After the static photo shoot last weekend, it was time to tie up all the loose ends and fire it up.

After filling all the vital fluids, double checking all the bolts, nuts, clamps, screw, filler caps, electrical bits, it was time. With the coils disconnected, the starter is turned a few times to get oil up to the heads and build up some oil pressure. Then, reconnect the coild, press the starter, and she fires on the first spark! Let her get fully warm and give her some careful revs and everything looks good.

That's it! She is ready to race! Can't wait.

Lastly, I weighed the bike front and rear, fully wet: full water, oil, and about 10 laps worth of fuel.
Front: 84 kg
Rear: 75.5 kg
Total: 159.5 kg

And that's with a starter motor and bigger battery! Well pleased with that as it means it easily get 1 HP per kg. At a guess the dry weight is probably around 150 kg. Should be fun!

[Edited on 26-3-2005 by Felix]

Boy I wish I was there when that beast sparked into Life Felix.

Thought I heard something today when pottering in my Ducati graveyard of a garage.

P.S. Did U get my email re. case study text???:puzzled:

Spk soon GC

52.6/47.4 front to rear split sounds pretty good to me :D

Felix,

What have you done to the bike to shed so much weight? My SPS sems to weigh considerably more than my mates GSXR1000 (haven't weighed it but just pushing them around and up into the van mine is definately much heavier and its got shed loads of carbon bits and light weight wheels etc.)

Nothing, it's the way it came from Ducati.