Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > Sport Touring: ST4 / ST3 / ST2 > ideas for customisation???

[Simonwalsh]

Hi all

now the winter is upon us I will be booking in for some insurance repairs following an off - maybe an opportunity to pay a touch extra and get something a bit special?

Any ideas for what might be a good way to go without braking the bank? And if so are any of the parts common with other models?

Damage I have is largely cosmetic to fairings and front guard. Come on guys and gals - what would you do?

[KeefyB]

Have a look in the DP catalogue and chuck some carbon fibre at it.You could get a carbon front guard,hugger,tank top cover,fairing vent panels.etc,etc,etc.
The bike wont be worth any more when you sell it,but hey,it'll look good and think of the weight savings!

[Jools]

Yep, have to agree with Keefy. ST2's are worthy, under rated bikes but they ain't no glamour machines. So it depends on how long you expect to keep it whether you think the outlay is worth it.

I've though about 'customisation' as well but largely discounted all of my more outlandish ideas. The most stupid of these pipe (and slippers) dreams was when I saw a 996 SPS engine on ebay...you can guess the rest.

Other things I've thought of include getting a white number board to disguise the bulbous front end a bit...they look great on a 996 or 999, but then they're in context. On an ST2? I think that's trying to make it something it's not. Sticker kits and things like 'Ducati Performance' emblazoned on the side of an ST2 are also out of place IMHO and bound to raise a s****** from people with proper performance Ducatis (let alone Gixer man)

Another example, there's a lighting modification by Ducati Designs which improves the front end (you might have sussed that I really don't like that front end) BUT it's nearly £500 by the time you've imported it and that's a lot of money to put on a bike like mine.

I've also thought about repairing my Rockingham lowside scrapes with a complete respray in some unique colour but decided against that as well.

So after all this pondering, I've just decided to stick to the bits that everyone wants, like braided hydraulic hoses, adjustable levers, decent brake pads, a smattering of carbon bits and generally keep the bike as a nice clean ST and as true to it's nature as I can.

Oh, I wouldn't mind an ally swinging arm off an ST4S/Monster S4 (same part I think) so I'll keep an eye out to see if I can source a decent unbent one at a breakers somewhere

[Edited on 27-10-2003 by Jools]

[Simonwalsh]

Yep, can't say I'm over fussed with the front end! Would prefer the headlight arrangement to be a la 749/999! Yes I'm one of the few that does like it!

Jools - in case you find 2 ally swingarms let me know!

As far as carbon front and rear huggers etc- are they the same as other models or unique to the ST? Would prefer not to have to splash out for new if I can help it!

[fatduke11111]

I've an ST4 (basically the same physically).
This is nowhere near as mad as some of the guys on this site....

I bought a carbon front mudguard (previously from a 748) it fits o.k. but is a little shorter at the back end so doesn't give as much muck protection - still it was cheap.

Rough idea on prices... carbon front mudguard £90 (e-bay), rear hugger (new £100), marchesini rear wheel (e-bay) £190, Clutch cover £50, front sprocket cover £30 - Yep, sad to say I've got the ducati designs headlight about £500 with the import duty an crap - but the front end is as rough-as-a-bear's-arse so I needed to do something.

I did go for some titanium cans but changed my mind - I'd like to do some work at the back end (oo-er) also but with the cost of it might buy another bike instead...there's only so far you can go.

I'm not doing it to lighten the bike - 'cos I weigh they same as a small country, I just think it looks neater.

[Edited on 28-10-2003 by fatduke11111]

[Jools]

I think - and I could be wrong here - that all the front mudguards are the same (ish) as any Duke with Showa forks and a 17 inch wheel...so that's a lot of em then. Can't see any reason why a carbon one intended for a 748/9** or even a 999 wouldn't fit. BUT someone cleverer than me will probably be along in a minute to tell me I'm wrong.

As for carbon rear huggers, they come as standard on an ST4S, so your best bet if you don't want to pay DP prices is to scour the breakers - I would imagine that most bikes in breakers are written off for front end or other damage. Living where it does the hugger is well protected so it would have to be an almighty shunt to wreck one of those.

[fatduke11111]

Beat ya....see thread above!

[Jools]

Yup, fatduke you beat me...but then you have got an ST4 so you should be quicker

Forgot to mention Simon, about the easiest thing you can do to tidy the back end up is to remove that vast rear mudguard extender that ST2's have as standard - you'll know it when you see it, it's nearly the size of a shovel.

Grope about under the rear find the two or three fixing screws, take it off and throw it in the shed for resale time. There you go - five minutes maximum and costs nowt

[fatduke11111]

I thought you used that to act as a stabiliser when you were wheelin'!

I binned that as well - waste of time, nice bit of wrought iron though.

[wayned]

I've been doing a similar thing (just had to get more bits as I had to be different and get broadsided by a car.. not to be recommended).
It all depends on what you want to spend but here's a few things I've found to my liking:
Metmachex aluminium swing arm (The very shiny thing from the old site)
Feathercarbon.com carbon (obviously) goodies including the rather nice dash infills
skidmarx flip up screen (grey) not 1/2 as flippin ugly as I was praying it wouldnt be (not bad at all in fact)
and finally a carbon front mudguard from ripsnortingvtwin (roundabouts here someplace).

feathercarbon also do the st carbon packages that come up on ebay sometimes so there's a chance of getting some a little cheaper.