Ducati 900SS Frame sliders and clutch cover

[Rot 911]

I think there may be more 900SS guys on this forum than post on the Ducati.ms board.

Anyways, are any of you running frame sliders on your 900SS? I know it is a good idea, but the thought of cutting holes in the fairing makes me ill. And what ones are you using in the rear?

Now that I have a Ducati with a dry clutch, of course I want to run a vented clutch cover. Any recommendations? Thanks!

[HardDrive]

I'm not running frame sliders. I seem to recall you get ones that fit under the plastics. In a fall, you lose your bodywork, but it saves hard bits.

I've always likes the Speedy Moto 5 spoke cover. I had it on my Monster.

[Jeff Higgins]

Speedy Moto has the short sliders that fit under the fairings. The ones that are long enough to stick through the fairing, ostensibly to "save" the fairing, really don't. They are actually so long they typically just break off, or wind up damaging the frame when they bend back. If you are going to use sliders at all, use the short, behind the fairing kind. Most of us don't use them, though. Not on street bikes.

Living in the Pacific North "wet" and riding year-round, I run enclosed covers on the clutch and belts. I don't think getting the dry clutch wet with road spray will hurt it in any way (nor the belts), but I am concerned with what is in that road spray - all the grit, sand, and other crap.

[jwasbury]

I crashed my monster at ~90mph going into turn 1 at Loudon during a practice session. It was a "high-side" type get-off, so pretty violent. I had to replace one of the side covers on the engine, footpeg, brake or clutch lever..that's all. I wasn't running frame sliders, and I don't know that they would have changed the outcome.

re: clutch covers...the vented ones make more noise and I don't think there are any performance benefits in the real world. Its visual and audio cosmetics IMHO. I never ran a vented cover over the 18 years I had my 900 monster...bike was on its 2nd clutch when I sold it at 35k miles.

[Gogar]

+1, no frame sliders.


If you do the clutch cover you're going to want to get a fancy pressure plate and buttons, etc. I sort of like the EVR pressure plate because there's a zillion color options.

If your bike has carbon fiber bits then a carbon fiber clutch cover is cool, and then there's a lot of choices of varying quality. The one i have is nice because it has aluminum reinforcement where the bolts go. I had another cheapo that didn't have that and it was fine but looked . . . cheap.


I like the look of the Ducati Performance covers and plates but they're pretty spendy.

[Rot 911]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I know, I'm like a kid in a candy store. Certainly don't need the clutch cover, and all of the "bling" internals, but it is hard to overlook the cool factor.

[HardDrive]

btw, I'm with Jeff on the open cover thing. If I had a more raw looking bike like a Monster or Hyper, I might get one. At the end of the day, it really is just a bling thing.



(P.S. please don't make fun of me next summer when I post photos of my new open cover and fancy pants clutch plate and springs )

[HardDrive]

I'm actually working up top on my bling at the moment. Just got some anodized reservoir covers. I'm going to get new levers, and bar ends soon.

[froggert]

it'd be a shame to cut holes in the bodywork. you can't really find fairings for a 900ss any more.

only clutch cover i use now is axljak. it's the strongest one i've seen.

[Noah930]

Originally Posted by froggert

it'd be a shame to cut holes in the bodywork. you can't really find fairings for a 900ss any more.

NLA

From time to time there's a guy who will sell NOS bodywork on ebay. I think he's a retired/closed-down dealership.

[Jeff Higgins]

Sharkskinz still has 900SS bodywork. Very high quality, along with being much cheaper and tougher than stock.

[MotoSook]

I've got a Cycle Cat clutch cover and small sprocket cover (just because I got them used, together). No frame slider...never been interested in one.

I did get some new grips, mirrors and hand levers...Chinese parts off e-bay. Quality was a actually pretty good. I'd post a picture but don't have anything available now. Your purchase may actually push me to finish the work I'm doing to mine so I can ride it next spring.

Cycle Cat - Billet Clutch Covers

[Gogar]

Originally Posted by peteremsley

You need an open cover on an SS to truly convince folks that its a diesel at traffic lights

Or a band saw.