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Ducati Monster Rebuild
- Barty
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1054
- Joined: Mon Aug 09, 2021 5:02 pm
- Location: Netherlands
Ducati Monster Rebuild
A few years back I owned a lovely classic yellow Ducati Monster S4R, arguably one of the last oldschool Ducati’s. No digital dash, no driver aids or electronics; a 1000cc twin derived from the 996 suspended into a classic Trellis frame, single sided-swingarm, seriously lightweight magnesium wheels- the end.
It’s a bike I still regret selling, so last summer I bought myself the cheapest S4R in the country with the intention of rebuilding it from the ground up this winter, exactly the way I want it. So last Monday, things got going!
Up onto the ramp, and an afternoon of tinkering later:
With most of the bike dismantled, we ran into a seriously stubborn rear axle. With two almost hidden circlips proving to be the culprit, we finally managed the final step, and:
The beating heart is now free. Next steps include:
- full engine teardown and rebuild
- full refurb of all engine components (optically)
- frame, tank and panel respray
- wheel refurb
- suspension overhaul
Later on, I’ll swap out the front end for a 1098 Ohlins fork and wheel, adding the rear wheel as well naturally, and upgrading the brakes. I’ll also convert it to clip-ons and add a few small final touches as well. Exciting project for the summer
It’s a bike I still regret selling, so last summer I bought myself the cheapest S4R in the country with the intention of rebuilding it from the ground up this winter, exactly the way I want it. So last Monday, things got going!
Up onto the ramp, and an afternoon of tinkering later:
With most of the bike dismantled, we ran into a seriously stubborn rear axle. With two almost hidden circlips proving to be the culprit, we finally managed the final step, and:
The beating heart is now free. Next steps include:
- full engine teardown and rebuild
- full refurb of all engine components (optically)
- frame, tank and panel respray
- wheel refurb
- suspension overhaul
Later on, I’ll swap out the front end for a 1098 Ohlins fork and wheel, adding the rear wheel as well naturally, and upgrading the brakes. I’ll also convert it to clip-ons and add a few small final touches as well. Exciting project for the summer
Four Alfa's and a Ducati later, I've turned to the dark side...
"Drive German, wear Italian, kiss French"
Z4: Tiefgrüen Metallic E86 3.0Si / Insta @bartsbuilds
"Drive German, wear Italian, kiss French"
Z4: Tiefgrüen Metallic E86 3.0Si / Insta @bartsbuilds
- Joycey
- Member
- Posts: 682
- Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2016 4:28 pm
- Location: Basingstoke
- Rockhopper
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1116
- Joined: Fri Mar 06, 2020 7:05 pm
- Location: Mansfield
Ducati Monster Rebuild
Check rockers and cam shafts. My ST4 with the 916 engine used to treat rockers almost as consumables. The 996 and the 748 have the same problem.
- Barty
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1054
- Joined: Mon Aug 09, 2021 5:02 pm
- Location: Netherlands
Ducati Monster Rebuild
Good call that. It’s going to a guy who rebuilds these engines for racing and does bespoke mechanical tuning jobs, so it’s in good handsRockhopper wrote: ↑Thu Jan 05, 2023 3:35 pm Check rockers and cam shafts. My ST4 with the 916 engine used to treat rockers almost as consumables. The 996 and the 748 have the same problem.
Four Alfa's and a Ducati later, I've turned to the dark side...
"Drive German, wear Italian, kiss French"
Z4: Tiefgrüen Metallic E86 3.0Si / Insta @bartsbuilds
"Drive German, wear Italian, kiss French"
Z4: Tiefgrüen Metallic E86 3.0Si / Insta @bartsbuilds
- Rockhopper
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1116
- Joined: Fri Mar 06, 2020 7:05 pm
- Location: Mansfield
Ducati Monster Rebuild
Excellent stuff! If you leave it too long the rocker can damage the cam shaft.
Shame you are not in the UK, a very good friend of mine runs an independant specialist Ducati workshop.
Shame you are not in the UK, a very good friend of mine runs an independant specialist Ducati workshop.
- Smartbear
- Lifer
- Posts: 13685
- Joined: Wed Feb 05, 2014 6:54 pm
- Location: a barn in Somerset
Ducati Monster Rebuild
Out of curiosity, is the bike to the left in the first pic a Yamaha xj600 diversion?
Rob
Rob
e89 Sdrive 20i, plenty of mumbo & good economy-the thinking bears z4
e89 Sdrive 30i, this ones busted, pass me another...
e85 3.0si sold
-
- Lifer
- Posts: 8506
- Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2021 7:20 pm
- Location: Spaldingski
Ducati Monster Rebuild
I am going to have to get one of those bike lifts soon!
Great thread. Keep the updates coming. Never been a Ducati fan but I can see the attraction!
Great thread. Keep the updates coming. Never been a Ducati fan but I can see the attraction!
All good things come to those who wait. I'm really impatient which explains a lot.
F31 320i. Good car.
E89 20i Now fully dried
Z3 'free litre'. Project and a half. Complicated!
Mazda3 sold
Tatty old R56 Mini Cooper. Money pit!
F31 320i. Good car.
E89 20i Now fully dried
Z3 'free litre'. Project and a half. Complicated!
Mazda3 sold
Tatty old R56 Mini Cooper. Money pit!
- B21
- Lifer
- Posts: 5450
- Joined: Tue Oct 05, 2021 7:15 pm
- Location: In my Banana Yellow Space Shuttle...somewhere over Southern Caledonia
Ducati Monster Rebuild
Sigh…..
I had a lovely Duck 900 with white frame and cherry red half fairing …L900 MAD….I needed to money to fuel my flying addiction, sold it to a philistine….so so regret it…not that I rode it much but it was the most beautiful bike I ever had…with high exhausts it was crippling for the pillion..
Enjoy the restoration
I had a lovely Duck 900 with white frame and cherry red half fairing …L900 MAD….I needed to money to fuel my flying addiction, sold it to a philistine….so so regret it…not that I rode it much but it was the most beautiful bike I ever had…with high exhausts it was crippling for the pillion..
Enjoy the restoration
- Attachments
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- 55F78E8A-2687-4D81-8459-064323FBB8EB.jpeg (94.66 KiB) Viewed 441 times
We choose to go to on with this endeavour at this time and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard…
A very modified Atacama Yellow 35is
A very modified Atacama Yellow 35is
- Rockhopper
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1116
- Joined: Fri Mar 06, 2020 7:05 pm
- Location: Mansfield
Ducati Monster Rebuild
Fantastic bikes, I had an ST2 then an ST4 and my Mrs had a 600 Monster. They are super light (they even made one called that!), handle brilliantly and sound great. I did track days on mine and took it to France twice. I sold it then bought it back two years later! Then when I moved house I had nowhere to keep it so I sold it again. The only downside for me was the maintenance, dry clutches, rubber cam belts and chocolate rockers add up to big bills
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- Lifer
- Posts: 8506
- Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2021 7:20 pm
- Location: Spaldingski
Ducati Monster Rebuild
For inspiration for Barty and those of you who like a bit of Ducati 'bike porn' have a gander at this thread from the cutters:
https://forums.m3cutters.co.uk/threads/ ... ci.250262/
https://forums.m3cutters.co.uk/threads/ ... ci.250262/
All good things come to those who wait. I'm really impatient which explains a lot.
F31 320i. Good car.
E89 20i Now fully dried
Z3 'free litre'. Project and a half. Complicated!
Mazda3 sold
Tatty old R56 Mini Cooper. Money pit!
F31 320i. Good car.
E89 20i Now fully dried
Z3 'free litre'. Project and a half. Complicated!
Mazda3 sold
Tatty old R56 Mini Cooper. Money pit!
- Mr Tidy
- Legend
- Posts: 23842
- Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2014 12:18 pm
- Location: North West Surrey
Ducati Monster Rebuild
That looks like a great project Barty.
You do seem to like to keep yourself busy!
You do seem to like to keep yourself busy!
Coupes because stunning!
Current - Silver Grey MC, Imola Red heated Nappa & carbon trim. Aeros, H & R Coil-overs, 224s, OE Strut brace, Nav, cup-holders, DSP Hi-Fi, pdc, cruise, MFSW, no CDV! E90 330i daily
Gone - Montego Blue
Gone - Ruby Black
Current - Silver Grey MC, Imola Red heated Nappa & carbon trim. Aeros, H & R Coil-overs, 224s, OE Strut brace, Nav, cup-holders, DSP Hi-Fi, pdc, cruise, MFSW, no CDV! E90 330i daily
Gone - Montego Blue
Gone - Ruby Black
- Nictrix
- Lifer
- Posts: 5451
- Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2014 9:59 pm
- Location: Paisley
Ducati Monster Rebuild
I know that you can relate to the guy owning all those bikes and never using them but I just couldnt do it. I sold my last bike that I loved and had owned for 15 years because I wasnt using it enough.Pondrew wrote: ↑Thu Jan 05, 2023 8:29 pm For inspiration for Barty and those of you who like a bit of Ducati 'bike porn' have a gander at this thread from the cutters:
https://forums.m3cutters.co.uk/threads/ ... ci.250262/
E89 2014 35i M Sport Black with Black leather
-
- Lifer
- Posts: 8506
- Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2021 7:20 pm
- Location: Spaldingski
Ducati Monster Rebuild
If I had the money I would do what he has done in a heartbeat. I would love to have bikes (and cars)on show in my house. It's about appreciating the beauty and the engineering for me (and him obviously).
Admittedly I would commission them on a rota and take them out very sparingly.
I just don't have that kind (or any kind) of money, unfortunately.
All good things come to those who wait. I'm really impatient which explains a lot.
F31 320i. Good car.
E89 20i Now fully dried
Z3 'free litre'. Project and a half. Complicated!
Mazda3 sold
Tatty old R56 Mini Cooper. Money pit!
F31 320i. Good car.
E89 20i Now fully dried
Z3 'free litre'. Project and a half. Complicated!
Mazda3 sold
Tatty old R56 Mini Cooper. Money pit!
- Barty
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1054
- Joined: Mon Aug 09, 2021 5:02 pm
- Location: Netherlands
Ducati Monster Rebuild
Smartbear, sure is. Belongs to the mother of a good friend of mine, which reminds me of a clutch that still needs doing…
B21, that’s a lovely bit of kit, and I can really relate to the regret of letting go a bike like that. Did any new Italian classics find their way back into your garage?
Rockhopper, maintenance is always a thing with Ducati’s. As long as you do it properly (on time and with the right stuff) they’ll keep thumping along nicely. Most of the maintenance will be carried out by myself once the rebuild is complete, so that should keep costs in check. They get a bad rep when it comes to reliability, but I used my previous S4R as a daily and ticked up 30.000km’s in 18 months- zero issues
Pondrew, sheesh, he’s gone to town on the Ducati specials… I must admit some of the more modern bikes lack the same attraction the old ones have, but horses for the courses I suppose! It’s an insane collection, that’s for sure
Mr Tidy, thanks! Can’t really help myself; just love to tinker on stuff like this, and the best feeling is the ride afterwards knowing it’s something you’ve built yourself.
B21, that’s a lovely bit of kit, and I can really relate to the regret of letting go a bike like that. Did any new Italian classics find their way back into your garage?
Rockhopper, maintenance is always a thing with Ducati’s. As long as you do it properly (on time and with the right stuff) they’ll keep thumping along nicely. Most of the maintenance will be carried out by myself once the rebuild is complete, so that should keep costs in check. They get a bad rep when it comes to reliability, but I used my previous S4R as a daily and ticked up 30.000km’s in 18 months- zero issues
Pondrew, sheesh, he’s gone to town on the Ducati specials… I must admit some of the more modern bikes lack the same attraction the old ones have, but horses for the courses I suppose! It’s an insane collection, that’s for sure
Mr Tidy, thanks! Can’t really help myself; just love to tinker on stuff like this, and the best feeling is the ride afterwards knowing it’s something you’ve built yourself.
Four Alfa's and a Ducati later, I've turned to the dark side...
"Drive German, wear Italian, kiss French"
Z4: Tiefgrüen Metallic E86 3.0Si / Insta @bartsbuilds
"Drive German, wear Italian, kiss French"
Z4: Tiefgrüen Metallic E86 3.0Si / Insta @bartsbuilds
- Smartbear
- Lifer
- Posts: 13685
- Joined: Wed Feb 05, 2014 6:54 pm
- Location: a barn in Somerset
Ducati Monster Rebuild
Named that tune in oneBarty wrote: ↑Fri Jan 06, 2023 10:08 am Smartbear, sure is. Belongs to the mother of a good friend of mine, which reminds me of a clutch that still needs doing…
B21, that’s a lovely bit of kit, and I can really relate to the regret of letting go a bike like that. Did any new Italian classics find their way back into your garage?
Rockhopper, maintenance is always a thing with Ducati’s. As long as you do it properly (on time and with the right stuff) they’ll keep thumping along nicely. Most of the maintenance will be carried out by myself once the rebuild is complete, so that should keep costs in check. They get a bad rep when it comes to reliability, but I used my previous S4R as a daily and ticked up 30.000km’s in 18 months- zero issues
Pondrew, sheesh, he’s gone to town on the Ducati specials… I must admit some of the more modern bikes lack the same attraction the old ones have, but horses for the courses I suppose! It’s an insane collection, that’s for sure
Mr Tidy, thanks! Can’t really help myself; just love to tinker on stuff like this, and the best feeling is the ride afterwards knowing it’s something you’ve built yourself.
Rob
e89 Sdrive 20i, plenty of mumbo & good economy-the thinking bears z4
e89 Sdrive 30i, this ones busted, pass me another...
e85 3.0si sold