Let's see your old bevel Ducati

[Dooly]

Since we have Motoweb here at work I ran the plates etc.
This is what came up.
Maybe someone can make sense of the VIn and other details?

Registration details
Registered overseas: No
First registered in NZ: 7-Jan-1986
Last registration: Re-registered 16-Dec-1996

Vehicle Identification
Year 1978 VIN 7A857001196902783
Make Ducati Chassis 902783
Model 900 Main colour Black
Submodel Darmah Second colour Gold
Engine Assembly
Number 902908 Country of origin Australia
Capacity 900 cc Previously registered in Not entered
Power Not entered Assembled Outside New Zealand
Fuel type Petrol Body style Motorcycle
Alternative

Odometer readings Registration plates

24-Nov-2005 WOF 73,449 Km
24-Mar-2005 WOF 73,286 Km
23-Dec-2003 WOF 73,164 Km
31-Jan-2003 WOF 72,959 Km
16-Dec-1996 WOF 72,737 Km

16-Dec-1996 89TLC (Standard)
7-Jan-1986 8PMO

[TLDV8]

Chassis 902783

Engine Number 902908

The engine number is 1978.
The frame number is 1978.

1978 SD900 in the attached pic,it may have simply had the wheels (magnesium speedlines which could crack and were normally replaced with alloy FPS items which became standard in 1980) and seat unit replaced.Depends if someone was looking for original or just a rider.

The 1978 is small port head ,36/38 mm stepped crank pin.
The later bikes had got about all that was going by then..big port heads like the SS (1979),straight 38mm crankpin (1980)..3 dog gearbox's (late 1981)..All items phased in from around 1979.
It was all over for the Beveldrive by the mid 1980's.
Change the oil and don't rev the crap out of them and they are fine.

[Dooly]

Thanks for that mate.

I was considering it as a project, not a resto, a rider that needed a scrub up and perhaps a few mods here and there in a slightly non stock way.

[jim.cox]

.
Change the oil and don't rev the crap out of them and they are fine.

Yes, change the oil regularly.

but the desmo engine is designed to rev.

Lugging them in too high a gear is what kills them fastest.

Give them tit, lots of tit. They like it that way

=mjc=
.

[TLDV8]

Yes, change the oil regularly.

but the desmo engine is designed to rev.

Lugging them in too high a gear is what kills them fastest.

Give them tit, lots of tit. They like it that way

=mjc=
.

I said don't rev the crap out of them,not don't rev them.
Who would lug any bike in any gear.
Keep taking a "stock" pistoned SD over 8000 rpm and you will not only !@#$ it long term but it had made its "stock" 52 rwhp long ago.
Not to mention the "stock" combustion chamber is 1950's technology so you are wasting your time.
"Stock" SD engine and 5000 to 7500 rpm sure but the piston speed with a 74.4mm stroke is very high and obviously the stress is squared by the rpm.

The flipside,spend enough on mods,conrods,quality high compression pistons,ceramic coating and welded heads with reangled valves,41mm FCR's,good cams and a clutch that will take the abuse and you can turn over 9000 rpm and close to 90 rwhp.
For how long is the question...All depends on how much time and money is spare.

Never hurts to have a TL as another bike.

[Eddieb]

The engine number is 1978.
The frame number is 1978.

Are you able to determine ages for other models? I'm still trying to establish the real age of my 250.

It was last registered in the UK as a '72 Mark 3, which would make it a wide case, but it's a narrow case so must be sometime between about ~'64-'68.

I'd like to get some sort of real age on it, the closer it is to 66, the closer it is to being a classic.

Eddie

[Dazza]

Never hurts to have a TL as another bike.
>

Ya bugger I'm jealous, what yr is the 860. I spent about $9000 on the engine of my S2 with V2 in 96, dulp,did everything except reangled valves.Did go like shit and even idled when I got it back fm.Oz.

[TLDV8]

Ya bugger I'm jealous, what yr is the 860. I spent about $9000 on the engine of my S2 with V2 in 96, dulp,did everything except reangled valves.Did go like shit and even idled when I got it back fm.Oz.

Dazza..It's a 1973 750 GT ..I also sent my SD engine over to Brook Henry (1993 or 94),turned out he had serviced the bike itself before it was bought back here in early 1983 when i got it...Got everything except the C/R gearbox,went to 41mm FCR's around 1998 ... I used two rear 750 F1 rear inlet manifolds with O-ringed machined wedges to adapt them and also to tip them to the correct angles...Seem to remember at the time it cost me around $1800 by the time i got two carburator's,filters,filter adapters and jets off Sudco,made cables etc etc but well worth it... It was a surprise the first time a 1550mm wheelbase Darmah carried the front wheel on power alone

One thing of note.....When i got my engine back it came with new Bosch coil's.
What you were not told was,remove the stock beveldrive ballast resistor's,took a while to hunt that down wondering why the jetting was fine but the chambers looked like rich or weak ignition.

[TLDV8]

Are you able to determine ages for other models? I'm still trying to establish the real age of my 250.

It was last registered in the UK as a '72 Mark 3, which would make it a wide case, but it's a narrow case so must be sometime between about ~'64-'68.

I'd like to get some sort of real age on it, the closer it is to 66, the closer it is to being a classic.

Eddie

Eddie..There are a few restoration books devoted to the Single's which give an idea via the engine/frame numbers.
One other option might be to try a post on a site like this one http://www.bevelheaven.com/ they have a forum for singles so no doubt someone out there will be able to help.

[gavin j]

lets see some pictures of your old bevel Ducatis (Darmah, SS, GT, MHR, GTS, round case ,square case ETC). as i was suprised on how man people in here own them, or have had,
ill crack it of with mine
SD900 with drop bars, Ive hade for 11 years

hi gav here im just building up a gt 860 same sort of color with the cool pin stripes
just onto the eletrics now when i work out how to work this thing a bit better ill
put a couple of smaps of her on here

[orangeback]

couple weeks ago , it came out for a strop over the hill

[Dooly]

Nice mate.

Went for a ride on the neighbour's one a few weeks back. 21000 orig kms and 81 model. Mint as. Did'nt feel that heavy despite it looking like it weighs heaps.
Went better than a 97 Moto Guzzi Sport 1100 that I rode recently, that was perhaps the worst bike I've ever ridden IMO.

Saw another Darma 2 weeks ago out country here at a pub, guy has had it 21 years. Mint as well.

[idb]

I've owned mine for about seven years and I don't think I've got any photos of it!

Except for these taken over the last couple of weeks.

Here is an updated photo taken about 3 months later.
It's the black one in front

[98tls]

Very nice IDB,great thread keep them coming.

[Dazza]

Very nice IDB,great thread keep them coming.

I'll second that, sorta makes me miss my S2 with the Vee Two engine