Sebring Daily Rider
Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2023 1:13 am
In the highly unlikely event that anyone out there is actually riding a Ducati 350 Sebring for daily transportation or is considering doing so, here are a few words on the dramatic performance and rideablity improvements a 26mm Mikuni VM (round slide) make to this model. This particular carb was one of two on a beat-up old 650 Triumph Bonneville 'Desert Sled' that found its way to me. Since half a 650 is almost a 350 I mounted it on the Sebring as is and it worked perfectl. I simply used a piece of radiator hose to mount it to the stock manifold, opened up to 26mm.
1. Significant power boost: Seat of the pants tells me 2~3 more HP and, with the longer intake tract, much more torque. It pulls strongly all the way up the rpm range. The stock 24mm mixer is totally inadequate. A 28mm would probably also work well, but the 28mm VM has a larger body, and there isn't much space there.
2. Easy starting: The Mikuni enrichener (it's not a 'choke') is very effective. Prior to starting I depress the enrichener, kick the engine through twice using the compression release, then close the enrichener. One kick and the bike literarily leaps into life, as if impatient to be running. This is no doubt due to the better air/fuel mixing of the Mikuni. Stock points ignition has worked flawlessly for many years.
3. Steady idle which is easy to adjust with the idle screw. Jets, slides and other parts easily obtained.
All of which unleashes (!) the Sebring's true potential, making it much more fun to ride.
1. Significant power boost: Seat of the pants tells me 2~3 more HP and, with the longer intake tract, much more torque. It pulls strongly all the way up the rpm range. The stock 24mm mixer is totally inadequate. A 28mm would probably also work well, but the 28mm VM has a larger body, and there isn't much space there.
2. Easy starting: The Mikuni enrichener (it's not a 'choke') is very effective. Prior to starting I depress the enrichener, kick the engine through twice using the compression release, then close the enrichener. One kick and the bike literarily leaps into life, as if impatient to be running. This is no doubt due to the better air/fuel mixing of the Mikuni. Stock points ignition has worked flawlessly for many years.
3. Steady idle which is easy to adjust with the idle screw. Jets, slides and other parts easily obtained.
All of which unleashes (!) the Sebring's true potential, making it much more fun to ride.