Almost there

[IanHood]

Well, I didn’t have a lot to start with but very pleased to say that the only thing stopping me getting this yellow desmo back on the road (since 1981 apparently) is a numberplate and knowing what the fork oil capacity is? Can anyone here advise?

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450.jpg

[blethermaskite]

Congratulations, that's a really nice job I think everyone on here knows just how hard it is to get a Duke single up to the standard you have achieved here, now take it out and dirty it .......I think the forks from memory hold about 170ish mls.
Cheers,
George

[IanHood]

Thanks George, I be happier with it if I could find a Desmo head (original is missing in action) but the springer will do for now.

Ian

[blethermaskite]

So apart from my 250 desmo my other Ducati is a 1974 350 Mk3 which I bought new, nearly 50 years later I still have it and its still my favourite bike of all time ( and I have had many) when I bought it I wanted a 350 desmo ......but such a thing could not be got so the Mk3 was my second best. Over the years I had slowly gathered together all the bits except 'the head' to convert the Mk3 to a desmo look a like but never actually did it because I didn't have the desmo head. So with years of watching Ebay it became obvious that fairly regularly desmo heads turned up in America and I eventually carefully purchased a totally bare 350 head casting for not a great deal of money and then subsequently acquired all the bits to make it complete at quite a lot of money. During this process I noticed that in the States I never once saw a 250 desmo head.....I only ever saw I think three maybe four 350 D heads, but I have seen dozens of 450 rt heads I presume because the Americans bought loads of 450 rt off roaders and wrecked them.... I saw so many rt 450D heads I seriously considered buying one welding it all up and re machining it back to 350 spec as a viable way to get a head for my bike .I might have mentioned in some other post re your bike to go for a rt head I think that's maybe the only way you will get one without spending a fortune.
Cheers,
George

[IanHood]

I can’t even seem to find an RT head George

[Jordan]

I noticed that in the States I never once saw a 250 desmo head.....I only ever saw I think three maybe four 350 D heads

Are not the 250 and 350 desmo heads identical?

[blethermaskite]

Pretty much the same ....but I believe the squish profile is different between the two...or so I was told??
Cheers,
George

[Jordan]

The same part number is in the factory lists.
0609.92.350 for both 250 and 350 Desmo heads.

[Eldert]

Pretty much the same ....but I believe the squish profile is different between the two...or so I was told??
Cheers,
George

heads are the same . bevelshaft is longer on a 350 .

the only head that has a different squish band angle is the 350 Sebring

Eldert

[blethermaskite]

Thanks all, that's another little Ducati urban myth (in my head only) dispelled.
Cheers,
George