Ducati Newbie in NYC

[Marian]

Hi Bevel heaven, good to meet y'all!

i've just stumbled into the Bevel Ducati world, because i found a bike that i "had to buy". It's a 1979 900 Super Sport, styled like a green frame. As i write, the bike is on it's way from Japan to the US, on the Pacific ocean inside a container. Very glad to meet you all and learn from you guys i will very probably have a bunch of questions in the near future..

I come from Germany, where my friends and I tuned Vespas and Lambrettas for fun. So I'm used to having oily Italian steel in my living room, but most recently i worked on British bikes and just built this Norton (Number 29 in photo) from scratch: https://www.bikeexif.com/seeley-norton-commando (It has ~2200kms on it now)

Next to the Norton i ride a street legal 2020 Husqvarna FS450 and my wife rides a 2023 401 Vitpilen. If anybody in NYC is up for twisty adventures upstate, let me know!

M

[BevHevSteve]

welcome aboard - when your 900 ss shows up please post some pix..

[Marian]

Thanks Steve!

There's one big question on my mind: the bike comes with a fiberglass tank, and i hear that the modern fuels may disintegrate the coating of the fiberglass and dissolve the tank in the long run? Do you have experience with this?

I just want to make sure that i don't start on the wrong foot once the bike arrives. My plan is to do all the maintenance work (and more) through the winter, but still, if the valve clearance etc is in spec, there's no reason not to start it and ride around the block.

Cheers

[BevHevSteve]

the ethanol in the gas is what kills the glass the quickest. But, depending on what type or resin the tank was made of and how long ago.... I have a greenframe here that the owner bought new and his tank failed inside the first year. He tried to repair and it failed again... Once glass tanks fail they are almost impossible to repair. It would be much better for you to find an original SS steel tank or alloy aftermarket tank so you don't have to even think about it.

[Marian]

Thank you!

[Marian]

Here's an update: the Ducati made it to NYC without a scratch. I'll be working on it through the winter and ask questions on the forum.

https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B1v ... 626E37B199

[BevHevSteve]

Great looking bike!