enough now.

Also after this pic when still grinder in hand I cut off a few 'random' brackets that are no longer required to tidy it up a little.

Frame now needs painting/powdercoating but wanting to do just one more test fit of the carbs to make sure the fit is good so need to re-fit the heads to check - I may even fit another diagonal cross-brace across the top of the now defunct airbox zone if there's space and access to the carbs.

Wow! Dont stop the tale there! Keep going!

Z.

[Dukedesmo]

Originally Posted by Zak

Wow! Dont stop the tale there! Keep going!

Z.

Thanks Zak, don't worry there's more just to get up to date and then it's still a work in progress.

[Zimbo]

Good stuff, keep it coming, I will be watching this with interest!

[Saint aka ML]

Originally Posted by Zimbo

Good stuff, keep it coming, I will be watching this with interest!

Zimbo how did out bore yours to 988cc?

[Dukedesmo]

So to the rear end ...

As can be seen in one of the previous posts an aluminium swingarm was sourced to replace the original 600 steel version that came with the frame.

It fits nicely although required a longer wheel spindle because it is wider, so I had a custom machined hollow titanium spindle from http://www.ti64.co.uk/

The aluminium arm also required new chain tensioners as the 600 versions are smaller/different shape so I got some beautifully made billet aluminium adjusters from Motorize in Germany.



Picked up some ride height increase bolts from Louigimoto, as I know it will be too low in standard trim along with a new DP carbon fibre hugger and 5-spoke rear wheel from a 1000DS the rear end was (almost) sorted, or so I thought...

I then happened upon an 851/888 braced aluminium swingarm, there were a few chain grooves that needed repairing and it had the old-type (L-shaped) hugger mounting brackets whereas my hugger bolts into threaded inserts

But when it's put like this;



How could I resist?...

Into the workshop for some repairs and modification - removal of the hugger brackets and fitting of nutserts for the new hugger (I know I could get a suitable hugger but I already had this one, it's new and it cost me as much as the swingarm and modifying it is free).

A new disc and a refurb of the caliper and it looks something like (well exactly like) this;



The Sachs shock is a bit 'tired' and not really in keeping with my plans so it has been replaced by a shiny, new Ohlins DU440 although I'm still using the Sachs as a 'mule' to avoid scratching the new one whilst the spanners are flying around.



Having been 851/888 inspired and looking & drooling at pics of the race bikes I see that they mostly have a floating rear caliper setup, more research found such bike porn as this;



By this point I'm in for a penny in for a pound (or two), so almost as fast as you could say "Aella casuno floating rear caliper mounting kit" here it is on the bike;



to be continued...

[manwithredbike]

good article. i have a wee interest, i'm running your 'old' cams in mine : )

Wow, wow, wow! Big respect!

I don't give credit unless truly deserved and you get a bucket load.

I'm really going to enjoy reading this and following it! I thought I'd gone a fair distance with mine but you've shown me how far I can go, you've given me some great ideas!!!!

Z.

[Saint aka ML]

Wow so that rear brake setup .... any more details?

Also you know you will probably end up having double rear end height spacers and will need longer shock?

My one is at maximum with a pair of adjusters and is still not as high as SS.

[Dukedesmo]

Originally Posted by Saint aka ML

Wow so that rear brake setup .... any more details?

Well the caliper 'floats' better around the disc giving the same sort of effect as floating discs plus by being free on the axle and then held in place by the torque arm to the engine, any loading under braking is taken through the crankcase rather than the swingarm so the suspension is unaffected by heavy braking.

Ducati fitted this setup to the Monster 'S' IIRC.

However I doubt this translates as any real advantage, IIRC when they tested such setups on the 888 WSBK race bikes the results were inconclusive compared to the conventional setup, even at that level of rider ability. Subsequent SBK (916 on) don't have this setup either.

But just because we don't need or can't utilise something to it's full potential doesn't mean we don't want it.

I really like to look at and use items with a high degree of engineering in them - one of my favourite parts on my 916 are the Acculign rearsets, they have an amazingly engineered double eccentric adjustment system and yet (after the first setup) I never adjust them.

As for the ride height, I hope it'll be OK as I'm not planning on buying another shock.

[Dukedesmo]

Front end...

Well already mentioned the forks and how the yokes needed some engineering to fit them, worth mentioning that although the bottom yoke shims are in fact made as a bush; ie completely circular, I will be taking a cut out of them vertically so that I can be certain of a good grip around the fork legs - I don't want them sliding up through the yokes when hard on the brakes.

Of course radial mounts need radial calipers and I found a good deal on a set of new Brembo M4 Monobloc calipers from an Aprilia dealer who was having a bit of a clearout.

These are the same calipers as fitted to 1198 except that the Aprilia versions are gold coloured rather than grey - combined with a Brembo RCS radial master cylinder and Brembo full-floating discs - I am not expecting the brakes to be wanting in any way.



I quite like the gold, a little bling is nice and they match the rear caliper too;



You may notice in that that there's a 3-spoke wheel on there, but I want to match up with the rear and I prefer the look of and the lower weight (usually) of the more spindly spokes so, to this end I bought a 5-spoke front.

It's not the same design as the rear, rather it is from a MHe900 and is a nicer (IMO) wheel than the rear, and much lighter than the 3-spoke but as it's new, grey and got no bearings (or tyre) it's not fitted yet and is waiting for paint along with the frame and rear wheel before fitting with bearings, discs & tyre.



Not quite decided on front mudguard yet, I have a new Monster DP carbon-fibre mudguard and also a DP 916 carbon mudguard, both fit (as does an 1198).

The Monster version is longer at the rear and so will keep the engine slightly cleaner and looks more 'Monstery' but the SBK version is more substantial at the sides and has better fork leg protection and since the 916 forks have slightly longer sliders they are more exposed to road debris but it is very short at the rear as the SBK models have fairings to keep the engine clean - so, for now the jury is out on this one.



You will notice that this pic shows a black tank rather than the previous silver one, more on that in the next installment...

On to the steering damper; I don't know if it will need one? but I'm fitting one anyway.

I prefer the across the tank (916) style of damper to the long frame mounted version but it is proving more tricky to sort out.

I've got a suitable adjustable damper and a mixture of ST & (later) Monster mounting brackets and although none of the brackets are quite right, due mainly to the handlebar clamp bolt spacings being narrower on the early (like mine) Monster, I will be getting suitable bracket(s) made once I've finalised the how & where.

Here's a pic to give the general idea;



It fits OK onto the frame (through the ignition lock bolts) but I need a bracket to suit the bar clamp spacings and also suitable spacer to get the height just right due to the forks being longer meaning that I need higher bar risers.



This part is still under consideration though so likely to change.

More later...