Why TradeMe must go!

**Hailwood** · 16th June 2012, 22:29

Here I was sitting at home this morning...cold wet saturday so I know..I will have a look on Trademe and see whats there......you all know where this is heading!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Looking through the classic and vintage bikes for sale (as you do) and there she was........the one bike I always said I would own again (having owned 2 before) if I could get a good one. What am I to do? I guess ringing the owner might be a start..it cant help...

Called him and got all the info i needed...excellent condition, well looked after...blah blah blah.....

Looked at the price again and looked, looked..oh F%#k it..hit buy now button and now she is joining the family.....

1982 Ducati Darmah SD900 done 87kms in black and gold with Conti mufflers......now all I got to do is get to Auckland and bring her home...pics to follow.....mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm mmm

**Oblivion** · 16th June 2012, 22:54

Impending Road trip incoming.

**Voltaire** · 17th June 2012, 08:38

Good buy, as the owner of a 78 Darmah for the last 25 years you look to have got a very good buy.
I look at that section daily and never even saw it.
Probably the last of the bevels that are not yet trailer queens, great to ride and oh the sound.
I fitted Works Performance shocks to mine and their progressive fork springs. I've gone off progressive fork springs since fitting linear ones and emulators to my BMW racer....if I was doing the Darmah again I would go that way. Are the shocks Koni's? IKON aus are the same and you can get all the parts, they work well on old twin shockers.
I upgraded to a later voltage reg, Dyna coils/leads, pretty reliable bikes.

You probably know about Bevel Heaven, lots of goodies....
Also a guy in Tauraunga if you can get hold of him is good for parts
Engine/fork Oil change, check the valve clearances, Brembo overhaul and your good to go.

I found the clutch heavy and finding neutral tricky in town riding.....until I modified a later 900SS hydraulic clutch to fit, that was non invasive and can be swapped back. Transformed the clutch.
Next of the list is making the seat more comfortable...mine is the whale tail one...thin as.

Have fun
John

**Hailwood** · 17th June 2012, 10:51

Originally Posted by Voltaire

Good buy, as the owner of a 78 Darmah for the last 25 years you look to have got a very good buy.
I look at that section daily and never even saw it.
Probably the last of the bevels that are not yet trailer queens, great to ride and oh the sound.
I fitted Works Performance shocks to mine and their progressive fork springs. I've gone off progressive fork springs since fitting linear ones and emulators to my BMW racer....if I was doing the Darmah again I would go that way. Are the shocks Koni's? IKON aus are the same and you can get all the parts, they work well on old twin shockers.
I upgraded to a later voltage reg, Dyna coils/leads, pretty reliable bikes.

You probably know about Bevel Heaven, lots of goodies....
Also a guy in Tauraunga if you can get hold of him is good for parts
Engine/fork Oil change, check the valve clearances, Brembo overhaul and your good to go.

I found the clutch heavy and finding neutral tricky in town riding.....until I modified a later 900SS hydraulic clutch to fit, that was non invasive and can be swapped back. Transformed the clutch.
Next of the list is making the seat more comfortable...mine is the whale tail one...thin as.

Have fun
John

Cheers John..not sure what the shocks are yet..bought it unseen apart form the pix......love Bevel Heaven, the guy in Tauranga I will find and I will look at front springs as well.....do you mind if I keep in touch if I ever need any advice? Do you know anyone else on here who owns one?

I owned 2 Darmahs in the past and perhaps remember only the good things but I loved them both..hence the impulse buy.

Cheers

Brett

**BMWST?** · 17th June 2012, 10:54

i had a 900 s2 i reckon some modern suspension setups would make em much more rideable.The suspension never moved below 140

**Kickaha** · 17th June 2012, 11:06

Looks like a good buy, 82 was the same year I used to have, paid about the same as that in 1991 and I'd be happy to have another one, only thing that ever annoyed me about them was the 15L tank

**Voltaire** · 17th June 2012, 18:26

Originally Posted by Kickaha

Looks like a good buy, 82 was the same year I used to have, paid about the same as that in 1991 and I'd be happy to have another one, only thing that ever annoyed me about them was the 15L tank

15 litres....luxury try a 12 litre Norton Roadster tank.....
I find the Duke gets over 50 mpg touring.....did the forgotton Hiway a couple of years back....just never pass a gas station...easy as the seat is so uncomfortable...

**Kickaha** · 17th June 2012, 19:44

Originally Posted by Voltaire

15 litres....luxury try a 12 litre Norton Roadster tank

I'd only be interested in a Norton if it had the Interstate tank

Originally Posted by Voltaire

I find the Duke gets over 50 mpg touring....

Not if they have 40mm carbs they don't, 30mpg if hammered and 44mpg taking it easy
MHR is 42mpg at no faster than 120kmh
Now if I could get a Darmah with a big tank I'd be happy, although I've only ever seen one photo of the large tank and it was pretty hideous

**Hailwood** · 17th June 2012, 19:45

Yeah I remember getting about 180kms from the tank..oh well so I get to know where all the gas stations are...........

**orangeback** · 17th June 2012, 20:40

i recon you stole it for that price , wasn't even there for 10 hours b4 you bought it , happy to see it stay in NZ, as the guy's from over the ditch are grabbing them, as they are worth drug money in Oze and the States these days , i ve got a 78/79 same as you have coming with Drop bars on it, I've had it since 1994 .

**Laava** · 17th June 2012, 21:52

I had a drama as well, was the first year with no kickstart and not the ducktail. I got good at fixing it!
But it was lovely to ride and the sound stays with you forever