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The Winter Build: '08 848

38350 Views 94 Replies 31 Participants Last post by  SeerreuS
10
I figured I should make a running thread to share the changes I have planned for my 2008 Ducati 848. The main reason for the complete teardown was that after my last down during a trackday back in late August at BIR (Brainerd Int'l Raceway), I knew I had a good reason to break down and complete the bike how I envisioned.

Refresher shots of the last time you all saw the bike in its elements:




After the crash, my friends and I made a quick decision to extend our season by heading south for a NESBA trackday at Barber Motorsports in Nov. I had purchased a complete set of SharkSkinz bodywork for the Duc with full intentions to have it ready for AL.


Well, I ended up getting surprised in an awesome gesture by my wife (with the help of my friends) with an already race-prepped '03 CBR600RR (the black bike in the above pic), which I ended up bringing to Barber instead of the 848 due to seeing what the Honda was like given it was to be my racebike for my first season of club racing in the CRA in '13. Had an absolute blast on the RR, but spent more than a few moments wishing I had been on the 848....as being an overthinker had my mind in overload trying to mentally process a new-to-me track on a new-to-me bike that I'd only really ridden once....


So the Duc had sat quietly for a couple of months, still dressed for a trackday weekend opportunity at a new track which had been given to another member of the stable.

Ever since I've had this bike, the 848Evo in Arctic White/Red frame and 1098S in Pearl White/ Red frame have made me envy the white/red colorway....for my standard 848 is Pearl White, but with grey frame. This would be the basis for my winter build of this offseason, along with a few finishing touches that I never got around to before the end of the summer.

Started one afternoon by taking the fairings off to see what a frame-off teardown would entail. Then off came the exhaust/rear subframe, followed by the fuel tank, and headlight/fairing stay/instrumentation assembly all in the span of about 2.5 hours:


....and ended another 2.5 hrs later with the frame off the engine and sitting in the bedroom waiting to be brought to a shop for paint:


While the bike has been torn down, I've purchased the majority of the finishing bits for the bike:

Set of proper engine case protectors came in via GB Racing:


The addition of a few things to complete the bars setup- SpeedyMoto Omni Bars, Renthal Full Diamond-Firm grips, Domino XM2 adjustable throttle, Brembo RCS-19 remote adjuster, and Rizoma brake & clutch fluid reservoirs:


A few final pieces of carbon:


And got the DDA installed and working on my laptop:


Still waiting on the street bodywork to come in, so once that happens, both sets of bodywork can be brought in for paint. Then the bike will pretty much be completed and ready for the 2013 season with a return to Barber in early April.

As you'll see, the bike will pretty much look like it did since the near-beginning of last track season, as the only blatantly obvious change will be the frame color. The rest of the upgrades will contribute more towards subtle changes, but definite attention to detail.

Thanks for viewing and hope you stay tuned!!

-Christian
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very nice build. lookin forward to seein the completed project and cant wait to start mine when i get home. be sure to let us know how that domino throttle and the omni bars work out for ya.
I appreciate it, man! How much longer until you get back home?

Will do. I'm pretty anxious to try them out, as the bars positioned at the downward angle looks like they'll help me drop my upper body further down to the inside and little further forward for cornering. The throttle will definitely cure having to slightly reposition my hand to bring it to full whack so I can better maximize each straight.
i should be boots on ground sometime in the next month. our replacements are already moving to us. pretty anxious to get back to my duc, and my wife too of course.

already got the full termi at the house and a new bell star lid. ordered speedymoto front, rear, and frame sliders. some crg lanesplit mirrors and rhino moto bar ends to mount em as well as the greggs customs mirror blockoff signals. gonna be orderin the ttx mk II and 30mm cartridge kit, maybe a slipper clutch as well. hopefully have it all there when i get home. wouldve loved to get some forks but ill probably get the clutch with the money i save and ive heard theyre virtualy the same either way. itll be the first time ive ever rode at a track, or really ever hit turns hard, when i get back. curious did you get the cables with that or are you gonna run the stock ones?
Good to hear you're in the home stretch before coming back. :)

Good initial set of mods, and you are going to LOVE the Star. Lightweight, great high speed stability, good periphial visibility, ventilation that can honestly only compare to the old X-11, and if you can spring for the Transitions shield do it. Awesome helmet.

Yep, at our levels the cartridge kit is really all you need. The only real plus' to going full-monty forks over the cartridges are the 1-pc billet fork bottoms and obviously "plug & play" install. I would've done the TTX+cartridges as well, but my big ticket item parts guy worked out a deal that the 819 forks+TTX would only be like $300 more, so I jumped on it.

Running stock cables, as they will be sufficient. When I took the stock throttle assembly apart I was pleasantly surprised to see the 'Domino' logo on the inside of the housing. Bike comes stock with a decent assembly already, but just needs a tuneable cam to suit the riders' preference/ conditions.
Ya, if I could find a full set for comparable price I would jump on it too. Kind of why I've been waiting till the last minute to buy the kit but since the mark up this year on Ohlins I dont think Ill find that deal. Anything would be better then the stock setup though as Im only like 160, but cut to Bantamweight to fight. I dont even like riding the bike when Im dieting, bucks like crazy over every hard bump.
I happened to check out STG a few days after they started that blowout sale on the Star's. They were mostly sold out but I found a Carbon Hess on Ebay for a little more then the sale price so I had to jump on it. Yes the Transition shield is another one of the reasons I picked up the helmet.
Had you upgraded the throttle tube prior to going with the new setup? I was looking at DK's tube since its supposed to smooth out lower RPM throttle control but reaches WOT faster with that snail shape.
Cool Beans, Im doing something similar for a winter project.

I went with Woodcraft Bars and rearsets, powdercoated Frame, speedymoto frame tabs, motion pro throttle, Woodcraft case cover, under body frame sliders, 30mm triples, Cartridge 25mm kit. Im thinking about running the new Pilot power 3s and powder coating the wheels gold at the same time.
me and Rusty848 will be at Barbers in April, i live 10 mins from Barbers so its my backyard, come say hello and paddock up with us, Rusty848 is a good guy and lots of good info, im still a noob and running in Intermediate.

-Carbon
Had you upgraded the throttle tube prior to going with the new setup? I was looking at DK's tube since its supposed to smooth out lower RPM throttle control but reaches WOT faster with that snail shape.
Nope. Going from OEM-Domino to the aftermarket XM2. The DP ECU reflash completely smoothed out my sub-5k rpm stumble/jerkiness issues, so pretty much the only thing left is faster WOT....but if this also gives even more refined throttle in the low revs, that's a welcome bonus!

Cool Beans, Im doing something similar for a winter project.

I went with Woodcraft Bars and rearsets, powdercoated Frame, speedymoto frame tabs, motion pro throttle, Woodcraft case cover, under body frame sliders, 30mm triples, Cartridge 25mm kit. Im thinking about running the new Pilot power 3s and powder coating the wheels gold at the same time.
Very nice winter upgrade decisions, man!

me and Rusty848 will be at Barbers in April, i live 10 mins from Barbers so its my backyard, come say hello and paddock up with us, Rusty848 is a good guy and lots of good info, im still a noob and running in Intermediate.

-Carbon
Hey there! I'll definitely try to find ya. I'm a NESBA noob as well....shooting for the I-group bump on Sat since I signed up for B-group in Nov and didn't get with a CR quickly enough on Sun. Will feel good to be at that track on a bike I'm familiar with.
Looks like your build is coming along very nicely! Can't wait to see the finished bike!
Get also the clutch GB cover.Adding CF is waste $ you realize that after first time you go down.you either leave it somewhere or it will get scratch and look like crap,been there done that.
Probably be at barber in April look for # 59.
Looks like your build is coming along very nicely! Can't wait to see the finished bike!
Thanks! Hoping to get the frame back this weekend so I can start putting her back together.

Get also the clutch GB cover.Adding CF is waste $ you realize that after first time you go down.you either leave it somewhere or it will get scratch and look like crap,been there done that.
Probably be at barber in April look for # 59.
Already have an R&G for the clutch side. May get the GB racing one to complete the set, but prefer how this one covers the entire area with one piece.



Eh, for track riding most of the big ticket carbon pieces are off the bike anyway, as the SharkSkinz has its own belly pan and intake runner cover sections. The only carbon items damaged in the BIR off (due to running the entire '12 track season in the OEM street plastics and it finally catching up to me) were the major scuffs on the exhaust heat shield (though it was scratched from my boots way before the crash from just the 14k+ miles Input on the bike in the year+ I've had it) and a couple of minor scuffs on the bellypan which I had intended on getting painted pearl white this offseason anyway....the scuffs just give me a real reason to do it, lol. If something happens on the street, I'm out either way because be it OEM fairings or the painted full carbon fairings...neither would be cheap to replace. :-/

I'll keep an eye out for you that weekend, as its always great to put faces with names. I'm #951. Actually thinking of doing a .org roll call of sorts in the track section once we get closer to the date to see who all is planning to come.
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get the carbon side covers for gas tank,that's great protection.there is one for sale on this forum for good price.save my tank few times.
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Just a small update on some things. Carbon street bodywork started coming in last week. Just waiting on the nose so I can bring them in for paint.


Frame was finished on Wed in Wine Red/Candy and came out great. Picked it up Fri and dropped off the SharkSkinz for paint..


Initial fitiment and wire routing started Sun afternoon and ended with getting it to motor-in-frame roller stage by getting the front wheel/forks/stem back on.



Started on replacing the bars setup (clip-ons, grips, adj. throttle, reserviors, mounts, & remote adjuster) and put the GB Racing case savers along with the tank and rear subframe.



Coming along. :)
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Dude, that is one hot looking bike! You have done good work, damn fine work!
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Thank you, man! It's getting there and should be an eye-catcher for sure. :)

Small teaser of the street bodywork fitment before paint...




....almost makes me want to NOT paint them.
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Looking good. Keep at her ;)
Thanks, man. :)

Just know that you're part of the reason for the frame-off paint job. Absolutely love, love, love the Evo in white w/red frame & wheels. :)
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Few more test fitment shots. The way the carbon, red, and gold all shimmer and pop in the sunlight is making a real argument towards just coping out by getting a black or carbon tank and leaving it all unpainted...







And personalized windscreen decal (courtesy of Chris Kruzel) is on...
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That really looks hot man, love how it's all coming together.
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