1000ssie Ds/900sl Hybrid

I managed to get the older style tank decals on the bike today.
They cover the newer late 90s ones really nicely and match the fairing decals much better.



I am aware of course that because I've used them to cover up the lacquered-in later decals they are not in the right place, and that the early bikes wouldn't have had the Ducati Logo on both the tank and the Fairing, but at the moment, until a full respray next winter, it looks better than a mixture of early and late decals.

I've definitely decided now that I'm going to spray the numberboards on the seat unit with a slightly off-white colour, and with a wider Black border. It will look so much better, but I need the weather to warm up a little first.

 

Thanks WAH900ss, they are pretty aren't they.

I'm pleased to see they came with the logos in the same position as I now have them, I believed that not to be the case.

I nearly brought one of those from Ricambi Desmo, but unfortunately like everywhere else they only have that side available, not the other side.
I could buy some from Image works I suppose.

Nasher.

 

I mentioned that I was considering using a single small Round Projector with Dip and Main Beam in place of the 900SL/SS std rectangular headlight, and pair it up with a race front fairing piece I have with no current headlight aperture.
It’s to give it a sort of track/endurance race refugee look but with the original very pretty SL/SS silhouette.

I thought I’d spend some time converting it over so I can decide if I like it, and importantly if I think it will get through an MOT
In reality the way I’ve done it I can now swap between the 900SL/SS setup and the Projector setup in @10mins, so I can swap and change when I want. Which could be useful if you know what I mean!

I have to issue a warning at this point, that this is REALLY going to divide opinion.
I’ve set it up exactly as I saw it in my head, I’m pleased with the execution of it compared to what I wanted, but realise it’s not to everyone’s taste.
My taste tends to lean towards the asymmetric and slightly odd, so I currently love it, but will live with it a while and see what I think in a week or so. – watch this space.

Before I removed the standard 1000SSie headlight I clamped a sheet of ply to my bench and drew the beam pattern on it, before marking up both the ply and the bench so I could get it back in the same place. As the bike currently just goes up and down on my lift bench this enables me to set up any new headlight into the correct position as long as the bench is dropped right down.



I’d already cut a sheet of acrylic as an adapter to mount the projector in a spare SS/SL plastic moulding.



And here’s the race fairing piece.



Without the fairing in place the replacement headlight unit went into place and after setting it up against my ply template I could work out where to cut the hole in the fairing.

 

The Projector unfortunately doesn’t have a pilot light, I believe some call it a Park or running light, just Dip and main beam.
I want to use one, as I don’t want to modify the switchgear to remove that position for the MOT. My MOT guy is very liberal in his interpretation of the regs, but does insist that if something is fitted it should work, and that includes switch positions.

Following some good suggestions from another post I ended up going for a Daytime running light, and ended up using one of a pair of Ring DRLs that I purchased from Halfords:
https://www.ringautomotive.com/en/product/BRL0379



My reasoning behind getting these particular ones was that they are E marked, so fully legal, and my local(ish) Halfords had them in stock for click and collect the same day for under £20 with my Trade card.
It also helped that I was going to be in Sainsburys early Friday morning doing the weekly shop, and it’s across the road from Halfords.

To adapt it for use with the 1000SSie wiring loom I cut a small piece of 1.6mm PCB material with a solid copper coating, cut a slot down the middle to make two contacts, tinned them and soldered the wires onto it.
It now plugs into the original socket on the loom in place of the original bulb.



I then made a simple bracket to mount it behind one of the cut-outs in the fairing.

 

So here we go, I did say this would really divide opinion.
Note I still need to respray the front fairing piece to tidy up the hole, but it’s just too cold in my garage to consider doing it at the moment.

As mentioned above, I’ve set it up exactly as I saw it in my head, I’m pleased with the execution of it compared to what I wanted, but realise it’s not to everyone’s taste.
My taste tends to lean towards the asymmetric and slightly odd, so I currently love it.

The plan to give the bike the pretty 900SL look, but with a leaning towards an old Endurance race bike is sort of coming together, but there is still a chance I’ll change my mind and go back to the original SS/SL rectangular headlight.







I’ll put my tin hat on and await the barrage of abuse.

Nasher

 

I had a reasonable excuse to be out and about today, and took the long way round to get the bike out for a ride.

As I've not changed the handlebars or pegs, and the seat has ended up within @1/4" of the height of the old one, you wouldn't know once on the move that the transformation had taken place. Although the mirrors were a little less 'Buzzy' than the originals if anything.

Got my M900 outside for a wash as well.

Nasher

 

Just a quick update.

Last Friday I fitted the 1000SS with a Dynojet Powercommander III USB which I purchased used from EBAY, and downloaded a map from the DJ website aimed at a 1000DS bike with performance Exhaust cans and free flow filter.

Saturday morning I got it out for a good long ride and it has made quite a difference.
The bike feels even smoother than before, and a little more eager mid range.

Was nice to get it out in the sunshine.



Nasher.

 

I've had that projector hanging around for a couple of years or so.
It's Low and High beam from the same bulb with an internal Solenoid operated flap to go from Low to High beam.
It's got all the correct marks to be completely legal.
My MOT tester passed it fitted to a previous bike.
But beware, it's not very 'Confidence inspiring' in the dark.

The link is on my Desktop at home, and I'm in work today, so will try to remember to look late this evening or tomorrow morning.

Oh, and my Zed with twin single spots passed MOTs for many years with one pointing up and one down. But the rules may have changed.

Nasher

 

Apologies, just seen this question.

The link pipes are welded to the cans and are not seperate.
The cans were originaly meant for a 900SSie and should bolt straight on, but I had to fabricate some brackets.

Nasher.

 

I'm sure an FZR600 I had years ago that had twin round headlights as standard was one for low and the other came on for high.
But I suppose it was built like that.

Nasher.

 

The low/High Beam projector I used is one of these:-
https://furoreproducts.co.uk/combined-projector-headlamp

Nasher.