Ode to a loudbike...

I sold the Cadillac this week.  It didn't take long, I got my price and as a bonus, it went to a friend of a good friend.  And although I'm sad to to see the bike go, another project will fill the void this winter and that sits very well with me.  The bike always surprised me; The way I was impressed with the build quality as I stripped it down to part it out on eBay, the pleasant discovery that a 900 engine would slide in, the ease with which the transformation came together, the rave reviews from Adam and Fran after riding it at Mosport in May and my impressions as I took it on track for the first time at the same event. 

I had a strange relationship with the bike.  The F1, with its new 853 short-stroke motor, fresh bodywork and frame mods was my focus as the season began and remained so though the summer.  As such, the Caddy was always in the background and to be honest, up until Grattan my friends had more seat time on it than I did.  And my street riding was down to the bare minimum this summer as well.  The bizarre freeze/thaw cycle that defined the previous winter had left our roads a mess of pot holes and sunken man hole covers.  So the Caddy and I got out for the odd street ride, but I always felt like I was only seconds away from a ticket or certain death.

It was at Grattan though that the bike truly shone. I had seven days of  track time (four of which were very loosely structured) and the Caddy was the perfect mount for fooling around at 75% in the Fast Street class with Mike Cecchini.  It made awesome sounds and handled like a dream.  Wheelies out of Turn one, The Bowl and the Bus Stop. 

This latest transaction continues a strange tradition of selling my mounts to the old gang in Atlantic Canada, although the Maritimer who bought it now resides in Miami. Of all the monikers that Fran McDemott has attached to the bikes of our tribe in the last 10 years, the '90 once-750-now-900-Sport AKA Cadillac had the strangest.  In a world where all of our machines have a purposeful edge to them (I'm being kind), here was a bike that could hold its own on the track while being a plush, forgiving, easy to ride and super-fun machine.  Cadillac, indeed.

Recipe:

Take one slightly used 1990 Ducati 750 Sport chassis, oil cooler, F1 aluminum slip-ons and bodywork. 

Blend in from a 1995 Ducati 900SS/SP:

• Fully adjustable, recently rebuilt Showa forks
• Polished triple clamps
• Bars, master cylinders and controls
• Carbon fiber clad instrument cluster
• Carbon front fender
• 17” Front wheel with polished accents
• Fully-floating, cast iron front rotors
• Brembo P30/34 4-piston calipers
• Polished swing arm
• 17 x 5.5” rear wheel with polished accents
• Polished header pipe
• Kokusan ignition (mounted below battery box)
• Motor:
  -  5-angle valve job (new valves, seats, guides, MBP collets
  -  New belts
  -  Rewired ignition pickups
  -  Yoyodyne lightweight flywheel
  -  Yoyodyne clutch slave cylinder
  -  Recent Barnett clutch pack
  -  NOS Monster pistons and rings 
  -  Carbon belt and clutch covers
  -  Carbon sprocket cover
  -  41mm Keihin FCRs on short manifolds
  -  Nichols cylinder head studs

..And then add

• 2001 900SS rear shock (13 5/8”)
• Braided stainless lines
• 39 tooth AFAM sprocket
• Gold DID x-ring chain
• New 15 tooth primary sprocket
• Polished rear sets and pegs
• New wheel bearings
• Michelin Pilot Power tires (120/17 and 180/17)

xxx

Content: 1987 Ducati 750 F1, 1990 Ducati 750 Sport, 1995 Ducati 900SS SP,  loudbike

Comments

[Ant]

Hey, I love the exhaust you have there, looks awesome. Is it from a F1 as you mentioned? I am looking to upgrade the exhaust on my 88 750 sport, I am looking for something interesting / unusual, like this or something close to the original. Can you tell me more. Many thanks, love the site.
Ant

[paul reed]

hello,i have 1990 ducati 750 as well,is that a swingarm off a 900ss as it looks just like my swingarm and i read somewhere the original swingarms on this model were steel-do you know anything about this?anyways,i`m looking for a new swingarm as i`m getting a stress crack in mine welded up-any suggestions?