BIKE magazine owns a Monster

[Darren69]

+1 for Flip!

[Black Bob]

Originally Posted by Pedro

Hi Langy

Early Monsters are still the best but I may be biased...

Ped

Yup, I agree.

(That you may be biased. )

Nice bike, though.

[Pedro]

Originally Posted by Langy

I will keep it standard Ped, I even took off the open clutch cover when I got it home.
Although looking at your pic I believe the footrest hangers have been painted to match the frame, I also thought they were silver but you never know how they were coming out of the factory. A Ducati employee probably could'n't be bothered to go and get silver paint and carried on.

Chances are the original silver either got worn off or flaked, they should be silver. I have a 93 Monster Brochure that shows the details well - drop me a PM with you email and I'll scan it for you.

Originally Posted by Flip

I'm with Mr Gazza and Ped with regards to the very early bikes although I think a few subtle mods to enhance your riding and improve the bike are the way to go.

So if it were mine I would look at having the fork internals sorted so they actually work without feeling notchy and skippy- Maxton do a cartridge conversion for this.

Replace the rear shock with something like a Nitron if it's anywhere close to the original as it will be knackered.

While we're on the rear suspension and keeping the yellow hoop!! I would raise it up with a pair of spacers from Louigi Moto to stop the horrible sensation of understeer at low speeds.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LOUIGI-MOT...item2336a79095

Then go up two or three teeth on the rear sprocket (the standard is 39) which will make life a lot easier in traffic and give the chain an easier time without it running close to the swing arm guides.

Having the motor breath and fuel a bit better with a stage two dynojet kit and some open pipes (ideally with down pipes to get ride of the restrictive 'X' piece collector will also release a dollop of midrange torque and allow everyone to hear that lovely Italian twin as it was designed to be.

Oh! And no matter how many drinks, bribes or offers of debauchery you get DO NOT chop the tail!!!

Good words Flipper!

I've done the open airbox / dynoJet stage 2 / open cans mod, it runs sweetly on the whole although does carb ice a bit on chilly mornings. If any one has a spaghetti header system for a carbed 900 let me know!!

I've got Hyperpro springs in the forks with a 7.5 weight oil (50/50 mix of 5 and 10 weight) and it's better than stock but not Ohlins quality, does me though. I've also got an 888 rear shock which works for when Mrs Ped is on the back, the stock shock is nasty whatever your weight.

Other than some mirrors I can see out of, most of the little mods are right for the period of the bike - it came from the original dealer with a Road Racing Tacho Clock set up.

Out of curiosity Langy, do you know what chassis number yours is? It doesn't really relate to when it was built (numbers used vary hugely!!) but it you're lucky the original paper build ticket might still be stashed on the frame somewhere. Date stamps on plastics and things like footrest hangers also give an idea of when it was built

[Dirty]

Originally Posted by Flip

Oh! And no matter how many drinks, bribes or offers of debauchery you get DO NOT chop the tail!!!

Well if you guys want to ride around on unfinished bikes that's your look out

[slob]

I've tail chopped several Monsters but if I got my hands on a '93 900 I'd be far more sympathetic with it.
Welcome to the club.

[Wasta]

Have a word with Rupert Paul, he's an expert on Monster suspension... But I'm sure he's already told you that!


Oh, I'm a subscriber as well so any freebies this way please...;-)

[Flip]

Originally Posted by Pedro

If any one has a spaghetti header system for a carbed 900 let me know!!

Hmmmm????? You mean like this Ped??



Got to love new old stock but wrongly listed items on eBay.

[J.P]

Welcome to the club Langy and a nice addition to your stable there.
There's plenty of opinions and advice on the forum with lots of owners having started on the early Monsters. Keep it as close to original in my opinion, apart from a loud exhaust and get those guys at BSD to tune it up for you and it'll run lovely.


If you're getting into the Monster vibe, why not bring the bike down to the UKMOC Weekender on May 9th & 10th, based in Sedlescombe, TN33 0QA, for a chat about Monsters.

[Zimbo]

Welcome to the club!
Tail chop is a matter of personal preference, looks better without but you may get a damp back in the wet off the rear tyre.
A 900 monster should of course be on race cans, high or low level, carbon or stainless doesn't really matter, help it to breathe and sound like it should! Open airbox / free flow air filter and a stage 2 dynojet kit are the next "tuning" bit. keep the original exhaust headers. They benefit from flat slide carbs (FCR41s) if you have some money to spare - instant response from the throttle and better fuel economy. Light flywheel is also popular. Suspension - you'll have non adjustable Showas as standard probably, easy to improve, a Nitron rear shock is worth doing as well ...

[Kato]

Originally Posted by Flip

Hmmmm????? You mean like this Ped??



Got to love new old stock but wrongly listed items on eBay.

What you have there Flip is an original DP (before it was known as DP) header made by Gia.Co.Moto, that was pre spaghetti style, not as efficient but set up with the right cans the pulses out of that will burst eardrums

Gia were eventually bought out by Ducati and became Ducati Performance

[utopia]

Also, Flip.
That system is virtually a dead copy of the system that I am currently building up, using two sets of std headers, cut and welded.
Though mine will then go to a 2 into 1 collector and a single hi-level can.
I'm assuming there is no flow at all between the two headers on your system, ie you now have two entirely separate exhaust systems for each cylinder, rather than having each cyl sharing both cans, as in the std set up.
I'm guessing that this is the reason that the system is loud, ie each bang is only silenced by one can, instead of two.
Seems to me that the original, two can design must have compromised weight in favour of noise pollution regulations .....so there is perhaps good reason to junk the second can in the pursuit of lightness, without compromising performance.
Indeed, the two separate systems for each cyl seems to be a sensible design, to my way of thinking.
Also, its possible to arrange for each pipe to be roughly the same length with that particular routing (mine will be), which can only be a good ting, I reckon.
I'd be interested to know how you get on with the system.

And, sorry for the digression.....
Welcome to the club, Langy.
I'm sure there will be plenty of us who are keen to assist with info on long term monster ownership.
In my own case, my M750 is the Holy Grail/Nirvana of all bikedom, and will be a lifetime keeper as my main roadster. (...it still has a full tail).
In fact, this goes way back to 1974 when I remember thinking that if ducati could build a hybrid between the early 750GT and 750S, which was reliable, affordable and didn't have the complex and power sapping bevel gears, it would be my ideal bike.
20yrs later they built the monster ....they made 'em just for me, you know.
I've even written a song about mine (shortly to be recorded and, if I have the nerve, sent to the factory).

I too bought the first Bike mag.
And indeed, most issues for the next 5 or 6 yrs.
It still holds a special place in my affections.

[Darren69]

This is a spaghetti or tangential manifold, looks like its for a 2v



I think the design allows for the gases from one pulse to be used to pull the gases from the next pulse so it can get the gases out quicker and making the engine more efficient and produce more torque.

[Darren69]

I reckon this should fit a monster and reasonable price. Looks like its missing the rear manifold though, well I can't see it in the pictures.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tangential...item259e3e7899

That second tangential manifold is a little crude in its design when compared to the SIL(?) deign of the first one. A correctly designed one gives a nice kick to the lower mid-range in terms of torque and BHP.

[Darkness]

Originally Posted by Black Bob

Yup, I agree.

(That you may be biased. )

Nice bike, though.

Hi Langy: I like the '93 bikes either original, or with some bolt-on mods like improved suspension and exhaust cans etc.

I'm biased too, with a pretty standard '94 m900 on the road and a '93 m900 in the workshop.

Look forward to seeing you and your monster about.