More progress over the last few days. Chain fitted, slave cylinder as well, completing the hydraulics at last and a few other carbon pieces, so definitely on the home run now. I have temporarily fitted the fuel tank (since I am as yet unsure if it will be included in the paint scheme) which will allow me to run the engine for the first time since April, when I took delivery of the bike from Moto Rapido. I will post up pictures and a video later today on the FB page and the website.
After almost six months, since taking delivery of the bike, this is the first time the engine has been run. Engine turned over for a few seconds, since the fuel system was not fully primed after stripping the bike down, before it rumbled into life. A relief to know it is all working correctly, as you are never 100% sure you haven't missed anything, until this point. Only a small leak from the coolant expansion tank hose, which was quickly dealt with, otherwise no issues. Edging closer to completion of the project with bodywork being the main focus at present, as well as completing a few of the smaller tasks and sorting out minor snags. More details on the website.
Better late than never. I never envisaged riding it this year anyway, so not overly concerned. My target was and has always been to have it ready for Spring next year, then down to Italy in June/July.
Here is where I am at at present. Most of the mechanical and electrical work is complete, just a few small jobs left, then on to the bodywork. The tank was only fitted to perform a test run of the engine. The paint scheme will go one of two ways, one of which incorporates the fuel tank, in which case it will have to come off again, this time to be drained and stripped before painting.
Final rendered pics from Italy are due soon and still waiting on the last of the bodywork, so have been busy redesigning the website from the ground up. Lots of other work been going on. Rear sets, swing arm "Origuard" protector, rear CDT long hugger and titanium axle nuts now fitted. Waiting on the fabricated aluminium cover for the tail tidy to be completed, then off to the powder coaters and the customised rear indicators are now complete. Tanks is off again and is drained ready to go off for painting with the rest of the CDT panels when they arrive. Some other smaller parts, mostly finishing touches will be arriving soon and some rather trick electronics which will be fitted to the bike which I can't really discuss on here, so plenty to be getting on with. Hopefully the new site will be 90% complete by the weekend with just the mobile platform versions to deal with. But I will get onto those at a later date. A teaser video is planned for the new year (by someone more adept than me) once the bodywork and the rest of the work is completed, with the project envisaged to be completed by Feb/April 2015 along with some professional photos and a video to accompany the unveiling.
don't know why people post their projects them go all secretive not like their racing for ducati moto gp team and got a team mate called dovi???
The electronics are not performance related. All I can tell you is that they might be frowned upon by certain parties, if you know what I mean.
Website has been completely rebuilt and went online earlier tonight. Please let me know your thoughts.
Recently tweaked the website some more. Better graphics, page tabs and overall look and feel of the site. Please let me know your thoughts.....Topo. BTW will be posting up some pics on the latest CF parts to arrive. Bodywork is inching closer to being painted....finally!!
Bike is now complete. The project has taken a total of 509 days to complete and a lot of hard work, starting out as a new bike from the dealer back in April 2014, then a complete strip down and dis-assembly down to the bare engine and back again. Here are a few pics. I have only managed to rack up 400 miles, before the weather turned sour, but hoping to venture out a few more times before Winter creeps in. Loving the ride and the noise it makes is intoxicating. Still running it in so the real fun has yet to come.
Yes it has been a fairly mammoth task. Got the bike stripped down to the engine on it's special stand and thought, OK no going back now. The thing about the Panigale is that it has to be assembled in a particular sequence, largely due to it's frameless design. Have to say without the specialist tools and engine stand, it would have been much much more difficult to achieve. Hoping to get some decent shots of the bike outside, when we finally get a dry day. The fluorescent lights don't really do it justice. Would I do it again, possibly, but 18 months is a long time to be staring at a bike you've never ridden. Have managed to clock up a whopping 400 miles (no laughing a the back there) on it so far and loved every minute of it. The EBC on the bike is one of my favourite features. Can't wait to finish running it in. Still got to sort out the suspension to suit my weight, but surprisingly its not too far off, despite the fact I'm only 70kg.
