Ducati Panigale V4 916 25 Anniversario Build Thread

[BMW Alpina]

I flipped my Aella tie downs to the opposite side so I could hide that god forsaken Japanese logo (I really just don’t like logos, I have a disease/disorder)

View attachment 31902

on a serious note, @BMW Alpina will you be having the printed pieces clear coated? Would it be matte or gloss? Your printer does some very handy work

Hi DucatiKev,

I did not understand what you mean by the printed pieces. Can you please tell me what you mean?
I will be coating all the carbon fiber part in matte clear coat to preserve the original matte look, if that answer your question.

 

[DucatiKev]

Hi DucatiKev,

I did not understand what you mean by the printed pieces. Can you please tell me what you mean?
I will be coating all the carbon fiber part in matte clear coat to preserve the original matte look, if that answer your question.

Yes that answers it.
I was wondering about clear coating over top of the printed Akra logo on the PL carbon fiber lower gas tank protector

I should have said “pieces that were printed onto”

 

[BMW Alpina]

Yes that answers it.
I was wondering about clear coating over top of the printed Akra logo on the PL carbon fiber lower gas tank protector
I should have said “pieces that were printed onto”

Hi DucatiKev,
I understand now, by the way, I did not printed the Akrapovic label myself, but I purchase it from an eBay vendor, below are the links, (I combined the larger Akrapovic logo with the smaller Akrapovic white label).
AKRAPOVIC Red Scorpion Stickers Die Cut Decal Aufkleber Autocollant Pegatinas | eBay
AKRAPOVIC 60mm Red Scorpion Sticker Die Cut Decal Aufkleber Autocollant 4 pcs | eBay

 

[DucatiKev]

Ahh yes you have that OCD attention to detail. It’s a great design for that location

crazy to think you just brought that bike home in February

 

[gnance]

This thread still going strong....damn!

I just hope when all is said and done you ride this thing!

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[able duc]

Hello Able Duc,
I had been a sales person all my life even when I owned my own business, and what I mean by "lowly" car salesman is, it is really the lowest position in sales at a car dealership (with all the baggage, insult you received everyday).
However, I am PROUD to experience being a lowly car salesman. If I am ashamed of it, why do I mention it here? It is by far the most mentally exhausting job I ever did in my life.

There is no union with car salesman job, you only make money if you sell a car from your commission. With the internet making it hard to make gross profit margin, I only make $250 per car that I sold because it's always a mini deal (not much gross profit, and sometimes selling car at loss).
If, I don't sell a car, I will only got paid minimum salary , I believe around $12 per hour at that time and if you don't sell enough car each month, you will be fired within 2 months max.
This is not a cushy union job. I wish car salesman have union so we can defend our rights.
Only the salesman who is willing to work hard and know how to sell a car can survive. I could go on and on about this, but unless you work as a car salesman in the USA, you will never understand, plus you will accuse me of talking more about self promotion of me.

You see,
Just like you, I was enjoying posting about my bike, and I want to focus more on my bike modification posts but when I saw a post in my thread that mention "ASIAN" in an unfavorable tone, I will address it (at least one time).
I won't address it too much because I know it is not easy to change a person view on race.

Asian people here in the USA, have the highest average income. Why, well because we are very adaptable. But there is one thing that we simply cannot adapt, which is our DNA. We willing to work hard beyond what is required.
However, we cannot modify our DNA, we will always have either Yellow skin like me or darker skin like some other Asian. Beside, why we want to change our DNA anyway? I am PROUD to be ASIAN.

Now, I understand that I can't change your view and I cannot make everyone who read my post happy, so this is my last response on this subject to you.

Sorry I call ........ on your response and will now click ignore to protect myself from further disappointment.

 

[DucatiKev]

Ohhhh boy

 

[BMW Alpina]

Ahh yes you have that OCD attention to detail. It’s a great design for that location
crazy to think you just brought that bike home in February

Hi Ducatikev, Yes, I need to move fast so I can finish the whole modification asap because I need to move to the next stage in my life

This thread still going strong....damn!
I just hope when all is said and done you ride this thing!
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

Good morning gnance,
maybe someday around the block only if at that time I am not too old
I keep finding more ideas to do on my bike, hopefully I can stop finding ideas soon so I can finish and close the book

But in the meantime, I finally get in touch with Peter Lieb, Many Thanks to member @Raul1976 .
Raul1976 is the first person in this world who have this modified Peter Lieb carbon lower belly pan extension that fit the stock shape silencer.
So from what I understand Peter Lieb was making a prototype and he sold that one and only prototype to Raul1976, so I am happy to get the copy of the prototype
This way, I don't have to make my own mold and carbon parts and for sure the quality of fit and finish will be great as usual. Thank You again Raul1976
I can't wait to get mine hopefully in the next week (or 2) (or 3 since Peter Lieb is very busy with lack of full time production worker to help him during this difficult time)

I am talking about this carbon part (this pictures below, I believe this is the prototype which is now on Raul1976 bike)

 

[BMW Alpina]

I spent a good amount of time this week, researching several Coating process for metal. It's like being a college student again but just more fun

Initially I was set on doing TiN (Titanium Nitride) coating for the aluminum rear suspension bracket (like the coating on the Ohlins forks lower tube and many golden coatings on drill bits) however, I learned the PVD TiN coating process is done at temperature of around 800F and that would weaken or alter the strength of the aluminum. So, I will still use regular anodizing for the rear aluminum suspension bracket and also for the upcoming rear BrakeTech rotor carrier and front Motocorse hub.
(remember: no Type 3 mil sped anodizing, those are too thick, I learned the hard way when I coat my custom Brembo rotor hat for my Honda Fit project and having problem with the F40 style floating hardware)

But for parts that is NOT aluminum, I decided to go ahead and perform TiN coating on all the Grade 12.9 steel bolts, nuts and washers (including the bumax and 316 stainless steel washers).
The TiN coating is only about 2 micron thick on average so it won't effect the thread of the bolts/nuts.

I just ship all those bolts to the TiN coating company, oh, almost forgot, the TiN coating company also provide polishing service so hopefully I got them back golden, polished and shiny in 1 or 2 weeks

This wikipedia page have more info regarding TiN coating:
Titanium nitride - Wikipedia

Now... back to anodizing the aluminum parts, the anodizing company that I would like to work with, do not offer polishing, and one of my aluminum rear suspension bracket had press marked from the swing arm when I was trying to remove them, this means I need to learn on polishing aluminum to remove this imperfection

 

[double0]

Are you keeping track of cash spent as you go? I'm wondering how deep down the rabbit hole you are n where you'll be at the end of all this

 

[BMW Alpina]

Are you keeping track of cash spent as you go? I'm wondering how deep down the rabbit hole you are n where you'll be at the end of all this

Hello double0,

Well hopefully, I don't have to go too deep down the hole and got too close to the earth mantle and get burn

I have some ideas on how much I already spent and I think I already bought most of the high value parts, except the upcoming MotoCorse side plates, some more ProTi bolts, 16RCS Corsa Corta Brembo Clutch Master Cylinder (availability delay by Brembo), and also some custom matte clear coating on the carbon parts for some more Ducati original decal, maybe custom carbon tank cover to match the anniversario theme (I just got this idea 3 days ago), and some more MotoCorse Japan parts (from their Japan subsidiary),...

oh, I also need to buy complete Paint correction tools and ceramic coating chemicals (so I can be the amateur version of HKMP7 )...

and last, I will buy the original tail and side fairings (because my current one is either already modified or will be modified)... this extra original 916 anniversario fairings will just be for display on a glass cabinet beside the bike...
and just so I can still have original condition unmodified fairing for history purposes...

the problem is I have so many parts already paid but they will not arrive until mid July so that is why progress is so slow...

by the way this is the MotoCorse sideplates that I am talking about, number 5 on the picture below, it is the big aluminum part where the rear set mount.
I want them in gold color to match the right engine to frame adapter I already order in Gold color. They are supposed to be for sale since 2 weeks ago... but in typical MotoCorse late is fashionable fashion
but They are gorgeous, so I will patiently wait

My target is to stop by the end of this year. I seriously really need to get over this by Q1 2021 at the latest !!!
unless Akrapovic later came out with the dual under tail exhaust just like on the 1299 Final Edition... (I hope they will not so I don't have to buy them)...

 

[DucatiKev]

All the way down the rabbit hole

Those flush reservoirs are my favorite!

 

[BMW Alpina]

All the way down the rabbit hole
Those flush reservoirs are my favorite!

Hi DucatiKev,
I was considering those MotoCorse reservoir, they actually already have the brake and clutch reservoir for the Brembo RCS Corsa Corta (even though the RCS 16 Corsa Corta clutch master cylinder is not out yet).
However their design use O-Ring and I worry if after few years, the O-Ring start leaking. It will be a nightmare if I wake up in the morning and find out all the paint work on the fairings were ruined by the brake fluid.
Of course, if you are doing preventive maintenance and regularly replace the O-Ring every few years, that should be ok.

Also, if you ride it a lot, those vibrations could potentially wear the O-Ring faster since it is only supported mostly by the bleed screw on the RCS Corsa Corta.

Ah, MotoCorse also informed me that it will limit the steering movement (at least for the RCS Corsa Corta version), you cannot go lock to lock anymore.

 

[BMW Alpina]

This weekend is a dedicated ProTi weekend for the engine. I also use this opportunity to teach my younger 12 years old son who wants to be a Mechanical Engineer more about the basic of bolts, screw and the needs to torque it right with hands on experience. Yes, he is doing a lot of wrenching this weekend and that's make me happy

I started with installing the bracket for the Ducati by Rizoma Rear Brake Reservoir. This Ducati by Rizoma Rear Brake Reservoir is actually the Front Clutch Reservoir which I love the design and wants to make all 3 reservoir in my bike to have the same styling.


To install this bracket, I need CUT the current rear reservoir bracket/hose guide, but I don't want to cut the original parts from Ducati so I purchase a Carbon ShiftTech version, mark it and cut it with Dremel:




Although I never plan to ride my bike, however, I might be washing my bike once every year, and once you cut a carbon fiber, the exposed surface where you cut it need to be sealed again so water won't seep and de-laminate the carbon.
This won't happen quickly of course, but just to be sure. The best way to do this is to apply Polymer Resin on those exposed surface, and I do have a bottle of polymer resin and it's catalyst somewhere in my house, problem is I forgot where I put them and can't find them , so I am going to order a new bottle, but in the meantime, I just going to paint the exposed surface (and also the rear side of the Shiftech Carbon Bracket) Black. Below is the back surface after painting, much better than the "raw" unfinished looks above.


And these are the pictures from the front side after I cut it and on the right picture, you can see how the exposed surface after cutting (on the edge) also painted by me:


Then I tie lock the hose and cables behind this carbon bracket (because this carbon bracket don't have the unique tie-lock channel like the original Ducati Parts), and I bolted on the engine block using all ProTi Titanium Bolts:
(the socket connector for the rear brake light switch on the right slide onto the right tower of this bracket)


Now, time to prepare the Rizoma MIRROR (yes MIRROR) Bracket that I modify to use as the bracket for the Ducati by Rizoma Rear Brake Reservoir. I carefully choose all the right Spacers (combinations of Titanium (Yes Titanium Spacer), Aluminum & Stainless Steel material) depend on the location, thickness and color matching. I also of course only use ProTi Titanium Bolts. Here they are:


I also make sure the ProTi Titanium Bolts (after all those spacers/washer) still have the same length going into the thread holes at the engine block so it retain the clamping force as the original bolts when torque:
the right pictures shows the 2 stacks of aluminum spacers I use for the ProTi Titanium bolts that attached this Rizoma Mirror Bracket to the engine block:


By the way, since I have 2 Ducati by Rizoma Clutch Reservoir (one for this rear brake and one for the front clutch), I notice that they came from different batches, because they have different laser marking at the bottom of the reservoir below. I just want to make sure they are not fake, but all other details (even the plastic casting mark) are exactly the same between both, plus I bought both of them from official Ducati dealer, to make sure:




Continue below due to 10 pictures limit per post...

 

[BMW Alpina]

OK, here is the picture after I bolted them onto the engine block



Next step is to install the AELLA Right Side Frame Slider which also need to be modified using Stainless Steel Spacer to CLEAR the Ducati by Rizoma Rear Brake Reservoir and it's bracket Assembly.
And when I mean to CLEAR it, I calculate down to mm and it CLEAR it by some few mm

This picture below show the "CLEARANCE":


And below are the rest of the pictures with the AELLA Right Side Slider, Properly installed and now using All ProTi Titanium Bolts to secure the AELLA Slider...
Well, actually one more ProTi bolt that hold the BLACK Slider has not arrived yet, so just 1 more ProTi Titanium Bolts to install in the next few weeks








Please note that I already ordered and still waiting for the MotoCorse Right Engine to Frame Bracket which will be in Gold Color in combination with Titanium Silver colored ProTi Titanium Bolt and also MotoCorse SILVER color Engine Bolt Cover.
Those are located right behind this Ducati by Rizoma brake reservoir and will provide an even better background contrast

This is how the MotoCorse bracket looks like (picture taken from MotoCorse website since mine had not arrive yet and my Engine Bolt Cover will be Stainless instead of Red),

 

[BMW Alpina]

Back to the rest of the ProTi Engine Bolts, up to this moment, my son and I had finished replacing the Right Side (Clutch Side) factory bolts with ProTi Titanium Bolts.

First I want to point out that, you need to purchase Seal A (THREE BOND 1207B) for 4 bolts on the clutch side. You will notice that when you took out 3 bolts on the top right corner, the bolts is wet with water coolant (on the thread),
and when you took out 1 center bolt at the lower row, it will actually leak oil!!!
You will also need this Seal A for some of the bolts on the Right (Generator ) and Lower (oil sump) side.
These are the location of those bolts that need Three Bond 1207B sealant applied on their thread for the clutch side (marked in GREEN):


You also need to tighten this bolts in certain pattern per the picture below:


My son and I use our small Snap-On Torque Wrench since this bolt need to be tighten in such low torque value between 5Nm to 10Nm.
Since we also apply SILVER Anti Seize paste (by Loctite), I decided to tell my son to tighten them at 7.5Nm (middle value):


There is one bolt that have tricky location right behind the RPM pick up sensor, so you need to unbolted the RPM sensor then Rotate the whole sensor assembly so your wrench can pass through to access the bolt.


The good news is, I also have some extra ProTi bolts so I can use it to also replace the bolt holding the RPM pickup sensor with ProTi Titanium Bolt:


And below are pictures of the Right/Clutch side engine cover with the bolts replaced with ProTi Titanium bolts:




and after lunch today, my son and I will continue working to replace all the bolts with ProTi Titanium Bolts on the Left (Generator) and Lower (Sump) side of the engine.

Oh, by the way, I also took out the Rear Brembo Caliper because I am going to replace the PINCH Bolt (that holds the 2 halves of the Brembo Caliper together and the brake pad pin) and I need to measure them.
After measuring, I found that these are the right ProTi bolts for this:
ProTi Caliper Guide Pin PINTO2-OTB01 x 1 pieces
ProTi Caliper Pinch Bolt for the REAR Brembo Caliper, ProTi Assembly Universal Bolt M8L40-OTB01 x 2 pieces




Ups, almost forgot, I purchase some tools to make sure it will be easy for me to install bike the Rear Exhaust Manifold since the space there is very tight.
So I purchase very long extension, shorter 8mm socket and integrated swivel sockets. This will make it much easier next time

 

[BMW Alpina]

Today, my your son and I spent our relaxing Sunday afternoon installing the LEFT ProTi Titanium Bolt for the Generator Side Cover, and also install the Ducati Performance Carbon Generator Protector and AELLA Left Frame Slider.
The picture below shows the bolt tightening pattern and note on Bolt# 6 and Bolt#12, you need to apply "SEAL A"



Thanks to @HKMP7 who helped me by measuring the original Ducati bolt that came with his Ducati Performance Carbon Fiber Generator Protector,
Because mine had not arrived yet at that time, so I know in advance that the original Ducati bolt length is 32mm and head diameter 12.4mm.
This way, I can order the equivalent ProTi Titanium Bolts without waiting for my Ducati Performance Carbon Fiber Generator Protector to arrived.

Now, since the closest ProTi bolts is 35mm length with 13mm head diameter, I decided to also bought 2mm Stainless Steel spacer to make it "proper" factory spec.

So below are the picture of my Ducati Performance Carbon Fiber Generator Protector with the 2mm Stainless Steel Spacer and 35mm length ProTi bolts that I finally installed today:



After that, I also installed the AELLA LEFT side Frame Slider. I also change the AELLA Stainless Steel bolt to ProTi. Since I knew that I need to CLEAR the Ducati Performance Carbon Fiber Generator Cover, so I bought several 15mm Stainless Steel Spacer along with 15mm longer ProTi Titanium Bolt (2 pieces of M6x50mm and 1 pieces of M6x60mm, both with 13mm diameter head).

Here are the pictures that show the 15mm Stainless Steel Spacer (although for the center bolt, I utilized the unused gold15mm spacer from the Right side AELLA frame slider



and here are the overall pictures (also shows the rest of the ProTi Titanium Bolts on the entire right side Generator Cover):



I did not have time today to change the lower sump cover bolts... maybe sometimes this week or next weekend,...

However, I always thought that the 2 FLUSH CONCAVE ProTi Bolts for the STM Timing Cover looks too... ordinary, almost looks like the original Ducati bolts except this ProTi one is Torx instead of socket hex...
so on Monday, I should received unique spacers and I can wait to modify those 2 bolts with nicer looking one... stay tune

 

[torrific]

You will like the low profile motocorse reservoirs. I have them in black and really like the look over the rizoma waves.

 

[BMW Alpina]

You will like the low profile motocorse reservoirs. I have them in black and really like the look over the rizoma waves.

Hi Torrific,
Yes, I noticed your Black color MotoCorse reservoirs in one of your post, great choice, they are GORGEOUS.

I was planning to buy them initially, (but for the RCS Corsa Corta master cylinder version), however, once I am done with modifying this bike, I will just let it sit on my living rooms for decades...
and if everything is as plan (my next stage in life), I don't think I will have time to touch my bike or really pay attention to it anymore (beside a glance everyday whenever I pass my living room)...

I really worry about the O-Ring design if I just let the bike sit for many years (decades)... if somehow the brake fluid manage to seep due to deteriorating O-Ring, it will ruin the paint on my fairing, and at that time, I don't think Ducati will have a replacement fairing for my model anymore considering they only produce 500 units (plus some XXX prototype).

Second, MotoCorse Italy and Dennis (their dealer in Taiwan) informed me that the MotoCorse reservoir (for RCS Corsa Corta) will hit the fairing if you turn your handlebar to the limit,
and I just worry if someday I have my grandchildren, and they play with the handle bar...
it will either damage the MotoCorse reservoir finish (or worse cause them too leak or damage the fairing)...
I might think way too far ahead, but this is the bike that I want to give to my grandchildren someday. (my favorite one of course )

Below is the page 4 of the official PDF emailed to me by MotoCorse Italy on how to install this reservoir, they clearly stated to keep an eye for leak:

 

[torrific]

Ah yes, I have been considering the RCS Corta 19's and I'm sure I'll get them done down the line, so I understand the hesitation to go with them knowing the path you're going towards. Bike is coming along nicely, well done.