Another newbie, another project

**mrpete** · 25 Sep 08, 07:51 AM

Hello all,

I recently got my hands on a tired 750SS and thought it a good idea to join up here and read everything I can find about the her!

She's a 97 vintage yellow full faired model, interestingly with twin front lamps. I'm guessing these are a mod and not a factory job, but they look nice anyway. She's been passed around quite a few people who i think have bought her, been scared by the ensuing stories about Italian bikes, got nervous about doing anything to her and then selling her to someone else - and so the cycle continues.

I got her from a chap near Reading - top bloke who was honest and upfront about the bike - and transported her back to my workshop oop North for a cursory stripdown and onceover. She starts, coughs and splutters a fair bit but then she's got old fuel in her and the choke cable has snapped so she would do that. A good service with new belts, everything cleaned down and she should be barking much better.

Se's also wearing a pair of Termis at the mo, which will be going up for grabs at some point. I love the sound but I'm determined she will be a factory example and have got some original cans for her. Ditto the front fairing section, lamps and all (thanks to Dan for putting his lamp aside for me by the way), unless someone has some info about this and I've missed something really special about her history.

I'll get some pics up to show her off. She's not in bad shape, plastered in stickers mind, but the tank is dent-free. She will have a complete re-paint and thorough refurb before she goes anywhere near a road though. So, thanks for letting me in and like Stuart's thread, here's my 750SS project!

Cheers,

Pete

**mrpete** · 25 Sep 08, 07:56 AM

Ah, forgot to mention the decals. I'm running way ahead of myself here but there seems to be two different decal sets used on the fairing sides and I'm not sure which one would be correct for the model year. One style is the 750 Super Sports, the other is DUCATI in large outline, both running diagonally down. Don't know why I'm explaining all this when everyone reading this knows them way better than me!

:

Anyway, is it a case of either style is fine or would I be provoking a thunderbolt strike if I go the wrong way here?

**gillan900** · 25 Sep 08, 08:20 AM

Welcome to the site Pete,

The 750SS is a sound bike, which i'm sure you will grow to love. The SS's as a whole are guite easy to work on as there are no really complicated electronics on them just a good torquey motor, great chassis and classic styling.

They share a lot of common parts with the 900 and the 600SS's so if you do decide to sell a few of the after market parts there's plenty of people on here that will be interested, especially a set of Termis'

Don't be to hasty though cause after a few months on here you'll be talking FCR's, spagetti headers etc. and you'll be buying back all the bits you sold on

.

I have a few pics' of a standard '97 750ss somewhere, so i'll post them up when I find them.

Enjoy the bike.

Ian.

**gillan900** · 25 Sep 08, 08:33 AM

He we go, not the best pic as it's scanned from a book but it's a '97 version which has the additional side vents in the fairing and the different graphics to the earlier models.
750ss.jpg

**NedLudd** · 25 Sep 08, 08:33 AM

Yep, welcome Pete. You can perhaps date the MY by looking at my thread on the model history here:

Ducati 750ss Model History (Carb Version 1991-97)

It sounds as if a damaged panel has been replaced by a MY97 one, ie with the larger decals.

And, not my primary motive in posting, honest, can I have first dibs on the Termis...

**jim shea** · 25 Sep 08, 08:45 AM

Welcome; I just picked up a 97 in red...It has had the decals changed at some point, and laser cans added; I was thinking of making it in to a MH rep.... I know he never rode one, but do you think it would look good??

**mrpete** · 25 Sep 08, 09:40 AM

Thanks for the pic gillan. The bike has definitely had a low-speed downer at some point as there are a few light srapes on the sides followed by a re-paint and some stickers. They're not deep though so I think it would have been a walking/jogging pace sort of wobble. Or two. The pic is definitely the one style, and I must say the one I prefer, so I'll probably go for that set when she's painted.

I'm determined to stay away from Termis, sell the pair I have here and stick my fingers in my ears and go la la la for the rest of my days! Actually, they do make the most lovely noise but I'm determined to put her back to factory spec, even if it does sound a bit perverse.

You know what I really love doing right now? Having the perfect excuse to browse through fleabay and get new bits for her!

**mrpete** · 25 Sep 08, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NedLudd

Yep, welcome Pete. You can perhaps date the MY by looking at my thread on the model history here:

Ducati 750ss Model History (Carb Version 1991-97)

It sounds as if a damaged panel has been replaced by a MY97 one, ie with the larger decals.

And, not my primary motive in posting, honest, can I have first dibs on the Termis...

You'll have to remind me in a couple of weeks (rubbish memory I'm afraid) but as you asked, you can have first refusal. I'll post some pics of them first before you decide yes or no though.

**jim shea** · 25 Sep 08, 09:50 AM

Here's a pic of mine; I know the Dunlop stickers are wrong; but are the fairing stickers off of an earlier model; they are nothing like the pic of the yellow one??
The bike did have a slow speed drop and the off side was repainted some time ago...

**gillan900** · 25 Sep 08, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim shea

Here's a pic of mine; I know the Dunlop stickers are wrong; but are the fairing stickers off of an earlier model; they are nothing like the pic of the yellow one??
The bike did have a slow speed drop and the off side was repainted some time ago...

Jim the decals you have on your fairings aren't standard, but they don't look bad at all, could be a hell of a lot worse

Are you wanting to go back to standard ?

**mrpete** · 25 Sep 08, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim shea

Here's a pic of mine; I know the Dunlop stickers are wrong; but are the fairing stickers off of an earlier model; they are nothing like the pic of the yellow one??
The bike did have a slow speed drop and the off side was repainted some time ago...

Your sides look far nicer than mine Jim!

**jim shea** · 25 Sep 08, 10:53 AM

I don't dislike them, I just wondered what std should be.. The bike is std apart from the Laser cans, which sound great...
I had toyed with the idea of making it look like a racer of some sort as I was going to use it on the track(maybe!!!) Maybe put some number boards and white on the seat etc; are these types of things available in cut vinyl?
The other idea was to make it a Hailwood rep look alike??

**jim shea** · 25 Sep 08, 11:16 AM

mrpete,
If you are getting rid of the twin lamp conversion I would be interested. My bike had a twin lamp conversion on it before I bought it but it was taken off and binned!!!!!!!

**mrpete** · 25 Sep 08, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim shea

mrpete,
If you are getting rid of the twin lamp conversion I would be interested. My bike had a twin lamp conversion on it before I bought it but it was taken off and binned!!!!!!!

No worries but do remind me otherwise I'll go and do something daft with them! Don't forget the fairing is in yellow so it will need a re-paint. Lights work fine tho, no probs with them there. They're pretty good actually, I'd say possibly more effective than the standard lamp.

We'll sort something out over them tho.

**jim shea** · 25 Sep 08, 11:29 AM

Cheers mate,I will keep in touch...Did you take any pics yet?