Sportcycle BT's 996

BT's 996

I've owned this 2001 996 since new.

Once apon a time it was red; did the usual things that I do to my personal bikes. Changed the exhaust, added some carbon fibre bits, put on some magnesium wheels, tuned it up a bit and go riding.

Then I sold it to a friend, took a deposit on it, let him go for a ride and he promptly crashed it, he gave it back too me telling me to go ahead and fix it and then he fell off the face of the earth or something like that. Never ever saw the guy again. So I let it sit for a few years not quite sure what to do with it.

Then in 2008, when Race City was still around and we still had a race track, I thought I would build it up to race in the Ducati Cup. Never did race it; guess I just liked it too much to do that. However, I did race a 749 but that's another story for another day.

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Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of my 996 that my friend crashed or when I tore it down to start rebuilding it.

This is what it looked like after I fixed it. However, not any more because last summer I hit a deer or the deer hit me. I stayed upright but my front nose fairing definitely looks a little worst for wear. Anyhow, I'm getting ahead of myself.

What I did do was tear down the whole bike from the first accident and rebuild it from the motor out.

So I tore the motor right down to the crank and cleaned the cases and everything else. I brought in Carillo rods for it and Pistal pistons. I sent those 3 pieces down to Falicon in Florida and asked them to build me a supercrank. When the crank came back it had been lightened, polished and dynamically balanced. It actually looked like a piece of jewelery. Not that you could wear it around your neck, it's not that light but it looked good.

The heads were stripped, cleaned, bead blasted and bigger valves were installed. Once the motor was together I degreed the cams... it's always worth the money to degree the cams. They are usually out and you can always feel how smooth the motor runs afterwards.

I also installed a lightened flywheel and a STM slipper clutch.

I did add a lot of carbon fibre pieces on the bike. The nose fairing, air dams, lower section of the air box and the solo seat are all carbon fibre. The rear licence plate holder, rear hugger and the v-section between the side fairings are also carbon fibre.

The gas tank is off of an earlier 916 because I wanted the old style lettering that's on the tank. The dent in the gas tank was not from me either, reallly.

I'm a big fan of the 996. Yes, there are plentry of motorcycles out there that are faster. For me, it's also the way a motorcycle looks, how it feels when you are going down that favourite piece of road that you are always thinking about, and wanting to get back on again. The way it sounds when you are going through the gears. The sensation of being connected to the road and the motorcycle at the same time is very satisfying.

Yes, it is a physical feeling but it's also more mentally stimulating beause all of your senses are working together just like the motorcycle is.

The 916, 748, 996 and 998 are all great motorcycles to leave stock or modify, it really just depends on the owner and what he or she wants out of the bike. There's so much potential there to play with.

This photo was taken a couple of years ago now out in the West Kootenays in BC. It was the same weekend as the DUC WC rally weekend in Nelson BC.

Just hanging out with a couple of Ducati riders enjoying the great roads.

My poor 996.

I know it's only parts and it could have been worse. However, this is what can happen when you come around a sharp corner at a certain speed and a deer just happens to walk out in front of you. I was really lucky, I stayed upright. Unfortunately, the deer didn't and it went up and over me and almost took out the rider behind me.

This happened last summer late in the afternoon out riding with some friends. I was actually heading back to my place to drop off the 996, jump into my truck and head back from where I had been riding to pick up another rider who had ridden into a ditch. Definitely an interesting afternoon.

So now the bike is back in my shop getting ready for this riding season. Think I'll install a bigger and louder exhaust, deer whistles and ...,

When the 996 is apart this time. I'll take some pictures, post them here and talk more about what I have done and maybe talk about some new changes?

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