1999 Ducati 996

Engine: 996cc L-Twin
-Full Feracci exaust - Carbon Fiber cans - Feracci Chip - 6000k HID Kit - Corbin seat - Hidden rear turn signals - Smoothed front turn signals - SS braided brake lines - Disc lock with alarm - Aftermarket oil breather - Carbon fiber...... oil guard, fenders, front and rear tank shields, air intakes, gauge cluster surround, exaust canister heat shield, seat undertray, foot guards, exaust piping shields, and clutch cover. Polished rims w/black spokes.

Here is my 1999 Ducati 996 Biposto. Originally I wanted a red one because that was my ideal image of a Ducati, but after my friend Minh slapped me across the back of the head I realized what a good deal this one was. My jacket didn't match, but who's being picky? This was a pretty sweet deal for several reasons. First, low miles. Second, rare color. Third, it had a ton of stuff done already. I added some carbon fiber pieces, and actually took some of the original owners modifications off to clean up the look a bit. The wheels were done by me as my first attempt at wheel polishing.

At 14k miles I've come to notice that my chain has become quite lumpy and loud. Upon inspection I noticed that it's beginning to slap the bottom of my swingarm, slightly gouging the underside.. Time for a replacement. I decided to jump down from a 540 to a RK 520 (race) chain. Less rotating mass means quicker acceleration. This narrow chain means new sprockets front and rear which are also narrower. They should all be replaced at the same time anyways as sprockets tend to fishook over time. And as long as I was at it I added an AFAM quick change rear sprocket which is lighter weight and allows me to change the rear sprocket without removing the cush drives in the future. All the circlips were replaced along with the front sprocket retainer. Then safety wire over everything and more. This is not something you want to come apart on the freeway! I also forgot to mention that I went up 3 teeth on the rear sprocket. This brings your power range down to more usable speeds. I think said and done I'm out $500 on this upgrade.

Look at the size of that socket! Damn thing cost me $30 just to get the wheel nut off!

Here you can see a direct comparison between the new and the old sprocket. Note the width.

Here's the new front sprocket assembly installed with the original bolts drilled and wired up for safety. Note the new sprocket clip in the middle. Over time I've seen these wear out, allowing the sprocket to wobble around and rub on the case of the clutch slave cylinder directly in front of it causing the fluid to boil over. In 2001 Ducati upgraded this clip to a thicker version, which is the one I purchased when I did the swap.

Here you can see Ducati's elliptical chain tensioning adjustment. You put a spanner wrench around the other gears and turn the center hub to adjust the chain tension. The ride height is also affected, so you want to make sure that the hub is kept below the center line of the swingarm. A higher tail turns in quicker through a corner.

This is my old front sprocket which illustrates the "fishook" effect I was talking about. The chain always rubs one side of the sprocket, wearing it out unevenly. If you put a new chain on an old sprocket, this wear pattern will develop much more quickly in your brand new chain. Don't be cheap, replace everything.

Here's a pic with the sprockets and chain installed. Note the pliers on the ground used for installing safety wire. I wish I could upload a mpeg of how this thing works, but it made those tight twists in the wire easy and clean. It wouldn't have come out so clean without it.

Overall, this was one of the greatest upgrades. The chain spins smooth and silent along the new sprockets giving me a lot more confidence on the road. And the power, my God. If I thought there was a wheelie situation before, now it's a "problem". Second gear wheelies come easily. Heh heh. Well, it's managable if you can control your throttle hand. But sometimes you just have to open it up and let the poor machine breath! It's like a whole new bike now. Very quick and responsive. I love this mod, and this bike.