I had written a big answer to this yesterday and Yahoo ate it. Here goes again.
I owned a 1997 M900 Monster and a 1998 ST2, so I'm quite familiar with both. The frame is very similar except that the subframe supporting the seat is totally different. You would have to do some cutting and welding at the rear to get the same look as the Monster.
The suspension between my two bikes wasn't exactly the same, but there is no point in touching it. I wouldn't do anything with the instruments either - close enough.
The biggest issue with getting a Monster tank to fit right is that the Monster had the battery under the back of the tank rather than at the side of the engine. The airbox was in a different position. Also the ST2 suspension intrudes into the space where the Monster battery was at. The ST2 has that nice height adjustment rod while the Monster (and 888) had the shock back a bit more and had a hoop that attached to both sides of the swingarm a little further back. The Monster, at least through 1997, and in the "S" models, had a much nicer looking aluminum swingarm.
Then you have to deal with the radiator and coolant hoses. It wasn't until the S4 came out that there was a water cooled Monster. All the air-cooled Monsters had was a small oil cooler that attached to the front cylinder head. You'll have to make that work.
The hardest part will be getting a Monster seat to fit and to look right and getting a Monster tail light into the right position under the seat. That will require some rear frame fabrication. You'll also have to cut off a few tabs and brackets that hold the fairing in place on the ST2. I wouldn't worry about the wiring.
That's all I can thing of this time around. It sounds like an interesting project, but you need to know what you're getting into. I would suggest studying a few hundred Monster photos, possibly from http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/ and comparing to what you have on the ST2. If you still want to go through with the project, please report back. I would be interested in the transformation.
__Scott R. Nelson, Folsom, CA
--- In st2_owners@yahoogroups.com, "threeviews48" <mcollyer@...> wrote:
>
> I have been trying without success to sell my ST2 (UK) with the
> intention of buying a Monster.
>
> Does anybody know what I would need to change the ST2 to a Monster.
> Obviously the clocks, headlight, tank & seat. Are the frame, engine,
> wiring & forks the same?
>
> Thanks
>
0 comments:
Post a Comment