H Marc Lewis' 1980 Ducati 900SS

I bought this motorcycle in 1986 or so from my friend Michael Wise for $2,000US. He was the original owner, and had ordered it with 40mm Del Ortos and Conti exhausts (it probably wasn't legal, noise-wise, in 1986, and it for sure isn't now!). It had about 9K miles on it when I got it, and had been down once on the left side which dented the tank (from the clip-ons), scraped the fairing, and bent the fairing mount slightly. Mike had stored the bike for a couple years without running it, and the cylinders had developed some corrosion.

I garaged it and rode it occasionally for 8 years before deciding to restore/customize it. I picked Kenny Dreer to do the work, based on a gorgeous classic Triumph he'd restored. To start with, the motorcycle was photographed from various angles and then completely disassembled. I decided on changing the color after much agonizing over abandoning the stock black (I don't like black motorcycles). Kenny thought it should be black, but he was wrong, and now admits it...

The frame was powder coated bronze metallic, with a few parts done in black for contrast. The campignolo mag wheels were powder coated gold, and a new stainless steel rear axle was made.

The front fork legs and top and bottom fork crowns were highly polished, and a porosity problem on the left leg was cured by welding it up before polishing. The forks were rebuilt, including new fork seals and boots.

I bought a solo seat, to suppliment the stock dual seat. The fairing, tank, fenders, side covers and seat(s) were painted a light yellow (PPG 83071) in Urethane, with a double clear coat, a light layer of gold pearl, then a final clear coat. The lettering was all done by hand (no decals) in the original style. The seats were covered with soft black glove leather. A medium smoke windscreen from Gustafson replaced the original windscreen. All the hardware was zinc plated with yellow chromate, or replaced with highly polished stainless steel parts.

All 3 disk rotors were hard chromed then machine roughed where the brake pads contact them (a process developed for the brakes on large airplanes). Their centers were painted in black crinkle. The brake and shift levers had new needle bearings and were shimmed with special washers to take up the slack so they don't wiggle or rattle.

All of the parts which were originally chromed were rechromed, including the Conti pipes (which was quite a trick, by the way).

Then engine received considerable work. Both cylinders were resleeved and rebored to original specs (.0018), and Swedish (std.) rings were used on the stock pistons. The valve seats were recut, the valves refaced to within .00025, and new guides and 'O' rings used, and new exhaust valves installed. The heads, gearbox, and bevel drives were reshimmed. Both 40mm Del Ortos were overhauled, synchronized and rejetted. The cases, heads, bevel towers, etc. were buffed and polished. A sight-window was added to the upper bevel drive. The cylinders were painted with black crinkle, and the DUCATI logos on the sides of the cases highlighted in black crinkle as well. All new gaskets and seals, of course.

The brakes were completely overhauled, with new Brembo pads on the front and Frodos on the rear. Stainless steel brake lines were fabricated. The clutch cable was enhanced with a custom teflon-lined stainless steel housing. Other custom bits included a new breather hose and catch bottle, Malossi velocity stacks and K&N air filters (either/or), more modern turn signals, a Borletti chronometric tach, Olins rear shocks (gold) with reservoirs, a gold anodized rear sprocket, and a Regina Gold drive chain.