Yet Another M900 Build

[PPuxley]

As I sit here now my M900 resides in Scotland awaiting the trip South to be with me by next weekend. In the meantime I am already in research for what will be a nut and bolt rebuild.
Ive only been on the forum a day and the imparting of knowledge from here has been fantastic. I already have my bedtime reading in the shape of manual Slob pinged me.
My background is Engineering (all be it, Civil) but I am a lifelong biker and ardent builder, tinkerer and restorer, which now I'm retired I can indulge in to the fullest.
Until recently I was a one bike man with a long standing ownership of a 120 laverda Jota, since 84. Over lockdown my project was a ground up resto and electric start conversion on an XR400. I now jointly run the Facebook Page for the E Conversion.
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmUCGmMy
So thats 2 bikes and now I have just got a 95 M900., so suddenly thats three.

Theres an album of the bike in its as bought state and if anyone has time to study them I would gratefully receive all comments....the more rivet countery the better.
It is a 95 manufactured bike First Registered 1/1/96 Frame number is 0006742 and engine number is 024489, its still its original colour.
It comes with the correct non adjustable Showa forks but has an adjustable set of Showas from a later model fitted in the photos, which come with it aswell.


https://flic.kr/s/aHsmVhVBmd

The Magic ( or informed bodgery) will take place here. Dont be telling me about racks of tools not in perfectly laid out order....it would be a long post!

I have a blast cabinet and zinc plating set up elswhere and a pretty good supplier list of people like vapour blasters, machinists, painters, powder coaters etc. But would still like to hear about who people use here, when I get to those stages
I will try and do everything I can myself, until theres something that needs a lathe. but I can be pretty handy with a welder, a grinder and a drill if it comes to making pullers and special tools.
Does the club run a specialist tool hire facility? (as The Laverda Club do)
Im particularly interested to learn the ins and outs of The Desmodromic System

Anyway, please comment, criticise and inform as much as you like...its how we learn.

[Albie]

It will be fine. Just the same as my first one which oddly is on sale now on this forum.

[PPuxley]

Originally Posted by Albie

It will be fine. Just the same as my first one which oddly is on sale now on this forum.

Thanks, Albie....more reading!

[Albie]

Just to let you know re zincing the oil lines is ok. My guy did the whole lot as the stainless braid doesnt take well you just wipe over with scotch pad after . It at least appears not to be too hacked about. Use coloured zinc though if your doing it correct.

[PPuxley]

Originally Posted by Albie

Just to let you know re zincing the oil lines is ok. My guy did the whole lot as the stainless braid doesnt take well you just wipe over with scotch pad after . It at least appears not to be too hacked about. Use coloured zinc though if your doing it correct.

Funnily enough, I discovered it worked when I was doing the XR. I did a bulk order to Mercury Plating in Camberley (very good if youre near there) then I did bits and pieces myself if theyd missed the order and also some of the larger stuff inc the hoses.

Started looking at your blog. OMG...meticulous, Im sure I wont be able to be that fastidious , its outstanding!

[Luddite]

Welcome to the Monster family. I'm looking forward to following your project.

As you're in Reading, you're only half-an-hour or so from Image Design Custom in Camberley www.imagedesigncustom.co.uk who I can personally recommend.

To be honest, if you're only planning to restore the standard paintwork, then getting them to do it would be like asking Leonardo da Vinci to paint your skirting boards! But, if you're planning something a bit special or want absolute top quality, they are the boys.

[PPuxley]

Thanks for the welcome Luddite. Those finishers look very special, I dont have a painter, in mind yet, but it will only be standard, although whether original black or changed to red is not absolutely decided yet. I have a pal who restores Z1s and his painter is superb, so I may go there.

Todays task was to seek advice and try to understand the whole Elephant stamp thing.
Should it be on everything, what years, is Cagiva marking all part of it.
My filler cap has the Elephant, which I guess is good......or is it for a 95.

[Darkness]

Originally Posted by PPuxley

Thanks for the welcome Luddite. Those finishers look very special, I dont have a painter, in mind yet, but it will only be standard, although whether original black or changed to red is not absolutely decided yet. I have a pal who restores Z1s and his painter is superb, so I may go there.

Todays task was to seek advice and try to understand the whole Elephant stamp thing.
Should it be on everything, what years, is Cagiva marking all part of it.
My filler cap has the Elephant, which I guess is good......or is it for a 95.

Cagiva sold Ducati in 1996, so their Elefants slowly disappeared after that as batches of parts were resupplied.

http://www.cagivaonline.dk/history.htm

[PPuxley]

Thanks, I see.
I now understand an earlier comment when I was talking about finding original cans
So for my 95 I should be seeing the Elephant throughout if the part has not been replaced. Was it stamped into both plastic and metal parts?

[Darkness]

In ‘95 there were plenty of them on plastic and metal parts, though not on everything. The most prominent is the one on the fuel filler, but they are also in discrete places, like on the body of the twist grip, and on the air box lid.

Check the underside of the bottom fork yoke when you get a chance: you may find a Husqvarna logo, though more likely an Elefant.

[PPuxley]

Originally Posted by Darkness

In ‘95 there were plenty of them on plastic and metal parts, though not on everything. The most prominent is the one on the fuel filler, but they are also in discrete places, like on the body of the twist grip, and on the air box lid.

Check the underside of the bottom fork yoke when you get a chance: you may find a Husqvarna logo, though more likely an Elefant.

That IS interesting....and explains why when I was messing about googling just the 574....series of numbers I kept coming up with Husqvarna parts. I thought it was a coincidence , I didnt realise there was a connection.
So the long and the short, Im learning, is that since these were built from whatever was in the bin, theres some flexibility about any missing parts I source as to whether theyre "right" for the bike.

[enbee23]

I'm looking forward to reading this thread as it progresses!

[PPuxley]

Well, you do have a vested interest����

[enbee23]

Absolutely! It'll be good to see the bike getting the attention it deserves.

[the lodger]

I don't think even the most enthusiastic "Elefant counters" would know what would be the correct number of Elefants for a 95 bike as by the time it was put together there would have been a mixture of with and without Elefant parts left in the parts bin. You have the most important one I think on the petrol cap. The only other prominent one on my 95 is on the plastic cover between the two plastic covers for the drive belts.