New member - Sydney, Australia

Please say HELLO and tell us about yourself, your bike[s] and where you are located etc...
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au2018

New member - Sydney, Australia

Post by au2018 »

Hi to everyone on the Bevel Heaven forum. Steve has approved my membership in the last 24hrs so I'm very new.

I'm happy to report that another Darmah is in the process of being rescued and facing full restoration. Last Sunday (17th Sep 2006) I put a deposit on an unregistered 1980 SD900 which has spent the last few years living in a Sydney backyard. Courtesy of a cheap bike cover (constantly being blown off in bad weather) the bike had been left to deteriorate to the point where it almost brought a tear to the eye. The Darmah will be picked up by a bike transporter company in a couple of day's time and conveyed to my home where a modestly equipped workshop (the moto IC Unit) awaits arrival. After immediate surgery it will be moved to the moto-nursery for convalescence and plans for restoration.

I've already accessed a lot of information on Bevel Heaven and, combined with the inspiration and encouragement from the work of other member's restorations, look forward to bringing the Darmah back to showroom condition.

Great website and forum,

John
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BevHevSteve
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Location: Lafayette, California
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darmah

Post by BevHevSteve »

Thanks John, glad you have found a 'good one' to rescue/restore. Challenges do seem to add up try not to despair! :? take lots of photos and lots of notes and remember to post your progress here for all of use! Including photos!
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Steve Allen (925)798-BEVL[2385] Ride'm, Don't Hide'm
Ducati/Euro Spares -> https://Store.BevelHeaven.com
au2018

Post by au2018 »

Hi Steve,

I'll definitely keep the Bevel Heaven forum up-to-date with restoration progress of yet another Darmah rescued from the ravages of time and weather. It will be a long process (maybe around two years) as it's going to be a spare pocket-money exercise and, with committments over the next few months, won't begin until early 2007. But at least the Darmah will now be living - thank goodness - in a dry garage for the first time in years.

John
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Geoff
Parallel Twin
Posts: 103
Joined: Mon Jul 26, 2004 11:43 am
Location: London, UK

Post by Geoff »

Good luck John! I picked up the bevel bug a couple of years ago and similarly resurrected an old 900SS; if I can do it anyone can! All the guys here are very helpful, and as Steve says TAKE LOTS OF PICTURES as it really helps on reassembly; I use a marker pen and 0re-sealable plastic bags for all the small parts too (and stickers on the big stuff).

Cheers
Geoff
au2018

Post by au2018 »

Hi Geoff,

Thanks for the words of encouragement and advice. I'll definitely be giving the camera a workout... plus your recommendation about using resealable plastic bags and labels (stickers)? Good idea!

The bike is now housed in my clean/dry garage, come small workshop, where the first objective is to give the bike a good clean, drain fuel and fluids, check what condition the battery's in, make sure the machine's up to the task and give the motor an occasional run. The bike's not registered (you may call it licensed?) so I'm unable to run it on the public street at this stage; unless of course I totally p*ss my neighbours off by giving it a run up and down the street at 11pm each night. No, just joking.

The next few months will give me a chance to assess restoration needs plus get my work area and tools in order. I'm looking forward to the rebuild.

John
au2018

Post by au2018 »

Hi folks,

I've started a website dedicated to the forthcoming rebuild of my Ducati Darmah (early months of 2007), where I intend to add progress images, any advice gained from various sources, links to suppliers (although I ask, why would you look beyond Bevel Heaven for parts) and other websites etc. The website is only in its early stages but will improve within time. Please drop by occasionally.

Link: http://www.users.bigpond.com/jd343/
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Geoff
Parallel Twin
Posts: 103
Joined: Mon Jul 26, 2004 11:43 am
Location: London, UK

Post by Geoff »

Nicely done John; bike looks like new aready ;)
au2018

Post by au2018 »

G'day Geoff, 'owyagoin'mate? (Australian translated into English: "Good day Geoff, how are you going mate?") with mate being the Oz equivalent of American buddy or pal,

Struth, maybe a bit of polish on the side covers and some new air in the tyres and she'll look like new? If Bevel Heaven sell pressure-pack cans of Touring Air, or better still, Racing Air I'd give it some serious consideration. `-*
Rick F
Mach 3
Posts: 89
Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 6:35 pm
Location: Murwillumbah NSW AUstralia

Restorations

Post by Rick F »

Hi John
Steve is right about time & money.
I have an old GT. I bare frame restored it in about 1986-87. I rode it about 3000Ks then let it run out of rego.
Everything was new or completely restored then.
It has now sat around for about 15 years. i got the bug again and last year
thought a couple of weeks work, a grand or so should do.

I am now going on to 18 months, have hit about the 5 grand mark!

i am waiting on a new glass tank from Gowies ($700) plus have just been told my almost new 16 year old carbys may have to be replaced!!

A bit disappointing but I am keen to get the old girl going. Probably the more setbacks I am having, the more keen I am to get her going
Good luck with the Darmah
I am thinking about one of those next_ maybe an S2

Regards
Rick
au2018

Post by au2018 »

Hi Rick,

I see from your location you're in Murwillumbah, NSW? Now ain't that a beautiful part of Australia.

When it comes to time and money involved in restorations, a colleague of mine, who's restored a few older English cars, claims (particularly with respect to the inexperienced), "Guesstimate the time, money and workshop space you think you'll need... then multiply by three!"

Eventually I'm going to want to ride the Darmah on the occasional weekend trip so, with that in mind, I'm not thinking of a concours standard rebuild, but heading in the direction of original showroom condition. I figure if one goes in the direction of concours (or near concours) you wouldn't want to ride it, plus you'd spend an absolute fortune replacing everything.

Do you have any pics of your GT on Bevel Heaven Forum? I'd to see how it's looking.

John
duck-a-tye
Mariana
Posts: 42
Joined: Fri May 28, 2004 2:52 am
Location: Australia

Post by duck-a-tye »

Hi All

This is a question for Rick, Mate I have to ask, why on earth would carbies need replacing after 16 years of sitting around?????????

Barry

p.s I'll give you $50.00 for your old WORN OUT pair. :lol:

Cheers
Rick F
Mach 3
Posts: 89
Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 6:35 pm
Location: Murwillumbah NSW AUstralia

Post by Rick F »

Hi Guys,
Sorry, I've been off air for a while.

Hows is the Darmah going? Yes Murwillumbah is a beautiful place! not long moved up from Sydney!

Visitors on Ducati's are always welcome! (or old triumphs, nortons, guzzis, laverdas etc etc)

If you folks really want the whole story about the carbs. I did post a few questions in the Carbie & Fuel system forum but anyway.

I did end up buying new 36mm PHF's off Steve.

One of the old ones had a problem where the tip of the mixture screw corroded off inside it's gallery.

We tried every thing, soaking, ultrasonic cleaning baths, etc
Still haven't gotten it out, so went for new ones.
So now I have 3 good carbs, & one not so good!

Anyway, bike is ready for a Blue Slip, new tank is on, still to be painted,

But all tuned up ready to go. I haven't tried to go concourse or anything silly, I want to ride it every weekend.

As I said to someone the other day, I will do the full ORIGINAL restoration when I am about 60. Give me something to do then.

But an S2.....


Regards
Rick F
au2018

Post by au2018 »

Hi Rick F and all the good folk on Bevel Heaven forum,

Rick, you asked in your last post, "Hows is the Darmah going? "

"Slowly," would be an honest reply. It was always going to be a pocket-money project and take a couple of years to complete. But I must confess to the recent acquisition of one very sweet 1988 BMW R100RS which has gobbled up what motorcycling funds I had for the near future. So I'm now enjoying riding the BMW instead of overhauling the Darmah. I have a webpage I started at http://members.iinet.net.au/~jd343/web/darmah.htm so that I can show the Darmah's progress. Please drop by occasionally to see if and/or how far I've progressed.

Would love to see some pics of your finished project.

John (Sydney, Australia)
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