So, I have random parts lying around, and soon enough I'll have the 750 engine after my 900 swap is done. I want to have a go at building a bike on the cheap, and I'd like to get opinions from the DMF and make it kind of a collaborative effort, then maybe donate it to a down on his/her luck person.

I live about an hour from a great place called Pinwall Cycle. They have a huge Ducati boneyard. I can get straight, usable Monster, SS, Multistrada, ST4, etc etc etc frames for cheap, like $50-$150 cheap. Tanks from those same bikes for $100-$200. First off, What frame would you go with? this is the most important question, because the rest of the build depends on it. I like the idea of an SS based cafe racer personally, such as this;



But whatever allows for the greatest flexibility as far as affordable part options (front end especially) should be considered. I think this could be a really fun project.

the ss frames can have headtube/weld issues

the ST frames are heavy unless you cut off the back half and have hanger for radiator etc that will need to be cut

monster is ok dependning on year.

but personally, i would go after a SBK frame and start a 2V SBK project.

Hey Raux- which frames are SBK? the superbikes, starting from- to year? pardon my ignorance.

I'm wanting something that has the widest variety of bolt-on front end options, as that's going to be the costliest and most involved part of the project.

The newer ones appear to be 2 piece frames?

851/888
916/996/998
999
1098/1198

are the four series with the subframes
gives you all sorts of options
plus places like Ducati Kaemna make kits for the 999 series since they tend to be the cheapest available.

as far as front ends.
anything will work depends on the triples you have
hell our Land speed racer is using a suzuki front end and triples on a 999 frame

creativity is the key

I have a friend that is involved in racing for years in the Netherlands

he swears by the 851/888 frames and their handling

his ultimate bike would be 888 with an 1198 motor

They do look like they'd be fun to build around. But after all it *is* just a lowly 750 engine I'm using. I'm mainly concerned with economy and aesthetics.

that's a 999 frame kit

how about an indians framed cafe racer i'd like to see that.

the ss frame is the only one with a relatively flat top rail.  if you look at the monster (which is a modified 851) and all sbk and derived frames after it (st, etc) they all have the X at the middle and no single top rail.

that or go back to a pantah.  harder to find, same steering head bearings as an ss, pre 02 monster, etc.

Quote from: brad black on April 21, 2013, 08:00:01 AM
that or go back to a pantah.  harder to find, same steering head bearings as an ss, pre 02 monster, etc.

Now that would be very cool.

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/upload/221706/images/DUCATI%20PANTAH%20696%20OBI.jpg

that's not a pantah frame.  the pantah frame looks much more flexible.

Just a thought, the multistrada frame adds alot of can dos to the list:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ducati-Multistrada-DS-S-MTS-1000-Main-Frame-STRAIGHT-COD-/160882036355?rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222002%26algo%3DSIC.FIT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D261%26meid%3D7547795677426524909%26pid%3D100005%26prg%3D1088%26rk%3D3%26sd%3D290514856375%26

if its based on a 750 i wouldnt go sbk, when its all done youll wish you had the bigger engine.

i would do more of a dual sport or street tracker stance based on monster, hyper, AC multi, or SS frame. personally I would want a hyper or AC multi frame and run an SBK tank (748/996/998 would be my pick) with some long travel suspension, a flat number plate with the headlight in it and a custom exhaust styled after a triumph flattracker.

your already building the fast bike, now build the versatile one.

Quote from: xcaptainxbloodx on May 11, 2013, 10:45:33 AM
if its based on a 750 i wouldnt go sbk, when its all done youll wish you had the bigger engine.

i would do more of a dual sport or street tracker stance based on monster, hyper, AC multi, or SS frame. personally I would want a hyper or AC multi frame and run an SBK tank (748/996/998 would be my pick) with some long travel suspension, a flat number plate with the headlight in it and a custom exhaust styled after a triumph flattracker.

your already building the fast bike, now build the versatile one.

yea, exactly. It's a 750 engine. And another goal here is to have an "almost free" bike when I'm done. $50 frame...$10 shock..$100 gas tank. RAT BIKE! all those cheap prices can be had from Pinwall. I could prob take my van down there and get an insane discount on top of that even, in return for carting everything away at once.

With a 750 engine and rat rod aesthetic... you should build a scrambler. I'm guessing a monster or multistrada frame would be best.  Visualize it with a bash plate and some knobbys.