Hi all, I've been trying to remove the mirrors from my 916, so that I can remove the front fairing. One of the small brass coloured bolts that secures the mirror has been a complete pig to remove, as someone in the bikes previous life has rounded the head (2.5mm hex). I've managed to remove the blighter, and will be replacing both with a stronger/easier to work with option. My question is; does any replacement have to be made of copper, or could I use stainless? Many thanks, D
These fasteners are made of brass and are designed to fail if the mirror is impacted (if the bike falls over for instance). You will see the bolt is waisted just below the head - this is where they are designed to fail and allow the mirror to detach without pulling the fairing off too. You can certainly install any suitable stainless or steel bolt however you risk damaging the fairing and support in event of a minor impact. The trick is to use grease when installing and just to nip them up without overtightening.
Thanks for this. I'm going to need to replace one as the recess for the hex key is completely rounded. Are there any resources you know of that I could try to get a replacement?
The original type are only available from Ducati I believe. Alternative fasteners - there are many sources such as eBay and Screwfix/local bolt supplier on an industrial estate.
Found loads of resources for a replacement brass bolt - is the waisted part that seems impossible to find. I wonder if the best way forward is for me to get a couple of brass bolts and carefully create the waisted part of the bolt myself?
You can easily order these from Ducati. They’re not too expensive. As @RickyX stated above, everything is in the way you put them back on. I proceed very gently by hand to insert them, making sure I got the threads in perfectly. Brass is soft and threads are easily warped. That’s how you get problems to remove them next time you need to. If the nose fairing holes are not perfectly aligned with the fairing mounts, it will want to go sideways and if you persist, you will destroy the threads. Be gentle, be patient, take your time to perfectly position your nose fairing. The bolt should screw right in with two fingers. Then just secure it gently with your Allen wrench. Again, brass is softer than the fairing mounts or your tools.
As you probably realise they are designed to break clean to prevent a mirror knock or fall from trashing the cowl or supports. But as you found they are soft as cheese and ridiculously expensive to replace. I just replaced with normal socket caps in mild steel and will "hope" I don't regret it.
These are listed for 6€ a pair (p/n 77911371a) on the French Ducati parts sellers websites. Unless these are ridiculously more expensive in the UK, and though I agree 6€ is expensive for a pair of brass screws, in the grand scheme of things, it’s not much to get the correct part given it’s supposed to work as a « fuse ». How much for a pint of lagger, these days, in Engerland?
My take on those brass waisted screws is that they're more trouble than they're worth. I've always replaced mine with stainless Allen screws.
Don't believe the theory that they shear if you have a mis-hap. Mine stayed intact and the mirror detached itself along with a chunk of the nose fairing and part of the metal bracket. (Snake Pass 1998)
One way forward might be to use steel bolts and hacksaw 3/4 of the way through at the right place measured from your knackered one(s)
They've worked for me in the past, saved the fairing on my Bostrom which would be very hard (impossible) to replace.
Thanks for all the replies guys. In the end I sourced a couple of the OEM brass screws from Moto Rapido for about £4 each (+ postage). I had considered replacing them with stainless items but figured that this was bound to temp fate - and there wasn’t a massive saving of money nor inconvenience. Thanks again for all of your replies, D
