I just want to check something that came about from a few other threads on here over the past few months. The engines Ducati homologated for racing that then ended up in road bikes, do they all have a B in the engine number? eg are they all ZDMenginedisplacementW4Benginenumber as opposed to ZDMenginedisplacementW4*enginenumber So we’re looking : 748R 996R 998S (as that has the 996R engine) 749R 999R 1098R perhaps there are more I’ve missed off, feel free to add. It’s not what’s on the V5 as DVLA have been known to make mistakes, it’s what’s actually stamped on the engine crankcase that counts. So when you’re looking at buying a 2nd hand bike and the vendor says, ‘I’ve dropped an R engine in it mate’ can this be verified without going back to Ducati?
I thought the B represented Bologna, might be wrong though and that W was for water cooled, again might be wrong. here’s mine. 998S Biposto.
Ahh, go on, have a look, heaven knows how many Rs you have in your shed so I do realise it might take some time I was always told ZDM was the manufacturer code for Ducati (and engines are produced only in Bologna aren’t they?) and W is for water cooled ps. I just checked my Monster and it’s ZDM1078AC———- ie Air Cooled. Im presuming the 4 in the W4 means it’s got 4 valves per cylinder but will now check my ST2 to prove/disprove that theory.
So.... which ones? That’s what I’m trying to ascertain. Why the B? What’s it mean? Why on some but not others, even in the same model eg 748? When Luigi assembles an engine on Monday that’s got different internals to others of the same displacement how does Mario, the following Friday, know which engine he should be putting into which frame?
I can't get to mine.... SWMBO has covered them in kitchen appliance boxes in protest of me not finishing the new kitchen.