'Belle's 748 Fix-up

[MendoDave]

Well I haven't heard any updates lately, when does the gold plating, titanium replacing, carbon fiber adding start?

In other words when do you start replacing perfectly good stuff with slightly better more expensive stuff? 

[mostrobelle]

Yeah....my budget doesn't exactly support the stereotypical Ducati attitude.   

[MendoDave]

Yeah I know.



_{Neither does mine.}

[mostrobelle]

I finally got my hind end over to the shop to pick up my dyno run.  Came about just about where I expected.  This isn't on a DynoJet Dyno...It's on a "SuperFlow" or something like that.  Not sure what that dip is at 5100, but I was told that it was a lot worse before.  I need to ask about that, but I guess we'll see at the track what it does.  I'm scheduling something for this spring--probably late April. 

[MendoDave]

Well I see that you are making about 50 on the tourqe pretty much all across the range. Compare that with this chart of some 600's  and their peak tourqe of 49. Your HP is a result of faster engine rpm, and the resulting measurement showing an increase in work getting done.
I'm not going to do the graph, but if you could spin to 13,000 RPM you would get a higher HP number like the 600's.

http://www.sportrider.com/dyno/146_sportbike_dyno_charts/photo_89.html

Getting that bump figured out would help in slow corners.

[Speeddog]

In light of it being a 'big' motor, it should do a bit better on the torque, but...comparing numbers across dynos is pretty useless.

Regarding the dip at 5k rpm:

Some info here:
http://www.bikeboy.org/748strada.html

More here:
http://www.bikeboy.org/45_50crossover.html

[MendoDave]

In light of it being a 'big' motor, it should do a bit better on the torque, but...comparing numbers across dynos is pretty useless.

Regarding the dip at 5k rpm:

Some info here:
http://www.bikeboy.org/748strada.html

More here:
http://www.bikeboy.org/45_50crossover.html

Right. The numbers could be plus or minus from dyno to dyno, but look at the curve on the 600 chart vs the nice steady spread of the 748. That was pretty much my point. Nice, steady, across the board, tourqe curves kick butt.

[Desmostro]

 

[MendoDave]

You should find an 848 engine and put it in there..

[Desmostro]

At that point, just go find an 848 for fek sakes.
Ya just proved you could build one from scratch with some glue, pasta, and iron filings. Your done. Go ride. 

You should find an 848 engine and put it in there..

[mostrobelle]

Yeah, but I could probably afford just the engine from an 848...can't really swing the whole bike. 

[mostrobelle]

Well, I finally got 'er out there.  I took the newly tuned machine to T-hill on Easter Sunday.  I have a small laundry list of items to fix but basically it's there. 

I noticed that "flat spot" that shows up on the dyno on the track and am hoping to alleviate that a little with some better gearing.  The gearing is stock, and therefore really tall.  It was difficult to cruise through the pits doing anything less than 25 without yanking the clutch in.  The flat spot seems to show up at around 8K--there's nice pull on either side of that.  I'm not sure if that can be tuned out, but I'm guessing not.  I'm spoiled with my old Monster--that thing is so smooth.  Wish the 748 were like that. 

A near-fiasco after the 2nd session nearly ended my day.  Just as I was about to head out, my husband noticed a small puddle of oil under the bike.  It looked like someone took a teaspoon or two of oil and just dropped it there.  We opened up the plastics expecting to find nothing but molten slag fused together but instead noticed a small drip coming from the clutch cover.  Considering that this is a dry clutch, that's a little weird. 

Sure enough, there was a leak coming from behind the clutch basket.  We figure the seal that seats up against the engine wasn't seated correctly because of wear or damage and had leaked.  It seemed to have stopped, so I took it out for a slow couple of laps to check it out.  No oil....So I went back out again and it was seeping slightly after every session, but just a few drops.  Whatever had happened seemed to be over.  I continued to monitor the situation, but it ran fine the rest of the day. 

The ergos on the bike aren't quite what I had hoped.  While they are leaps and bounds better than the FZR, I'm still fairly stretched out.  However, I wasn't nearly as sore the following day as I used to be on the 400.  This is definitely a step in the right direction.  This bike forces me to stay low, and that I love.  Also, the darned thing is just downright sexy.  Just look at it...

A photo of me (in front) and a Desmostro (behind, on his 848) goofing around on track.  It felt good to be out there again. 



Next trackday I'm going to ride Enzo's R6 and he's going to take the new sexy out for the day.  I'm going to test ergo's and see how I like his bike.  I might give him the 748 and find myself another project.