As the Duc came further and further apart I started contemplating exactly how I was going to support the bike as the project continued. I have plenty of motorcycle stands but the only one I have that is compatible at all with the Duc is the Pit-Bull SSSA stand. There is no hole in the bottom of the lower triple. So, my head stand is out. Neither of my other stands will (securely) lift a bike by the fork. I read online about using ratchet straps in eyehooks in the ceiling but that didn’t really sit well with me. My garage is pretty stinkin’ pristine and I intend to keep it that way. I had planned on sending the engine away to summer camp at “The Metric Garage”. Which is my friend’s moto repair shop. You see, the problem with Ducati’s (as if there is only one) is that the bottom of the motor isn’t flat enough to support the engine without tipping over. Tipping is for cows, not Ducs. Also, I wanted to be able to have the motor painted and perfect to go back into the frame when it comes time. A trip to the Internet eventually yielded this:
I figured that this wouldn’t be my last Duc. Furthermore, Ducati did a wonderful job of making small refinements that results in all kinds of cross-compatibility across it’s range for many years. That’s basically the story of the Monster and the current Ducati Super Sport. Both parts bin bikes. A little research revealed that this engine stand would fit a huge number of Ducati engines. So I clicked “check out” and then it was up to UPS.
The engine stand arrived Friday. Over a glass of Bourbon I hatched a plan to remove the engine early Saturday morning. One would assume that I was not the first garage monkey to attempt to pull a motor from a 748 with zero idea how to do it. The next morning, coffee in-hand, I went to the garage and thought. Surely the stand would be tall enough to get the engine close to installation height. It only stands to reason. Wouldn’t you know that wasn’t exactly the case. With the bike on the SSSA stand, the bolts for the engine stand damn near lined up but not quite. I tried lifting up on the front end but then I couldn’t install the stand bolts. I decided to live dangerously and use the stand I had been using for the CB175 to lift the front of the bike so the engine stand could be bolted up tight. A few VERY nervous moments later the stand was installed and supporting the front end of the bike. The front end stand was quickly taken out of action.
Remember three pages ago when I said that I had bought the worst Ducati in Dallas? I found further proof when I started to remove the bolts that hold the engine to the trellis frame. You see, Ducati engines are what is known as a “Stressed Member”. Which means that they are integral to the bikes structure and rigidity. Imagine my surprise to discover that the two main bolts were loose as well as the swingarm bolt. Yep, the engine was little more than finger tight in the frame. It’s a miracle that this thing got as far as it did before the rear wheel locked up. This bike was truly a mess. It’s a shame because most, and I mean MOST, people don’t take a torque wrench when the go to buy a bike. In the future, I will.
Fast forward about an hour and two cups of coffee and I had this:
I actually picked up the frame, front end still installed because I don’t have the stupid f*cking tool to remove the yokes, and lifted it over the engine. Job done.
Around 30 minutes later I had the rolling chassis back on the ground. The problem is that the kickstand is bolted directly to the engine case. So the bike will need to remain on the SSSA stand until further notice. I reinstalled the factory clip-ons for ease of maneuverability. After all, I don’t want to scratch up pretty new parts.
Stay tuned for the next update. There is literally smoke rolling off of my credit card but there are new goodies on the way. Also, I hope to detab this motherf*cker tomorrow. See everybody soon!