Back with a M900 series I

[Albie]

Originally Posted by DrD

Might be obvious but I would really go to town on cleaning the bobbins before you paint

I have started to already. They need no cr4p under them.

[NattyBoy]

Sorry late joiner ! looking mega mate - no surprise there though.

had a cowl you could have had for a donation to riders for health but see you're sorted mate.

so what's my old tricolore up to these days. Miss that bike !

[Albie]

Originally Posted by NattyBoy

Sorry late joiner ! looking mega mate - no surprise there though.

had a cowl you could have had for a donation to riders for health but see you're sorted mate.

so what's my old tricolore up to these days. Miss that bike !

If the cowl is ready painted red and with correct decal would still be interested mate. I don't know about tricky as the owner declined to get back so abandoned that idea. She may still have or may have moved it on.

Tons of work to do though as this is almost preparatory work. Look out for some good stock exhausts chamfered or not is ok but need cheap as little money.

So tonight after a plan to try and gently sand blast this 2 pack gloss metallic with gold fleck lexus painted cambelt covers which sort of failed I went down the route of getting a satin black finish paint from Halfords along with some gold for the brakes and a primer for the bare metal.
The reason I wanted rid of paint was purely to get to the plastic and just keep them clean but I actually think they look good now but how will they last is the question.

I keyed them back and the one that took the blasting I had to flatten right back to plastic but I could not do that to the rest as too many shapes and nooks and crannies.
They have had about 3-4 light coats and can have a long time curing as no need for them for months so will be stowed away safely.





Headlight bowl was an odd colour too and had a few scratches that looked like painted over. So a rub down and rust preventer primer a couple of coats and then the same satin black for a couple of coats. Looks good now with no dents either. That also can get put away a cure for some months.









Next the job which tbh I wasn't looking forward too of masking the brake discs to repaint as good as possible.
Cleaned them as good a I could and so far have only masked the one as ran out of masking tape. Surprising how much one disc asks for. The basic masking is simple enough but its the having to cut around the rivets with a knife as close to the disc as possible without stopping the painting hitting the disc.





I got this as the best match I could find. I will not remove masking until I think its good enough colour match but looks alright against another painted disc.



Hope to get cracking with the discs tomorrow with a good result fingers crossed.

[Albie]

Well I have been busy and getting stuff done slowly and patiently and although I couldn't get her going again to do the oil pressure test at home I decided what the hell its coming out and will be on its way via Proteam Ducati to his mate Simon who is a ex Moto GP engine builder for Kevin Schwantz so he knows about engines. Scott also used him too so is recommended.

Well a catch up is the brake discs are still in tape but gold but not sure if colour I desire as I see them with a little more yellow in the gold. Don't get me wrong they are shiney and the picture doesn't do justice.




The suspension hoop also has had another can of colour this time Fiat Broom Yellow and at first it looked lighter but then went more deeper and warmer and its still nothing like the Ohlins which is seeming to almost be orange in reality. I am leaving it there and see later. It needs 2 stainless rose joints to be ordered.

Rover yellow

Fiat yellow


Rear wheel came out and axle was cleaned up nicely to be plated.



I also have one odd old exhaust. Hard to tell as Ducati logos are old school but one is made by Sil Motor and one by Lafranchi. If anyone has a swap let me know.





But most of the scuffs are gone but still got to dress up the aluminium and make them look good. A set of Termis will still be on the cards later as that's allowed in my book as long as I have stock too.



Last night after the epic non start fail I started the undoing of the rest of the components and exhaust came off in minutes and headers are clean and polished. I saw there is no clamp on the rear so need one of them.
The loom was removed as far as I could go and was left ready for tonights big drop.

[Albie]

So after dropping off oil pressure gauge to Al he lent me the engine trolley to help drop it out and it helps him to pick it up to get to his guy Simon.



Drained the oil as best I could but someone has mullered and rounded the sump plug so drained as best I could via the filter plug and found some interesting looking copper glitter which I guess shows some damage.




Removed the swingarm along with the rear shock and lowered bike down onto trolley.



And then the 2 bolts removed to drop an 1" or so and then I could remove the front end from the frame.







So to sum up.
All is good and carbs look dirty grubby and grimey but all good. The front forks are faded but no damage , I need a 14 mm key to undo axle and clean that up still.
The steering stop adjuster has stripped the thread in the bottom yoke so will either get both thread inserted or look at getting 2 at 10mm in size and re tap them.
The frame I will get repainted professionly not powdercoated and was thinking about doing it myself with RS paints mix as also the wheels as they are already powdercoated silver and decent to go over. save me faffing with cush joint removal too.

Just have to get all the bolts plated on the engine before it goes away so they will all be off on Monday morning with the hoses and brackets.

Oh and another down side ... I received my log book tonight . NOT a 93 but a 94 of February 1994. Slightly disappointed but still an L reg.

Fantastic reading Albie, keep the updates coming

[Albie]

Originally Posted by bazread

Fantastic reading Albie, keep the updates coming

Now the expensive bit then.
Total so far

Bike £500
Seat cowl £33
Decals x 2 £3.95
Indicators x 2 £22
Tomaselli grips £19
Cable boot cover £1.85
Paint and ancillaries £40


Just over £620 and thanks to the donors of parts too and swapsies.

[NattyBoy]

Great update mate glad you're sorted on the cowl. The exhaust silencers - after rubbing them down to remove the scratches how will you finish them ?


Embarrassingly done bugger all on mine as planned as been faffing about with the new car but at least it's been used and I'll start this winter

[Albie]

Originally Posted by NattyBoy

Great update mate glad you're sorted on the cowl. The exhaust silencers - after rubbing them down to remove the scratches how will you finish them ?


Embarrassingly done bugger all on mine as planned as been faffing about with the new car but at least it's been used and I'll start this winter

Well I hope at least with the draw marks as standard. I guess I am breaking through the anodising and it's hard too. These may not work out as desired but if not they will have to be polished and dulled down.

[Mr Gazza]

I have polished silencers from a 750 on mine...You might have seen them at the weekender?

I didn't de-anodise these ones myself, but I have had to re-finish them to try and get rid of the rippling.
The PO used a polishing mop to get the anodising off. The trouble with that (and other methods) is that when you break through the hard surface you dig a hole in the soft bit, or at least until the whole surface is free of anodise.

Keep the surface flat by using a DA (dual action) Or random orbital sander...Or just an orbital sander. keep the pad flat on the surface at all times. Keep it moving, and work in biggish overlapping circles....Mask the stainless ends before starting in case of slips with the rough stuff....As to what grade abrasive to use, you will have to experiment...I would be tempted to start with 180 wet-n-dry, dry, or emery. But if it scratches too deeply it will take too long at the polishing stage..Would pay to work up the grades anyway, once all the anodise is off.

As to letting it dull...Mine soon go cloudy if I don't keep on them with the Autosol...and they mark very easily with any water splashes...So no worries about being dazzled..!

Oh, and why are you mucking about with farty Ford Goldish paint??...I gave you the match....

[Albie]

Originally Posted by Mr Gazza

Oh, and why are you mucking about with farty Ford Goldish paint??...I gave you the match....

Your right but I couldn't find any off the shelf BMW solid gold. I will do as I got them up against the correct ones of the front end now its all apart. So I may have to get some made up.

Its all going to plan and started bagging stuff after cleaning and cleaned all the joints on the oil lines and hydraulic lines to be plated for spare ( you never know if you will one day want them ) and the elbows are looking decent again.

Fuel pump was looking pretty filthy on the aluminium side but the plated side is ok and although I thought about getting it redone that means another gasket to buy. Its all good now and removed the spring sheaths on carb hoses as well for plating again.
Forks removed and axle cleaned up and very few marks and chrome is good so tomorrow the bottom legs can be cleaned up and refreshed too. Its a shame the anodising is so pale almost not there but maybe one day they will get redone but will investigate in the meantime just in case.

The wheels now disc and sprocket free are going to be refinished and I do think they may have be sprayed as there is some feint silver spray on one tyre edge and there is some edges near the centre where paint has come off. I will again do a test rub down to see whether these wheels are painted silver and what colour was underneath.

I have discovered that although its barely a 1994 bike that was probably made in 1993, the frame was replaced around 1995 as to the frame number period but the wheels have elephant too and something else that may pin point a reason to frame change and not under warranty is when I removed and started cleaning the top yoke underneath was a cast in date of 95.
This says to me maybe a accident and smacked the frame and top yoke and one odd exhaust. Back then the Monster 900 was expensive to buy so as why write it off.

This is all just my thoughts and making things more understandable.
I also noticed the ignition mount plate looked wonky on where the latch goes a tad so that's now tweaked.

I think my worst thing to get back nice is the carbs but I am going to remove the brackets to get plated for sure and the rest just clean by hand and do as little as possible. I may need to source some fresh hose that's about 15mm diameter and probably the new fuel line to pump etc. It looks ok but better now than later.

I was going to remove the brake caliper bolts that hold them together but 3 attempts led me to back off and leave well alone. Not the best result but better than having to strip and rebuild and cut them or drill them out so will tidy up and carefully paint.

[Darkness]

Originally Posted by Albie

But most of the scuffs are gone but still got to dress up the aluminium and make them look good. A set of Termis will still be on the cards later as that's allowed in my book as long as I have stock too.

It may have the chamfer Albie, but it's still a pretty early exhaust can as it doesn't mention the m600 in its text about type approval.

[Albie]

As I had a wedding of my stepdaughter time was limited to yesterday morning only and this afternoon as was raining.

Mostly cleaning and stuff but made a copy of tank prop tonight thanks to Darkness for sizes. It will work and needs plating and will have heat shrink on the end not the PVC cable cover. I just need the rubber end for it.



Bottom yoke tank stop was removed and hope I get Big Oz to ally weld a plug or fill loose stripped hole with weld and re=tap it. The stud is salvageable and allen key hole good and thread had an M8 die ran up it.
Just will need naturalising again as the top yoke.




Forks are in great order except pale anodise and will bring back the lowers to finish this week. All components are not damaged and seals new. Will change fork oil on refitting.




Air box was cleaned inside and out and air filter looks very new serviceable part. Probs get a K&N later. I do need a replacement long hose as the ends short and damaged so if anyone has dumped a filter box can I purchase a decent one.







Front wheel was rubbed down and masked yesterday and sprayed a base coat satin black this afternoon. Will get more paint tomorrow and mask the rear and do that one too. The rear tyre has been plugged and when I can afford tyres I may well get both powdercoated but budgeting at the moment.





Ohlins is in very good order except a slight tear in the pvc clear sleeve but is ok.

[Albie]

Swingarm has the usual damage and not anymore can be done other than dressing the scrapes from chains and exhaust hanger scrapes. Its all clean though now but further work will be done.



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Exhaust is tidy but has been grounded underneath. Its almost flat and scratched. A secondhand one may be sourced if a better one available in the future.

[Albie]

I was well excited to get home tonight armed with paint cans and masking tape and a nice warm afternoon .
Couldn't get the rear wheel rubbed down and masked quick enough..



Before I did though I did the front and 2 coats of black. Its a bit too matte so will be over lacquered in a couple of days but the paint went on beautifully.

Then the rear was done and that also had 2 good coats and looks so much better now.



I found a gold that I am much happier with and its a very close match to the Brembo calipers and its actually brass. Its made by plasticote and enamel.





Throttle control housing is cleaned and freshly painted. Never saw the elephant until today and it may also need a lacquer.



I decided I can use my newish looking gold bar ends and disguise them in black gloss plasticote. I may need to get a couple of inserts turned up to a size to be able to fit some countersunk screws in the end as the original ones.



I then started to check out the oil cooler. Its in good shape overall but scabby paint but not much I cant sort out with care and some good paint.