800ss help required
 

I have an 800ss which I bought as a cat C knowing full well what I might be getting into. The bike was/is in excellent condition but, it's obviously been in a front-ender as the front Marchesini has a ding in it and one fork leg was bent. However, I've noticed an indentation behind the headstock - it's regular in size and there is no corresponding bend or damage on the front of the headstock. Is this indentation normal? Has anyone else got an 800ss or a late 750ss/900ss that they can verify this against?

Also, as a quick and dirty check....can someone confirm the following dimension please?:

length from centre of front wheel spindle to end of the swinging arm in millimetres. Please measure with the bike on a paddock stand if possible.

TIA.

Hmmm - measurement sounds reasonably close to wheelbase dimension, unless someone has one to measure maybe wheelbase would do?

M&S in Newcastle have a 1000DS in the shop as I was looking at it this week, very nice too - take your tape measure if the frame is the same??

Headstock damage - hard to tell - might be as well to photograph it and contact Ducati UK, judging by the amount of frame replacements mention here on the board, they seem to know their stuff.

Roy thursby in Stockton does wheel repairs for around £50:

http://www.thersbygroup.freeserve.co.uk/index.html

Good luck - Frank

Thanks Frank. I was thinking of wheelbase myself until I realised that this varies with respect to chain adjustment - hence why I requested measurement the way I did. I'm gonna nip up to M&S tomorrow to check. The reason I ask is that I've just put my arftermarket bodywork on and the front wheel just touches the fairing - it only needs the headstock to have moved by 1-2mm for this to happens.

I suppose I could always try the original fairing and see if thay has the same problem. I can't see any other frame damage, signs of bent tubes or cracked paint......and it steers perfectly straight with my hands off the bars too.

Thanks for the tip re. the wheel. I'll call them in the week. :-)

[Edited on 7-11-2005 by twpd]

Dunno if my 620SS is the same, if it is and you want some measurements let us know, send me that pint too :frog:

you might be able to get some info from here, probably have to search through it a bit though.

From the manual, the wheelbase with the rear axle fully forward in the swingarm is 1395mm ( this is the 900ssie but the 800 would I imagine be the same )
Overall length from furthest point forward of front tyre to rear tip of rear mudguard is 2030mm
Do any bike shops in your area have an alignment rig to do a full check on it?

I think they're pretty much identical Tony so, if you can check for me I'll be grateful. Don't worry about the pint - you'll get it as promised...if only cos I wanna gloat and remind you of everything you said about Ducatis and their owners. ;)

Thanks Steve - I'll have a root around in there and in my garage tonight.

Thanks RJ.... dunno about a jog but, I know someone who will know so, I'll give him a call in the morning.