Any good Ducati superbike forums out there?

[Rufblackbird]

I'm trying to find a good forum (like Pelican) for the Ducati superbikes...anyone know of one?

[greglepore]

There's a good mailist at ducati.net

[motion]

Hey Jeff - Try Clubdesmo.com. Its mostly Superbike guys. Gets real interesting sometimes. That's what happens when you mix a racer's ego with an Italian Superbike.

[Rufblackbird]

Greg - I'm already on it...bit of a hassle since it's not as easy to filter out the info. Thanks.

Richard - I've been admiring that 998 of yours ever since I've seen that link in your sig. Isn't clubdesmo for mostly SoCal people? Or will I fit in just right?

[motion]

I think it might be mainly NorCal people, with some SoCal and others... as long as you have thick skin and don't mind being flamed about everything, you should do fine there.

What are you getting?

[Rufblackbird]

Richard - I guess I proved the naysayers wrong when they suggested against a Ducati as a first bike.

[nostatic]

mmmm.....

[Rufblackbird]

I've wanted one for years so I figured why the heck not (gas prices and no parking at work sucks really bad)...it's my mid 20s crisis.

[nostatic]

also try http://speedzilla.zeroforum.com/

or http://www.cycleforums.com

[Eric Coffey]

Here's another decent BBS with it's own Ducati sub-forum:

http://sbw.sportbikes.com/

[Don Ro]

More:
.
http://autos.dir.groups.yahoo.com/dir/Recreation___Sports/Automotive/Motorcycles/Makes_and_Models/Ducati?st=0&show_groups=1
.
http://www.ducati.ms/
.
http://www.cowin-tech.com/ducati/
.
http://www.ducsunlimited.com/
.
An Aussie forum. Good tech articles - especially about "The Black Mystic Art of Cam Timing!"
.
http://www.docv.org/
.
Be careful on that thing - you could poke your eye out.
(Ego kills!)
.
'00 996S (Red)

[motion]

Wooohooooo Jeff!!! Nice! Looks like a little carbon there, Corbin seat, FBF pipes. Looking good. Get an open clutch cover so you can hear the beautiful sound of a Ducati dry clutch. And be careful!

[Don Ro]

Originally posted by motion
Looking good. Get an open clutch cover so you can hear the beautiful sound of a Ducati dry clutch. And be careful!

I put 7mm collars on the bolts between the cover 'n case - just for heat venting. 'Am sick of hearing that jingle-jangle "beautiful sound."
'Getting old, I guess.

[CarreraS2]

Cr@p - that's a sweet bike! Congrats!

Just be careful Jeff!

[Adam]

That bike looks evil, Jeff!

Have fun, but for god's sake - be careful!

[5axis]

I am one of those riders who knows I can and will go for a slide, minus my bike on occasion.
Frame sliders are one of the best things to come along since full (expensive) fairing sport bikes apeared. It will make it a little less painfull (maybe?) when it ends up on it's side.


http://www.motostrano-store.com/ducframslids.html


Richard, damn that TZ looks sweet!

[motion]

Thanks 5axis, although she's not looking so sweet lately

[Rufblackbird]

Holy **** Richard are you ok?

Thanks for all the responses! From what the ad said it's a Sargent seat, and it also has a Ferraci ECU as well...it's a 2001 with 4500 miles. Where can I find an open clutch cover? I'm new to the world of motorcycles, especially Ducatis. The sound of the dry clutch is definintely something...everyone else thinks there's something wrong with the bike.

Oh yes...I'm more careful in this thing than I am in my 911; riding this definintely gives you a different perception of life...and all the other stupid drivers on the road. I'm taking the local motorcycle safety class starting this week (tomorrow actually) so that should at least help. Plus, it's sitting in the warehouse at work since the parents doesn't know about it. I'm only taking it out during lunch.

Brian - I blame it ALL on you...as soon as I heard you start up your Monster I was hooked.

David - so where do these mount to? I'm still in the process of trying to acquire the owners manual and service manuals. Right now I don't have much of a clue about where anything is.

[Eric Coffey]

Originally posted by Rufblackbird
David - so where do these mount to? I'm still in the process of trying to acquire the owners manual and service manuals. Right now I don't have much of a clue about where anything is. [/B]

Frame sliders are a good way to protect the bike, and those listed above (Cycle Cat) are probably the best out there. They replace the front engine mount stud with a longer one, which extends out on either side. The (replaceable) plastic sliders attach to the extended stud. However, you would have to cut the fairings and possibly get a different (smaller) battery.

I would suggest picking up an additional aftermarket fairing set ("sharkskinz" for example) for your street and/or track riding, and put those nice expensive factory ones in storage for safe keeping. That way you can return the bike to stock if needed, and not have frame slider holes in your factory plastics. Plus, if (or should I say when) you go down, you won't be kicking yourself for ruining the stock pieces (ask me how I know). Have fun with that new quacker, but be careful!

[CarreraS2]

Hey Jeff - yeah, once you see a Duc up close, and hear it rumble, it can be pretty addicting! That's what got me to buy my Monster, too.

On the open clutch cover, there are a lot of vendors, they are on eBay all the time, etc.

A lot of people use carbon fiber clutch covers, but that is going to disintegrate if you drop the bike - adding to the cost by not protecting the clutch.

I wasn't in the Duc scene for all that long, but Cyclecat products seemed to be considered top notch. I knew guys that had them, and they did look really nice. If I was going to get an open clutch cover, that's the one I was going to get.

They look really nice, esp. with an anodized pressure plate and bolts.

Here's the linkss.

http://www.cyclecat.com/CC1-1.htm

http://www.cyclecat.com/PP1-1.htm

Have fun!