Monster 400 to 600/750 engine conversion

[JUC01]

Hi all,

I just finished the front dual brake upgrade and looking for the next tinkering job for the little Monster.

I have just gotten my full bike license and would like to upgrade to a larger capacity bike though a home reno is limiting finances. I had a crazy idea of possibly upgrading the engine on the M400 to a M600 or M750 engine. I know it sounds like a crazy idea, but I love moding the bike and I was wondering if anyone has attempted or knows anyone who has tried?

I have read somewhere the 400 engine is a sleeved version of the 600? is this correct and how big a job is removing the sleeves and replacing the pistons? Is this an option and would I expect much more performance as there isn't a great deal of difference between the 400 and 600 figures.

Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated.

Cheers,

John

[koko64]

Since the LAMS rules bring good prices for 400s in Oz, I would sell your bike privately and pick up a 900 to work on. I guess there will be enough work getting a 9000 set up to your taste to give you a project. I have seen some 900s going cheap including a dealer sale on bikesales for a 900ie.

[Wells]

Got to agree with koko on this.. LAMS bikes bring the dollars, and 900s really aren't fetching a lot of money.
Other good option would be a 695..

[JUC01]

Thanks gents for the replies.

I suppose I get ahead for myself a little sometimes.

Cheers,

John

[ducatiz]

Since the LAMS rules bring good prices for 400s in Oz, I would sell your bike privately and pick up a 900 to work on. I guess there will be enough work getting a 9000 set up to your taste to give you a project. I have seen some 900s going cheap including a dealer sale on bikesales for a 900ie.

+1

Too much involved.

[OzzyRob]

Cost of Engineer's certs would cover the cost of a larger capacity bike. Insurance companies wont want anything to do with it. M900 are physically small bikes. I get a lot of Jap bike riders asking me whether mine is a 600 at the beginning of a ride, never afterwards. 

[JoeB]

Since the LAMS rules bring good prices for 400s in Oz, I would sell your bike privately and pick up a 900 to work on. I guess there will be enough work getting a 9000 set up to your taste to give you a project. I have seen some 900s going cheap including a dealer sale on bikesales for a 900ie.

+2

You don't want to go down this path if you can help it.  If you do, the cost will be prohibitive, and the value of the bike as it is now, will probably be worth more.

I picked up my S4 for less than 5.5K.  Admittedly I've spend money on Blinging it up, but mechanically, it is pretty good. And reliable. I keep track of spend on my vehicles, I learned that through owning too many.  So far the total spend on the bike is 8K, and that includes the full list of things on my mod thread.

So don't rule out a desmoquattro, even though they are a little more complicated because theyre a wet motor.

But if you prefer your valves to be fewer in number, you could probably pick up a later model SSS version, maybe an s2r 800 or 1000ie or something?

makes sense to me.  Bikesales is choc full of older ducatis, and you know you can haggle pretty hard on them where there is no service history.

here's a link to an S4 as an example

[JUC01]

+2

You don't want to go down this path if you can help it.  If you do, the cost will be prohibitive, and the value of the bike as it is now, will probably be worth more.

I picked up my S4 for less than 5.5K.  Admittedly I've spend money on Blinging it up, but mechanically, it is pretty good. And reliable. I keep track of spend on my vehicles, I learned that through owning too many.  So far the total spend on the bike is 8K, and that includes the full list of things on my mod thread.

So don't rule out a desmoquattro, even though they are a little more complicated because theyre a wet motor.

But if you prefer your valves to be fewer in number, you could probably pick up a later model SSS version, maybe an s2r 800 or 1000ie or something?

makes sense to me.  Bikesales is choc full of older ducatis, and you know you can haggle pretty hard on them where there is no service history.

here's a link to an S4 as an example

Cheers Joe.

My problem is I'm looking at the S4RS or S4R when looking at upgrading. I have looked at the S2R1000 and for roughly the same money I can just about jump onto an S4R. I'd be curious to know everyone's thoughts between the S2R1000 and the S4R. Apart from the S2R being air cooled and the S4R being a wet engine, are the performance specs much different?  They are both beautiful bikes and I have found a couple of bikes I really like. If the minister of war and finance allows me to sell and upgrade, I would love to get either of the 1litre versions.

Cheers,

John

[Two dogs]

Quite a big jump from the 400 expect to have your arms ripped off at every green light and a big learning curve getting on the throttle out of corners 

S2R No fugly fridge lots of low down tourques runs out of breath in the really high speed area cheaper to service

S4R'S Really good boingers front n back exclusivity, loooong legs, fridge up front ,more expensive to service gobbles fuel like no tomorrow  

If your quick before MV changes his mind very well appointed S4RS    for sale here now for not much more than an average Monster.
Don't tell Brian though  

[JUC01]

Quite a big jump from the 400 expect to have your arms ripped off at every green light and a big learning curve getting on the throttle out of corners 

S2R No fugly fridge lots of low down tourques runs out of breath in the really high speed area cheaper to service

S4R'S Really good boingers front n back exclusivity, loooong legs, fridge up front ,more expensive to service gobbles fuel like no tomorrow  

If your quick before MV changes his mind very well appointed S4RS    for sale here now for not much more than an average Monster.
Don't tell Brian though  

Cheers Two Dogs.

I would imagine it would be a massive jump. I'm not sure though whether I should go with a smaller Monster only to then look to be upgrading again sometime soon. MV's bike is a gem. Price is just a little out of my budget. There are a few S2R and S4R for sale closer to the dollars I'm hoping to spend.

Cheers

[JoeB]

If it were me, I'd go for the S4Rs (haha) but yeah, any desmoquattro will be more expensive to service. But… not as expensive as a bevel 

the S4R will get your knees trembling after the first ride, if you're used to the 400.  It's very tractable, but boy oh boy compared to a desmodue they have top end POWER.

Having said that, an S2r1K is probably the best street monster out there. cheap to run, gobs of low down torque, no fridge (as mentioned before) super easy to service…

my money would be on the s2r 1000 if I was buying a regular daily rider, but if it's only a weekend warrior, the S4R is tha shiznit.

My budget didn't stretch that far at the time I bought the S4. I'm still really happy with it, and have spent a few K on it, but at the end of the day I have a cheap bike which owes me nothing, and I love it to bits.

[Mr.S2R]

Having said that, an S2r1K is probably the best street monster out there. cheap to run, gobs of low down torque, no fridge (as mentioned before) super easy to service…

my money would be on the s2r 1000 if I was buying a regular daily rider, but if it's only a weekend warrior, the S4R is tha shiznit.

+1 - couldn't of said it more eloquently meself!  I find my S2R1000 easy to maintain, clean, and it has noice low down grunt for city cruising.  Mine has full termis for that "loud pipes save lives" rumble too!  I find mine a tad louder than your 4 valve - well cept those running the big termi pipes on their 1098/1198....



I think if I was to enter 4 valve territory and I had the bitcoin, Diavel would be thy name! 

[Betty]

Having said that, an S2r1K is probably the best street monster out there. cheap to run, gobs of low down torque, no fridge (as mentioned before) super easy to service…

This is probably where I would be heading. If you have to have power ... fine go the S4R - but the S2R1K has enough of that for most circumstances. Shit, I think my S2R (800) is fine for most circumstances - what it lacks stock is adjustable forks, decent front brakes and a dry clutch ... but the wet clutch is probably better from a practical point of view.

The two-valvers sound better and look better. The four-valvers are smooth, powerful and actually pretty easy to ride with better suspension (generally) ... so it is really just a balance of what you want, what is available and what you have to spend. It is easy to say that you could handle more ... but do you really want or need any more?

[Mr.S2R]

... but the wet clutch is probably better from a practical point of view.

Betty,

Can you confirm the story that I have heard that the 800 slipper clutch is an expensive item to replace?  I heard the basket is a special unit and not standard like other Ducati wet clutches...

I love my S2R 1000!!

[Betty]

Nope, can't confirm. Haven't had any problems or need to service it in over 40,000kms. Stopintime is the guru of all things S2R800 - if you really need to know, he might be worth a try.