Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > 851 / 888 > 888 questions ...

[TP]

Thanks Rob, unfortunately I won't be able to do anything about this until at least next year I think. I guess I just wanted to get some info on these things so I can think about these things over winter ...

There's some excellent info in here, thanks everone. I guess if I went down this road I'd go the GRP bodywork and shelve the originals ... I'm even thinking that one of these things would go alright in Sound of Thunder Especially if it was a strada with a 996 engine in it or something similar ...

beancounter, thank you very much for your generous offer. I'd love to have a go on one but at the moment I couldn't afford to do anything to it should the worst happen so I'm better off not taking any risks at the moment! Having said that, I may take you up on that in the spring or something when I'll have a better idea of what I'm doing.

I'm leaning towards a strada really, with a few tuning options I suppose. I wouldn't look after an SP - as Freak and Lily will attest, I don't wash bikes very often My 996 was well looked after, but dirty. Although I did look after my 998R, but that bike was very special to me.

Has anyone tried to put a testastretta engine in one of these things? Is it too much of a bodge?

What suspension did the strada have? Not too fussed about brakes as I'd probably change them anyway.

[TP]

Weeveetwin, I take it you sold the strada then - not the SP?

[weeveetwin]

Yes, sold the Strada. It's a real beauty, but I no longer have the space to keep it so it had to go. After seeing the look on my face, the chap who took it said he felt guilty buying it!

Oh well, it's gone to a very good home. (Hi Howard!) I expect he'll be joining the DSC soon.

[Jasper]

I agree with pretty much what everyone else has said.The SP definately needs special care,'cos it deserves it!!They(SP's) are definately not the civilized option!!Worth it?Oh YES!!!

[Jools]

Anything is possible with enough time and cash so a Testastretta could probably be mangled into the frame somehow...to be honest though I wouldn't bother. Think of it this way, by the time you've got a tidy Strada and then spent, what, £1200+ on an eBay 'stretta engine you're well into the price of a tidy, late 999 where you'd get your 'stretta with no hassle. T8's aren't bargain basement and even when I got my Strada I could've had a 2003 749S for pretty much the same money. The other thing is, and I'll be just a tiny bit puritanical here, to me dropping a testastretta lump in is not really in the spirit of the bike - but then it wouldn't be my bike so you could do what you liked.

Standard suspension on a Strada is Showa up front, with 40mm spacing caliper mounts and ooh, err, ummm I think Sachs or Boge at the back, but I couldn't be sure without looking in the manual. I find the standard suspension suits me very well (although I am going to drop the front end by 10mm to speed the steering a bit)

[TP]

Originally Posted by Jasper

I agree with pretty much what everyone else has said.The SP definately needs special care,'cos it deserves it!!They(SP's) are definately not the civilized option!!Worth it?Oh YES!!!

I had a good look at yours at Nelly's once, I must admit it pushed all the right buttons ... I know I could have ridden it at Cadwell on the track days but I think I was better off letting you take it grass tracking between the mountain and Hall Bends right in front of everyone

I didn't know whether to go around you or wait to clean up the mess! I'm glad you keep it all together, too pretty a machine to hit that wall.

As usual for me, my heart says SP and my head says strada ... I went with my head for the 996, and my heart for the 998R ... who knows which way I'll go next time - IF I do buy a 888 anyway.

There's a certain attraction to get a 748R/SPS and go and do the MRO Thunderbikes championship ...

But as I said, I'm beyond poor at the moment ... so you guys are giving me 'winter-dreaming' fodder thank you.

[TP]

Originally Posted by Jools

Anything is possible with enough time and cash so a Testastretta could probably be mangled into the frame somehow...to be honest though I wouldn't bother. Think of it this way, by the time you've got a tidy Strada and then spent, what, £1200+ on an eBay 'stretta engine you're well into the price of a tidy, late 999 where you'd get your 'stretta with no hassle. T8's aren't bargain basement and even when I got my Strada I could've had a 2003 749S for pretty much the same money. The other thing is, and I'll be just a tiny bit puritanical here, to me dropping a testastretta lump in is not really in the spirit of the bike - but then it wouldn't be my bike so you could do what you liked.

Standard suspension on a Strada is Showa up front, with 40mm spacing caliper mounts and ooh, err, ummm I think Sachs or Boge at the back, but I couldn't be sure without looking in the manual. I find the standard suspension suits me very well (although I am going to drop the front end by 10mm to speed the steering a bit)

So, an ohlins/white power/something shock for it and a k-tech cartridge kit for the forks .. some nice geometry ... radial pumps and some GP billets ... tuned 996 engine similar to what I had done to my 996 and a lovely SoT machine is born

To be honest although the 999 shape has grown on me to the extent that I'd happily own one (I think!) I'd prefer the 888.

One thing I keep coming back to though is the weight differences between the strada and the SP which is a consideration if I wanted to race it. Especially considering my weight

[Mr.R]

Originally Posted by Jools

Standard suspension on a Strada is Showa up front, with 40mm spacing caliper mounts and ooh, err, ummm I think Sachs or Boge at the back, but I couldn't be sure without looking in the manual. I find the standard suspension suits me very well (although I am going to drop the front end by 10mm to speed the steering a bit)

Hi, Rear shock on a 888 strada is a showa. If you drop the front fork through the yolks, you may find the front wheel hits the head on full compression.
Corse 888 racers had the front head machined back and the sp5 had different castings to avoid this.
Try jacking up the rear,10mm should do to start with. or try Louigi Moto jack up kit Rob B rates this set up.
Steve Robins S.W.

[Jools]

Fair point about dropping the front, but I have seen a strada set up like that (in fact I was gonna buy it) without any problems at all. I think 10-12mm is reckoned to be fine, could run into trouble dropping more than that.

I might try jacking the back end though, it's worked well on my ST even though it makes it more difficult for a stumpy legged little bugger like me to get on the damn thing

[TP]

Originally Posted by Jools

...I might try jacking the back end though, it's worked well on my ST even though it makes it more difficult for a stumpy legged little bugger like me to get on the damn thing

Gives you more ground clearance and by carrying the weight a little higher it also makes it a little more flickable but slightly less stable. Sigma did this on my racebike last year and it would turn whenever I thought about it!