31 Dec - Well, yesterday wasn't a washout, but the turnout both at the Stagecoach and DT was muted -- more so at my supposed shin-dig. Only 4 of us headed up to the Stagecoach Cafe. Brad showed up to breakfast on his Harley but didn't bring rain gear, and Frank and Gregg high-tailed it Eastward out of the way of the impending storm. While the skies were threatening all day, we didn't get any until nightfall. Meanwhile, only John, Scott W and Grover dropped by afterwards at DT to say hi. I don't think New Year's Eve Eve is a good day for a party.. or maybe I need to get a different after-shave... or both.

Above: The get-together after breakfast in my driveway. Brad shakes hands with Frank, while Suzi chats with Ron. Just visible left is Grover Dill talking to John Dean. 4 Ducks and 2 Harleys -- twins all.

I ran into some old friends at the Stagecoach, all from my Floribama Rider days -- Scott Armstrong, Dan Lowry, Ron Long, Ron Griffin, Scott Wibel, and a few others. It's nice to see familiar faces at get-togethers. I didn't linger at the Cafe. We expected the rain to hit by early afternoon, so we headed back South to Pensacola after a mere 45 minute visit at the Cafe. Maybe next year will offer better weather.

When I rolled the 900ss out of the garage this morning, it talked to me, saying that it wasn't emotionally prepared to get rained on. I always listen to my Ducatis, so I promptly dug out the Cagiva Gran Canyon and rode that to the Stagecoach. If inclement weather is in the offing, there is no other bike I'd rather be on. The GC won't set any land speed records, but it shucks off rain like nobody's business. I'd love to have the Cagiva Navigator - which is the same look of the GC but with the Suzuki TL-1000 motor in it. It's a shame they never came to our shores. :-(

Tomorrow I'm going to relax... no, really. I'm going to round up all the odds and ends that I've been meaning to sell on ebay, and list them both on ebay and on my "spare parts' section of the website. Time to clear out to make some space.

Grover and I measured the available space next to the workshop for the supposed office building. It looks like I have plenty of room. I'm dreaming about a 20 x 40 2-story building. That vision will probably last until I get prices. My current workshop is steel, and while it's nice, I'd like to do wood for the office building. One of those huge sheds is what I have in mind. We'll see what kind of pricing I can get.

This wraps up 9 months of DD and 2006. Thanks for letting me share my random thoughts with you. Starting tomorrow, the DD gets a new look.

The Staff at DT want to thank our customers for supporting our fledling operation. 2006 was a resounding question-mark in terms of profitability, but a roaring success in terms of satisfaction. We've helped more owners tune and modify their own Ducatis than any other company on the planet, no the solar system, no the galaxy. I'll take that credit to my grave. So when St. Peter asks me what I've done, I can proudly say that I've helped tune more Ducatis than any other man on the planet. Knowing my luck, St. Peter will hand me a wrench and tell me his ST4S has bad rocker arms.

I'll be wrenching to eternity.... LT

.... and Guido Garducci, Luiggi Vercotti, and Suzi Pastalini.

Above: The view from the stagocoach - a lot of bikes, and the side of Grover's Head. Hey Grover, that gold trailer would look great attached to the back of your 999. We could fit both our egos in there, with room to spare.

Above: Grover's ST4S up on the lift. Let's see, this hose goes to the fuel outlet and that one goes to the gas tank vent... no, no, that's wrong... give me a minute. ... Notice the embossed image of Guido on the other side of the bike. I promised him nobody would take pictures of him. He's getting a bit gray, and his side profile is like looking at Mt Rushmore... big nose, don't you know.

30 Dec - I sold my enclosed race trailer yesterday. The thing has been more of a boat anchor the last two years. It was damn heavy, and I only used it for the occasional trackday. The only downside of selling it is that it made a great storage shed. I'll get another one next year that is lightweight. If any of you Ducatisti know or prefer a good lightweight (aluminum) enclosed two bike trailer let me know. It needs to have a side access door that locks from the inside (I sleep in there occasionally right after purchasing a new Ducati), a ramp rear door, and some internal lighting. A friend is storing a "Chariot" brand trailer at my place and I've toyed with that because it is so light, but it doesn't have a side access door.

After the trailer left the homestead, I fiddled in the shop and cleaned up around the house. Greg Kirby and Frank Kapaun rolled in from South Florida around 2:30. We went to dinner last night with an Army buddy of mine. Frank and I were in Iraq together. He then did another tour with said dinner mate in Afghanistan. I felt sorry for Gregg at dinner. The entire conversation was a series of Army acronyms, none of which he understood.

Today is the shindig at the Stagecoach and then at DT. Last year, I purchased a bunch of munchies, only to have few people show up, so Suzi said to wait and see if anyone shows up. She doesn't want to get stuck with 10 2-liter bottles of soda and bags of chips, pretzels, etc.

I'm riding the old SS today. I dusted it off yesterday and took it to the gas station for a fillup. The SS was the only bike I had with a stock clutch. The plan was to develop my own quiet clutch kit for it, but Ducati has since moved to an aluminum basket with a different profile bucket. I rolled the SS into the workshop and installed the old basket from my 999 (I'm too cheap to install one of my $520 clutches in it. :-( ). I was all set up button the clutch back up when I remembered those weird STM pressure plates I purchased (see 6 Dec DD). Well, I installed a center bearing, and mounted the plate with a spyder retainer on the outside. It looks way trick and functions well. Man, if I could only get some more. I'm going to run it for 150 miles today and look for any problems. If it passes muster, I have a few to sell. :-)

Some more products to roll out in the next week - CF turn signals, larger Plexus cleaner cans, throttle rockers, and a few other bits. So much for me slowing down product intros. I promised Suzi that I'd back off on the business a bit for 2007. She's worried about my being so busy. Too bad drugs have bad side-effects. What I need is an accelerated sleep pill that lets me sleep for 2 hours, but yields the same results as sleeping for 7 hours.

Tomorrow I'll report on the Stagecoach Event and things at DT. I'll try to throw up a few pics as well.

Tomorrow is the last day of this format for the DD. On New Years I launch the interactive DD. :-)

29 Dec - Yesterday I spent most of the day in the shop working on bikes. Mid afternoon I smashed my index finger while loosening a cam bolt. Damn that hurts. I get more beat up working on bikes than I do when working my other careers. I guess it's all part of having too much fun.

Today I'll roll Chris Turner's 748 off the lift and lube the swingarm bearings. I may even get to take here for a test spin. This afternoon I have to straighten up the house and showroom for the event tomorrow. Gregg Kirby and Frank Kapaun are riding up here from South Florida to stay at our place tonight and will go to the stagecoach event tomorrow. I'm still hoping it doesn't rain.

Product Updates:

MTS/999 Fender Eliminator Brackets - shipped to me today

Billet Clutch Hubs - Arrived Yesterday from Australia --- Yippee!!!

ST4S Axle Plates - I'm down to 2 sets,

28 Dec - It's been damn cold these past few days in P'cola, well at least for use Floridians it is cold. I've been heating up the workshop each morning for an hour or so before I start working. The flourescent lights aren't the expensive kind that work well in any temp, and their light output when cold sucks. I got the shop all cleaned up yesterday and did some other maintenance things around the shop. Today, I'll be in the shop again 1/2 day and working on the bridge 1/2 day. Sounds like fun....

I got an email from a guy who attends the university I teach at. Below is his note and my response. I thought it a good DD post.

"My dad and I have long considered adding something Italian to the stable, and I'm making my list while he checks his twice. Unfortunately, aside from history and specs, my Ducati knowledge is rather limited (most of my knowledge is wrapped up in Japanese bikes). My dad and I are planning on going half and half on something used, clean it up, and probably do a bit of tinkering - maybe alot. I've whittled my choices down to three bikes: an 888, an early 90's 900SS , and a 748. I'm leaning most towards the 748, but I love all three. A guy down the street just bought a 900SS with a set of Akrapovic pipes and boy does it purr. So here's my dilemma: I'm not really sure where to start in terms making an educated buying decision. What are some of the must fix parts on these bikes? Is there a best year for the 748? Things to look out for?"

LT: I can speak towards all 3 bikes because I have them. For a beginner Ducati owner, I wouldn't go with any of the above. A Monster is a better starter Ducati. First, Ducati sells 2 Monsters for every non-monster they sell - meaning parts are plentiful (for a Ducati). Second, the look hasn't changed much since 1994 - fuel tank shape and function changes when they went to injected, motor changes, subtle suspension changes. Third, they are the most versatile Ducatis in terms of use in the summer and winter. My Monster is the only bike I can ride in both the Summer heat and winter cold of Florida. Finally, the bikes are the easiest to work on and maintenance is 1/2 that of the 4-valve superbikes.

The 750ss/900ss is a close second if I was to give a recommendation. The pre-1999 carbureted models have some design issues. Most of note is the Mikuni carburetors, which have a tendency to be problematic if not properly maintained - Pre-2000 Monsters were also carbureted. Pre-95 SS models had a problem with a cracking steering head tube, and there are a few other trouble areas to inspect when purchasing. In general, the fuel injected bikes are less trouble and more reliable. All post-'98 900ss models were injected, but that is the newer Terblanche design that many people dislike.

The 888 is a wonderful bike, but parts are hard to come by and it takes a very good rider to master the bike. Both the 888 and 748 are water-cooled, meaning down here in the South you'll bake in the summer. The 748 makes a much better street bike than the 888, but both come with an expensive price tag when it comes to maintenance.

There are maintenance issues with any Ducati that are too long for me to write about here. I devote over 200 pages in each of my books to what to watch for when it comes to maintenance. If you are really interested, join some of the online forums, and research particular bikes you are interested in. Because your Uncle is one of the head cheese's at Ducati.ms, I would have thought he'd be well-versed on Ducatis. If he or you want bike-specific info, all the above bikes have had books written about them. Once you purchase a Duck, get the factory manual, the Haynes manual, and one of mine.

Good luck.

Luiggi: What makes you tink you can buy a Ducati? You ain't no Eye-Tie, and you ain't no con-a-sir of deez premium scooters. Go back to doze Jap crap POS, and quit pesterin my boss wit yur stoopid questions. Yo, did you see Rocky Balboa? Man, Rock was ripped in dat new movie. Too bad Adrian is dead doh. I like Pauly myself. He's got an attitude, like me.

27 Dec - Back to the old grind. I spent 4 hours yesterday wrenching on Chris Turner's 748, setting up the F/I, installing the FIM chip and splitting the air runners to remove the restrictive foam filters. Tomorrow I'll install the tank and start working on lubing the steering head bearings and swingarm bearings. Yesterday afternoon I ran errands, stopping at 10 different spots -- Auto zone for some connectors, USA performance for 100 ft of electrical conduit, circuit city for a wall mount for the workshop tv, sears to return the titanium craftsman set of tools that Suzi got me for xmas (shoddy workmanship on a poorly thought out set of wrenches and sockets), and about 5 other stops. Whew!

Well, the first batch of voltmeter kits is almost out of stock. I made 20 kits and sold 15 already. I guess I'll have to order more stuff, and add it as a permanent item in the inventory. That's a good thing. I think the pricing is fair. I make about $12 on the $49.50 kit.

Today I'll be wrenching some more, and getting the anchor beams for the new bridge. Tomorrow, I hope to start digging the footers for the bridge.

I've been able to maintain a 95%+ stock rate on everything I sell through 2006. It's a major drag trying to push dealers to send me stuff in a timely fashion, but most have been very reliable.

25 Dec - Today's DD is about giving.

LT Gave:

• One really nice watch to Suzi
• An Ipod NEO to Suzi
• Izod shirts, socks to the inlaws
• Another year of support checks for Mom
• A slew of Christmas cards

LT Got:

• A Ducati Corse sweatshirt, sweater and long-sleeve shirt
• A Complete Monty Python History book
• Boxed set of Briscoe County westerns
• Music retrospective - The FIXX
• Other essential Westerns on DVD
• A set of blue Titanium Craftsman tools - for the mechanic who has everything
• Ducati Classics calendar
• A 26" flat screen TV for the workshop. I think she's trying to tell me something.

I've created a template on the message board for you to put what you gave and got for Christmas.

Assessment:

Okay, so I've got it easy. I may have come from an austere beginning, but I'm very comfortable now. After traveling the world, I know how good we Americans have it. If you can meet your survival requirements and have your health, you have it better than about 30% of the world's population.

Christmas has become more hollow to me. Our society has turned it into a material possession frenzy. The solution - focus on acts rather than $$$. Today I'll spend hours reconnecting with old friends, calling relatives and spreading good cheer. In upcoming Christmas' I've got to spend more time with those in need -- Soup Kitchens, Habitat for Humanity, etc. Christmas is about what you give, not what you get. While I'm not an overly religious person, I do believe that we're assessed by the deeds we do and not the Ducatis we have (a shame really). Touch someone's life and you'll experience joy tenfold compared to that Carbon Fiber front fender. Buy somebody a Carbon Fiber front fender and get to experience both. ;) Earlier this month, Primetime did an expose on who gives the most. The conventional wisdom is that the rich give the most. While there are some rich philanthropists, the study found that the poor give the most - measured in terms of a focus on giving, sharing, and making philanthropy a part of their lives. I found the show an eye-opener. So, is somebody giving a lot of $$ as a tax writeoff less philanthropic than somebody who spends time with a charity? Giving from the heart rather than the wallet is what I define as philanthropy. It doesn't have to be a certain percentage of your income or your time. Whatever you give, you get more back in "good feelings".

We wish you all a very Merry Christmas. From the entire staff at DT, our gratitude goes out to you for supporting our little slice of heaven.

24 Dec - Some new products are up on the webpage - Dzus fasteners (male/female), 749/999 clear front turn signals, the NEW DT T-SHIRT!!!! - Man, they look awesome.. and the infamous DT Decals. You can get to them from the main page or the individual product pages.

A merry Christmas Eve to everyone. I'm celebrating the day by starting off with a morning ride, followed by a relaxing afternoon and an evening with Suzi's family. My brother came and left already. I don't think I've ever seen him more than a few days at a time since I was a kid. He's a firm believer that relatives are like fish -- they both start to stink after 24 hours. It's a shame because even though we love each other, we grew up 15 years apart. I haven't spent a Christmas with a member of my family in about 20 years. I guess I'm a loner.

John Dean stopped by yesterday to give me a Christmas card and several bottles of red wine. Now that's my kind of customer. Actually, John is as much a friend as a customer. I like turning customers into friends. Ducatis are such a niche motorcycle that we need others like us to commiserate with.

I redid a bunch of stuff on the website last night. I redid the menu bar, creating a new item - Electrical and Lighting. I also rolled out the new t-shirt, 749/999 turn signals and dzus fasteners. Also, the billlet single sided swingarm tools and silver sprocket covers are back in stock after a lengthy stockout. With regards to new items, I've been trying to focus on maintenance items and other products that don't burn the pocketbook. Owning a Ducati is supposed to be a sign that an owner is successful. They are, after all, premium-priced motorcycles. That doesn't mean that most owners have a ton of cash sitting around. Again, I stock those things that I like. If you guys don't purchase them, I'm stuck with them, so I might as well get things I like.

I got Suzi to model the new t-shirts for the webpage pictures, but, of course, she fought me about it. I couldn't include any shots of her head or her butt. What is it about women and their looks? I think she's cute as a button, and that she looks great both in a DT tee and without one. :-) She'll be trading the tshirt for her Christmas present tonight. We exchange gifts Christmas Eve because she can't wait until Christmas. She's like a little kid when it comes to the holidays. I find it refreshing.

We headed out last night and saw Rocky Balboa. I've been a Rocky fan since the 70s. I grew up outside of Philly, can relate to the area, and appreciate the blue-collar mentality. I thought the movie was good. It won't win any Oscars, but Stallone went back to the formula. He's finally comfortable accepting his role as an aging actor who plays a punchy fighter. If you get the first movie and the new movie, you'd have a good combo to watch when you want some inspiration. The biggest thing I took from the movie was Stallone's fitness. Oh my God... the man is ripped. He's 50 years old and has a better body than most men in their 20s. Wow. I'm worthless and weak... but I'll bet I could kick his ass on a Ducati. :-)

I hope you all enjoy your day. Guido and Luiggi are ecstatic about the impending feeding frenzy at the inlaws over the holidays. They're also hinting that they want a raise come New Year. Man, I get tired of the "what have you done for me lately" mentality of employees. I did get them each thoughtful presents. Each one gets a $30 gift certificate at a local salon to get their backs waxed, a new DT Tee, and a Rocky doll with a pull-string. When you pull the string is says "Yo, Adrian, I love you", "That's a spicy Meatball", and "Desmo Times Rocks". :-). I'm sure these gifts will endear them to me.

Only 6 more days until the shin-dig on the 30th. I'm setting up the grub for the event. I know that folks riding over will want to get home before dark falls at 5:00PM, but crashing at the house is always an option. Man, I need more room to house folks. Perhaps cots in the showroom. It wouldn't be first time that friends have slept around Ducatis.

New Kudos Section to recognize friends of DT:

Ken Swift - Hope you like the full Ti Arrow system. Thanks for the post on the Monster List.

John Dean - Thanks for the visit. Enjoy the new DT Tee

Grover Dill - Enjoy the new Red Ano clutch setup for your ST4S

Terry CIancio - A repeat customer so often I have him on Speed Pay

The Youngbloods - Repeat customers so often that I'm thinking of changing my name to Youngblood

23 Dec - There's no place like home. I'm back in Pensacola and DT is back under my thumb. Suzi did a great job at running the business in my stead. I'm very proud of her. My brother and his wife arrived last night, so I stayed up late (for me) talking to them. Today they'll be heading out for Beaumont TX to see their relatives. Meanwhile, I'll be getting in the Christmas spirit by unpacking inventory and getting a nice workout in. Suzi will be watching me like a Hawk to see if I go back into productivity mode right away. I'll try to spare her until after Christmas. I'm itching to get back in the workshop.

The 1098 listserv has more people in Europe taking delivery of their bikes. Here's a Yootube video of one on the dyno. Not too shabby.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzDHXJeS95c

For the rest of you that don't take the plunge with the 1098, enjoy what you own. Chasing the latest-greatest anything is a feat best left to the independently wealthy, or to those who can write off any motorcycle purchase. :-). The 1098 will be the first Ducati that I've ever purchased new. It hurts my cheapskate mentality to purchase new, but there are business reasons for my decision.

The new DD blog site is up and running. I'm still playing with the code, but I'll launch it 1 Jan. The new format will give you a chance to tell me I'm full of shit without having to go to the message board. Whoopie.

I'm sure you guys are busy finalizing your Christmas purchases. I'm going to create a thread on the message board titled "what I got for Christmas" and "what I gave for Christmas". I must be getting old, because I'm more interested in the "what I gave" thread. :-) See you tomorrow.

22 Dec - The Southeast US is socked in with a rain front. Nasty stuff. The Avalanche can plow through just about anything. It's the other idiots on the road that raise my blood pressure.

The final times from the Losail test confirmed that Bayliss is indeed a God. With "obsolete" technology, he finished up almost a full second ahead of the competition. Those results are going to make the "need" for a 1200cc superbike a tough sell to the FIM. We'll see. I know, I know... the 999 is tuned to a razor's edge to get that kind of performance, but damn, Ducati Corse still manages to impress with older technology.

I'm hoping to have a Ducati Christmas. I don't give Suzi much help when it comes to Christmas. I'm getting to the age where I don't really need anything, except for a dose of hubris. Anything Ducati-related I usually purchase myself, and I'm rather singular in my hobbies. After spending 2 weeks running DT, Suzi sent me a link to the present she wanted for Christmas. So, any profit I made for the last few months will end up around her wrist... and it doesn't even have a Ducati logo on it. She related the importance of jewelry for women. She asked me how many motorcycles were enough. When I said I didn't know, she informed me that women feel the same way about jewelry. Now that's an example I can understand. :-)

This weekend I hope to unpack all the supplies sitting in boxes in the office and restock the inventory. My brother is driving up from Tampa today, so I'm excited to see him and his wife. They haven't been at the place for about 5 years.

If the weather is nice, I may do a Blackwater run this weekend. Here that Grover? Not a Blackwater Blast, but a Blackwater run. We'll see how Brad is feeling and if Suzi is accomodating to let me go for 4 hours. After seeing the Rockies get blasted with 2 feet of snow, I almost feel guilty about being able to go for a ride.. Almost. :-)

21 Dec - DNA announced yesterday that it will support a 749R in AMA Formula Extreme next year. Larry Pegram will run the bike out of his shop. It's nice to know that Ducati will at least have some presence in AMA.

Pictures of the the first 1098 models hitting owners garages are popping up on the net. I'm hoping the model will be a success and that it will return Ducati to some semblance of solvency. First year owners will be trumped by the 1200 the following year, but I'm guessing that the 1200 will only be on the R model. The base and S models for 2008 will probably stay the same. I'm also excited by a 850 baby superbike in 2008. It will be interesting to see how Ducati prices it. A 850R track bike would be the ticket. I'm hoping that Ducati's unbundling of the immobilizer from the ECU will make the 1098 less of a pain in the ass to deal with electronically. No more ECU/instrumentation/ignition replacement if you lose your red key.

I'm looking forward to heading home tomorrow. Things are slow at Bragg. Everyone has either already left or is leaving Post to spend the holiday with loved ones.

I've started to teach myself blog lingo so that I can front end load a blog script into my website. That will allow posts to my daily blogs. I hate the learning curve of new software, so we'll see. I know html and how to set up a web page. CGI scripting and pathing to set up a blog are challenging me. My goal is to have an interactive blog ready to implement on 1 Jan 2007. I'm using a package called WordPress, a fairly common blog software program.

20 Dec - Good news on the product front. All the axle plates are at the house, so they'll ship next week. Also, my t-shirts are ready for pickup. Suzi didn't want to pick them up until I see them. I tend to be picky about how things look. Isn't that a surprise?

I received word that my next batch of clutch hubs is ready and will ship to me today. That means that they'll be here shortly after the new year. This is great news, as I usually have to wait for months to get them in.

Last night I cracked open the latest Haynes manual that was released this year. It now covers 2-valve Ducati's through 2005. I was very disappointed with the coverage. It looks like the only thing they did was change the title of the book. It doesn't cover the DS1000 motor, has scant F/I discussion and I don't find it much different than the previous edition. It still has a lot of valuable information though. My books are designed to complement, rather than reiterate, what the Haynes manuals cover. I was just expecting a lot of expanded coverage. I love it when the competition stumbles. :-)

I've had several people offer to help me with the operation of DT. I am flattered and humbled to be offered assistance. I will be getting some assistance in 2007 after I build my new shed/building next to the workshop. Once I have the inventory looking pretty and have everything all set up, I'm going to hand over the shipping duties. That will free up a lot of time. I have other plans for DT that will occupy a lot of my time next year. I don't talk much about my business model because I don't like to share what little competitive advantage I have. About the only person I share my short term plans with are Suzi. My goal is to keep DT alive and well for the foreseeable future. I have targets for growth and product count and test these goals against the values I hold for the company. If I start to lose touch with customers, the growth stops. I don't want to be a Motowheels, and I will continue to insist that every product I sell is tested on my own bikes first. That doesn't imply that I'm perfect, but I have very few product returns due to defects.

Speaking of products, I decided to drop Speedymoto clutch covers this week. Speedymoto has been unable to fill my clutch cover orders in a timely fashion, causing several customers to wait. I can't have that. If a supplier doesn't stock what they sell, they soon become ex-suppliers of those items. I've already put back up my link for selling Paulimoto clutch covers. His covers may not look as cool as Speedymoto's, but he fills my orders promptly. If I were to place a bulk order for Speedymoto clutch covers -- one each of all 6 designs in three different colors, I'd have over $2000 worth of clutch covers... That's way too much $$$ to tie up in a product that sells that slowly. Sorry.

I've been lurking on the Ducati 1098 list since it was created last month. The site scoops dealerships on info, and is a great source of info on the new superbike. It looks like the S models may hit our shores by February. They are hitting dealers in Europe this week. That's a fast turnaround time. The factory in Bologna must be wide open. There will be a shortage of Termi systems for the first year. The aftermarket will soon fill that gap.

I get a kick out of people comparing and arguing horsepower numbers on the 1098. Man, if Ducati owners would purchase an older model and use the extra $$$ to take some track lessons, they'd be able to better use the horsepower they have. Horsepower can mask some riding deficiencies, but if you can't brake or corner, you're a back-marker regardless of the bike you're riding. I remember a track day I participated in a few years ago. A clown on a new Yamaha R1 shadowed me and my 748 all day. He'd roar up on my tail at the end of every straight, only to fall behind through the corners. I was down 40 ponies to his R1, but he never got around me. :-) Reviews of the 1098 are indicating that the bike turns in much better than the 999 did. You've got to be kidding. All these reviews compare stock bikes. On every Ducati I've had, the first thing I do is raise the tail and drop the front. It only takes a few mm on each end to quicken the steering. My 999 rails and is a more stable platform than the 916. If the 1098 is truly better, it will be eye-opening. I'm contracting with a motorcycle magazine to write an article comparing the 4 generations of Ducati superbikes. I'll write that story next summer.

Over Christmas I have a lot of work to do on products, the website, and my "spare stuff" page. Stay tuned.

19 Dec - I'm back from the field. I feel like I've been in a time warp. Whenever I go in the field, I lose all sense of time and passing of days. Instead, I focus on the day of the exercise. I just got back to the place I'm staying, unloaded all the dirty stuff in the truck, did a load of laundry, uploaded all my grades for my students at UWF, answered the questions on the message board, answered some other emails, and now am writing the first DD in a week.

Suzi has spent a bunch of time this past week shipping stuff out. After a long day at the office, the last thing she wants to do is pack my stuff. Still, she got stuff out in a timely fashion. A few people sent emails asking where their stuff was. Either they don't read the DD or didn't read the splash screen on the website indicating that Suzi was doing the best she could.

On the product front I stocked out of billet clutch hubs. I ordered a fresh batch 3 weeks ago, but it seems to take my supplier 3 months to fill an order. I had to refund the $$ of one person who ordered one. I usually sell a billet hub each month. I sold 3 in the last week, thus causing a stockout. Go figure.

I now stock Gold Evo slave cylinders. I haven't had much call for the color gold, but several people have special ordered them in the past year, so I ordered a few for inventory.

A fresh batch of single sided swingarm tools are inbound as well as black sprocket covers. I've been out of those for months.

There's a box sitting at the house with billet axle plates in it. Yippee..... I should be on target to ship them out next week to those that preordered. The ST4S plates continue to ship and are in stock.

I've got another 3 days of duty to perform here at Ft. Bragg, but I'm on the home stretch. I can't wait to get home and relax.... well, relax as much as I can. My brother is driving through Pensacola on Friday and is staying with us Friday night. I only get a chance to see him once a year. He's 15 years older than me, so we didn't exactly hang out growing up. He's a great guy though. Unfortunately, he doesn't ride. He hasn't been at my place since I went bonkers on the Ducati thing. I think he'll be a bit shocked. :-)

I want to thank those of you that answered the few questions that popped up on the message board last week. It's nice to see others chime in. I get tired of reading my replies.

I'm trying to round up the Jan Issue of Bike magazine. It has an awesome spread on the 1098. Books-a-million has it, but the Jan issue hasn't hit yet. I'm going to check here this week for availability. A friend in Pensacola checked for me and got excited when they saw the magazine, not checking on what month it is. Hey Grover, enjoy those copies of the Dec issue . :-)

Rumors are that the 1098s is coming to the US with a black bodywork option. Tempting, tempting......

I haven't ridden in a full 2 weeks and am getting itchy. The weather up here all week has been gorgeous, with highs around 70 every day. I hope I have good weather over the week between Christmas and New Years. I have lots to do around the house and at DT.

One final tidbit.... Suzi is picking up the new DT design t-shirts tomorrow. :-) I'll pop them up and the DT stickers after Christmas. I hope that some of you in the area can attend the Stagecoach run and DT open house on 30 December. Details are on the main webpage splash screen.

13 Dec - Greetings from Camp McCall North Carolina - The Home of Army SF training. I've been out in our FOB (forward operating base) training students for the last 3 days. I got to come in from the field tonight to grab a shower. I teach at the Special Warfare Center tomorrow morning and then head back out into the field again. Tonight I began grading term papers and finalizing student grades. I'll finish grading the papers at night after the day's training activities. I'll have to drive in this weekend for a few hours to submit my grades electronically. I've been sleeping in the back of my Chevy every night. By folding down the rear seats and midgate I have a 10 foot compartment all to myself. It has been damn cold at night, even with my Slumberjack sleeping bag. We've been seeing 40 degree temperature swings between overnight lows and daytime highs. I usually get bedded down around 2100 hours, and don't have to get up until 0530, so there's plenty of time to do other stuff. I'll be out in the field for another 4 nights, so no more DD until I get back. I get my email, but that's about it. It's a struggle to get out a phone call. When I do call, it has to be during the day. At night, I get no cell signal. Camp McCall is in the middle of nowhere.

I've got a good group of students. They're all O3 through 06, split between rebadged Navy types and Army reservists. Everything from former fighter pilots to Police Officers. The key thing is intelligence, flexibility, physical conditioning and attitude. They seem to have it. We'll find out over the next few days. They just finished the most grueling part of the training exercise - an 18 hour walk with full pack, running missions between far-flung points, culminating in an exercise to break them down mentally. Total distance between all the points = 30 Kms. By the time they got in, there were blister's aplenty on their feet.

Suzi has been flooded with orders. This happens whenever I take off for duty. She's frazzled with trying to run the business while I'm gone, and is trying her best to get everything out on time. God Bless Her.

It took me over an hour today between breaks in the action to get in a few orders for suppliers. It sometimes took me 4 tries to get a call in long enough to talk to a person. Then the signal would die and I've to retry again. Frustrating... Guido and Luiggi could give a shit. They stay up all night laughing it up with the NCOs and telling dirty jokes. That's just as well. I don't want them in the truck with me anyway.. They snore.

Suzi told me that the stuff I need to build the Voltmeter kits arrived today. Add that to the task list. I have to call Jeremy this weekend to get the status of the ST and 888 axle plates. I hope to have them when I get home on the 22nd.

I read online tonight that the Spanish federation granted 1200cc bikes for their superbike races. That decision will probably spread to FIM. My only concern is that it will make the Ducatis too fast and we'll have a similar situation as we did a few years ago where the Japanese manufacturers pulled out because they couldn't win. I still think it's fair to have a CC advantage for twins. If you understand motors, you know for the same displacement, an inline 4 revs higher and puts out more horses than a twin. I think a 200cc advantage is fair. I think though that a 1200cc version of the 1098 will spank everyone. The handling of the bike is going to be phenomenal. Glory days are here again... Wait a minute, they never left. Troy did win this year, didn't he? Will AMA grant 1200cc twins? Who cares? I hate AMA.

8 more days and I get to come home!

10 Dec - I had a leisurely drive up to Fayetteville. It was a straight shot all the way up. I love my Chevy Avalanche, but without my sat radio, GPS and other gizmos, I'd go crazy on these boring drives.

I got an email from Grover Dill last night that his wife was high bidder on a Ninja 250 on eBay. The bike was in Myrtle Beach SC. He got up early and hit the road in his truck to pick it up. He ended up being 2 hours behind me coming up I-95. Chalk up another spouse who will begin riding to share in the hobby with her hubby.

I'm sitting here watching football as I write this. Man, I think I could gain a hundred yards rushing against the Indy Colts. Their defense is a seive.

I stopped off at Walmart to buy the guy I stay with a Christmas present. I got him a wireless router as a present. The fact that he doesn't have any wireless devices didn't dissuade me from purchasing it. Now I have wireless access in his living room for my notebook computer. Now that's a Christmas present that keeps on giving. :-)

Murphy's Law was after me today. First, Suzi called to say that the DT computer wouldn't start. After I solved that little problem over the phone I had to address an email from a customer that received a book that had screwed up binding. I check a lot of products, but paging through every manual copy isn't a check I normally perform. I'm having Suzi spot check a few. The printing company is going to pay me for the reprint, plus the extra mailing costs to me and the purchaser. I'm expecting periodic attacks from Murphy over the next few weeks. Murphy loves to attack when I'm defenseless. It doesn't matter what one does, Murphy will always hit where you'd least expect it. The best I can do is react quickly and flexibly to ward off order fulfillment problems.

I've got 25 LCD voltmeters on their way to the house. I'll be building the kits over the Christmas break. Maybe I can enlist Suzi to help me build the kits.

I chatted with Suzi for awhile today - me sitting here looking at my shopping cart while she looks at the same at the DT headquarters. I go over each order with her, giving her packing tips and general troubleshooting. I don't know what I'd do without her.

I chatted with one of my suppliers at length yesterday. Jeremy owns his own machine shop, and is making the axle plates for me. The ST2/3/4 plates are done and he's finishing up the 851/888 plates. They should be there when I return home. :-)

I have tonight to unpack my Army stuff and do some writing for MCN. Tomorrow I go into military mode.

NOTE TO GUIDO - Check on the order status of the quick disconnects. They were ordered 2 weeks ago. I'm down to 2 in the bin. Also, order more stuff from Paulimoto and Charlie.

9 Dec - God bless wireless internet and half-decent motels. The last day and one-half have been a blur. I spent 14 hours yesterday getting ready to leave -- packing orders, unpacking new inventory, packing my Army gear, cleaning up around the house. etc. By the time Suzi got home from work I was trashed. Last night I bonked out around 8 pm and slept until 0400 this morning. Then it was time to do a few last minute prep things, drive 450 miles to Orlando, deliver a lecture, and hit the road again to St. Augustine. I'm holed up in a motel on I-95. I have a light 450 mile drive tomorrow up to Fayetteville. I'm going to relax for the rest of the night, and grab a workout in the morning before I hit the road.

At the end of yesterday, I had an epiphany. If I was 10 years younger, my current pace of activity wouldn't be so bad. Unfortunately, while I'm in good shape, I'm old enough to sense that things are dysfunctional. In 2007, I need to make a decision about my future. As the saying goes, too much of a good thing isn't good at all. I love all my careers, but I don't have enough time to manage them all. Rather than bailing on any of them, I'm going to try to get some help. The problem is being able to trust someone to help me. I'm so used to having my fingers on the pulse of every aspect of the business that letting some of it go will be difficult. So, I need to let the more mundane things go -- packing boxes, stocking bins and ordering inventory. That leaves maintaining the web site, designing new products, wrenching on bikes and writing. That plus teaching, the Army stuff and writing for MCN. Hmm, I wonder how much longer I can juggle. I guess I'll have to follow the adage that what doesn't kill us makes us stronger. What a stupid adage. I much prefer "it isn't the man underneath that matters, but rather the deeds he does".

Guido and Luiggi send their regards. They were worthless as companions on the drive down here. Guido spent whole trip turning USPS shipping boxes into origama, and Luiggi busied himself with applying preservative to his racing leathers. I would have been better served by leaving them at the shop, but without constant supervision they're more trouble than they're worth.

Well, yesterday I made it official. DT doubled its sales from a year ago. While it's easy for a small company to double inconsequential sales, I labeled 2005 a modest success. 2006 has been even more so. What I'm proud of isn't the sales volume, or the number of units I sold. What I am most proud of is the number of repeat customers. The day I stop growing DT is the day I no longer feel an attachment to each customer. The loyalty many of you have shown is humbling, and I try to take the trust seriously. My company is for the little guy. The owner who worked hard to purchase a Ducati, who wants nothing other than to maintain it and who considers their ride to be one of the most beautiful of man's creations. I consider it an honor if DT has helped in any way towards enhancing your ownership. Ducati has no idea who DT is, and it could probably care less. But it should care about all of you out there, for without local Ducatisti the brand is lost.

8 Dec - I'm up early to fill orders again. For those of you that have waited for over 8 months for ST4S/ST3S/25mm axle with aluminum swingarm axle plates - they are FINALLY in. I got them in yesterday. They look good. I've only got 20 sets in stock. I'm also activating the order link for the ST2/3/4 and MTS 620 axle plates and the 851/888 old aluminum swingarm models with 17mm axles and aluminum swingarms. Those plates were being machined yesterday. I know some people wanted to get them ASAP.

Last night I also ordered the stuff to make the LCD voltmeter kits. That material should be here when I return from Army duty. Christmas break will be busy for me - finish Chris Turner's 748, a full service on Grover Dill's ST4S, and a few other projects.

Today I've got to run a bunch of errands and pack all my Army stuff for the trip. I'm outta here 0600 tomorrow. The DD may be on hiatus for a few days while I'm on the road to Orlando and then Fayetteville. That's okay, because I'm finding many people are starting to shut down for the holidays anyway.

For those of you craving info on the 1098, there's a new forum. You'll find it at http://www.1098-forum.com/. The site is dedicated to just the 1098. It has a lot of info on differences between models, article reviews, etc. SOmebody scanned an excellent review from the magazine Bike. It's the best article I've seen on the 1098 -- much more comprehensive than the US magazine reviews in terms of coverage -- not a surprise there. Only RRW can compete with some of the European mags when it comes to dissecting a bike.

I'm not looking forward to being away from home again, but I've got it good compared to many of my brothers in arms who are overseas and away from home for extended periods. At least I won't be baking at Ft Bragg... I'll be freezing. This is typical on any Army post. They are usually put in hell-holes where you either bake or freeze. The Air Force and Navy, on the other hand, seem to be in more hospitable locales - not all posts but a higher percentage than in the Army. The location of bases is befitting of how the service personnel are treated. We're treated like dogs in the Army and Marines compared to the Navy and Air Force. We wear it as sort of a badge of honor, which is designed to make us feel better about being stupid enough to join a branch service where we're treated like pieces of meat. I wouldn't want it any other way. :-)

7 Dec - A day that will live in infamy, well at least 55 years ago today it was. If you've ever been to the USS Arizona memorial, that day seems a lot more recent.

Ducati has touted a 50% reduction in servicing on the 2007 spec bikes. They've done this by increasing the recommended valve clearance checks from 6000 miles to 7500 miles and the belt change to every 3 years or 15000 miles. I don't see how that will reduce costs 50%, but it's a start. The good news is the belts. I've been changing my own belts at longer intervals anyway, but have stuck to Ducati's recommendation for customers. Ducati's belt replacement schedule has always been based on the old technology belts prior to kevlar reinforcement being added. The kevlar lining began showing up about 5 years ago, and all Ducatis since the 1998 have had the newer belts. When I next update my books, I'm bumping my recommended belt replacement to 15K or every 3 years. I'm also bumping up my valve inspections on bikes whose valves I've set to 7500 for all 851-998, ST3, S4, ST4 and ST4S, and 10K for all 2-valve bikes. Notice I said "on bikes whose valves I set". I'm not a trusting person of the valve lash set by other people. On my own bikes, I've always used that schedule anyway for valve inspections. As far as the belts go, I'd recommend resetting the tension annually or every 10000 miles, and replace them every three years or 15000 miles. On bikes that hit my shop, I'll stick to Ducati's recommended interval due to liability concerns. The fear is always that if you don't change belts often enough they will break, resulting in serious valvetrain damage. I have no data points of instances of kevlar lined belt failure in less than 15K or 3 years where proper tension has been set. I won't even touch belt tension. Ducati now has technicians using the harmonic tensioner on all Ducks, further confusing exactly what proper tension is --- a fact I've always poo-poohed as over-anxiety anyway. The search for the perfect belt tension is like the search for the perfect motorcycle --- it exists only in theory. Ducati knows that using the fear tactic, belts can be sold every few years to customers. After all, even over-priced belts are cheaper than valvetrain components. Just for grins, I've tested lengthened belt replacement on some of my bikes to no ill effects. Still, few people will go against Ducati's recommended replacement out of fear. Me - I run 15000-20000 miles on a set of belts and replace them every 4 years. I'll stick with Ducati's new spec in my book and in advice I give. Why? Because it isn't worth dealing with people saying "but Ducati uses different specs". I've got about as much patience for those debates as I do for one-percenters.

6 Dec - Up at 0400 again. At the advice of a DT fan, I've been quality checking the website product pages looking for discrepencies. With well over 100 products now, that chore takes time. I could use a webmaster... wait a minute, that's me.

It was a no-go on the BMW-fest last night. Suzi had an upset tummie, so we stayed home and built a nice fire instead. I love these cold winter nights. It sure beats sweating to death.

I've been commuting on the M900 all week. You should see the looks of the cars at traffic signals when I pull up with condensation smoke puffing out of the high pipes. Cool... Thank God for my electric vest. I had lunch with Brad yesterday. The Tucker Rocky order I placed 3 weeks ago is almost 1/2 full. It met my expectations, but I'm still not happy. I don't know how parts places can survive with that kind of fill rate. If I told my customers I'd ship them 1/2 of what they ordered, I think they'd have a problem. The biggest hole on the order list was the titanium stuff I ordered. Some of it came in, but not in the #s I wanted and not in the styles/colors I wanted. I sent out an email to the manufacturer yesterday to see if I can order direct. The only problem is that they're in the UK.

I'm down to 1 billet clutch hub, and while I've ordered 10 more, guess what.... they don't have any left. However "more are currently are in production, and we expect them in a few weeks". Man, if I had a dime for every time I heard that, I'd be gazillionaire.

I was able to get a hold of a dealer memo detailing the 1098 rollout with aftermarket parts plans. It's a shame that I have to get that info 2nd hand. It looks like a Feb arrival for the 1098s and a March arrival of the base model and Tri-colore. Most folks are itching. I'll wait patiently. First, I'm trekking 1500 miles in order to save a few thousand on the price, and second, where I'm trekking too is damn cold in the winter = snow = sliding on the highway with a 1098s in the back = no go. There are always shipping companies, but I don't trust the morons. My hope is to be there when they uncrate and prep. I've never purchased any of my Ducks new, plus I know the techs and the owner -- two good reasons why I'd like to be there for the unveiling. We'll see. I don't want the bike until the full-termis show up anyway. If I were very patient, I'd do what I normally do -- wait about 2 years for somebody to buy one, do all the tasty mods, and grab it from him when financial distress kicks in. Unfortunately, I have product ideas, meaning before the bike makes it to Pensacola, it will make several pitstops at friends/machinists to design a few products -- Pitbull to make rear stand pins for the larger rear axle bore, another place to make rear wheel nut tools for the larger 12 pt rear axle nut, fender eliminator bracket, etc.

I've got 3 more days to square away the business, the teaching career, and pack for my trip. I hate packing and hate even more driving. This is the third time this year I've hit the road in the truck heading out for 1500+ mile trips. Still, it's better than heading out in July on 7000+ mile cross-country motorcycle trips. :-)

A new product rolled in yesterday from my L-P dealer. STM designed some new shaped pressure plates. They are way cool looking, but I question their functionality due to the lack of surface area. Still, I ordered a few 20 months ago.. Guess what, they just came in this week. Now that's a lenghty backorder. Before I offer any for sale, I'm going to slap on one and try if for a few hunder miles to test clutch feel, aesthetics and wear on the pressure plate. The cost of this bling item is $180, and it doesn't even include the center bearing. Gotta love those Italians. The problem I see with the design is that with the plate mounted, the outer steel driven plate will be visible, and it isn't that nice to look at. So, perhaps polishing the outside face of that driven plate will make it look tasty enough. We'll see. As always, I'm not offering it for sale until I test it. A few other places have had these for awhile on their websites for sale. When I called to inquire as to their functionality I was told "Customers love them". When I asked more specifically whether they had ever installed one I was told "no, we've never installed one ourselves"... If you're that vendor, the click you suddenly heard was me hanging up on your sorry ass. Selling products that you have never installed and used works great if you want to push products, but if you want repeat business try using the stuff you sell.

Luiggi - "Like I always sez, if you cants touch it, fuck it!..."

LT - Luiggi, I have no idea what the hell that means.

Luiggi - "It means dat we Italians no lika da pushy vendas. We wanna know who we ah dealin' wit. If not, foogetaboutit"

LT - Thanks for that insightful comment Luiggi. Now you know why I don't let you answer the phone.

Product status - engine turning tools came in yesterday. Now the only product I'm out of stock of is Battery Tenders. I have to call them today to see the status of the order I placed last week. I want Suzi full up on product when I leave town.

Chris, your FBF slip-ons arrived yesterday, as did the air filter and FIM Chip. Now all I need is the linkage rod. I'll call my supplier before I leave to check status. The TI cans have the FBF logo on them and look great. I'd offer to take off the logos, but Luiggi says they look too choice and that he'd kick my ass if I tried to remove them.

Luiggi - "Youz guys have a great hump day. If I can make your DT experience mo fofillin' just let me know...."

5 Dec - I'm up at 0400 again today, but that's not so bad when you fall asleep 3 hours before midnight. There was a stack of boxes awaiting me when I got home from the office yesterday. Most of my back-ordered items are now in stock. The only thing I'm waiting for is the engine turning tools. They should be here today. Everyone else's old orders go out today. That will be a good feeling. I hate having orders sitting here awaiting parts.

Yesterday went well. After I sat through exams, I got to see some of my Intro to Business students present their Ducati 1098 Marketing plans. The presentations were entertaining. I'm less concerned that they know the technical breakdown on the 1098. Instead, I want them to know who Ducati markets towards, and have some innovative ideas for how the 1098 can best be promoted. Some of the ideas are very feasible, yet I know Ducati would never use them. Ducati counts on their clubs and their dealers for outreach to the Ducatisti. The roaming Bike shows around the US are effective if you live in that particular city, but not for any Ducati fan or would-be fan not living near those cities. Likewise with the clubs. They are too far flung, and there is little coordination between clubs. Dealers are hard-pressed to service their clients, let alone promote the brand. Some dealerships, like Ducati Seattle go above and beyond in this regard. Others, like my local dealer, think promotion is a four-letter word. Of course, the world would be better if I were in charge.

Today is more of the same.... a morning of oral exams, and more paperwork this afternoon. Tonight the local BMW car dealership is having a owners-get-together/holiday reception. Suzi and I are going. I'm not really the BMW type, even though I have one of their cars (which sits and sits), but Suzi loves their cars and the event promises free food.... and I'm all about free food. I'll probably wear my Ducati jacket and try to recruit a few into the fold.

4 Dec - We enjoyed a leisurely stroll through the Blackwater forest yesterday. It was probably the first time I can remember two Ducati superbikes on the same ride. Good stuff. The 999 is clearly overkill on the street. Heck, my 916 is overkill on the street. God knows what the 1098 will bring, but it will be well above the skillsets of 95% of the owners... me included. Yesterday afternoon I finished some chores, Ken Ford grabbed his ST4S, and I did some paperwork while watching football. Today I'm tied up for 5 hours administering exams to my students, a chore I'll perform for the next 4 days. I then have the afternoons to prep my final exams and pack for the next 2 weeks. I'll be staying in a tent for a few nights at Bragg, so the cold-weather gear has to be packed. Not much else to report. I still have some products sitting here that I haven't had time to get on the site -- dzus fasteners, 749/999 turn signals, and an impact driver. That will have to wait until one night later this week. I'll put the DT stickers up on the website this week, but not until I write up some rudimentary instructions. Without instructions, you'd never get the sticker on the bike. It's not a decal. Each letter is individually cut out, so what you see it what goes on the bike. Cool huh? The tough part is removing the backing paper without the letters sticking to it. Nightmate city.

The weather has turned cold for Pensacola. A high in the mid-60s by wed, and around freezing at night. I pulled out the old M900 for some commuting this week. I probably should have chosen a water-cooled bike for the heat, but the M900 hasn't been ridden in a few months, so it's time to ride it. It's only a 15 minute commute, so there's barely enough time to freeze.

3 Dec - I'm up and at 'em again. The shop will be down to 1 customer bike come this afternoon. That's a good thing. That means I won't be worried about customers waiting on me while I'm away. Of course, there is the one bike. I'm awaiting an exhaust and chip and throttle linkage for the 748. It seems like I'm always awaiting parts.

I'm sitting here in the office all bundled up. It went down to 35 degrees outside last night, and the house is chilly. I'd turn the heat on, but by saving on the power bill, I can afford more carbon fiber for the Ducks. Besides, you'd be amazed at how warm you get by wearing a wool cap around. My trusty Green Bay Packers wool cap is the bomb.

I'm heading out into the showroom in a little bit to fire up the 999s. I'm meeting the boys for a little bit of twisty action this AM. I almost hate to ride the darn thing. It's only happy when doing mach speed and I hate to deny the bike what it yearns for. I'm not exactly blistering fast, but it helps to know the turns of the roads you're riding. Alert - middle-age men on sportbikes in Blackwater forest.

Later today I have to look over the inventory to see what else needs to be ordered. Here's what I know I'm out of, and the status of each.

• Clutch removal tools - due here on th
• Battery Tenders - due here on tue
• MTS/ST4S Billet Reservoir Covers - due here on Tue
• ST2/3/4/MTS 620 Axle Plate Covers - at machinists (hi Jeremy)
• 851/888 Axle Plate Covers - at machinists
• ST4S Axle Plate Covers - still at machinists

The red oil fill plugs got here yesterday. Brian C, your stuff ships on Mon. John D, your 2nd box of stuff also ships on Mon (I had to make that longer wire for you). Suzi is all set to take the reigns of DT while I'm gone. Speaking of DT, I just commissioned the 2nd generation Desmo Times T-shirt to be made. I'm excited about the new look. The left chest tach logo is moving to the back, while my shop decal is moving to the left chest. Some people have asked about the decal. It is such a pain to install that I don't sell them. Each letter has to be meticulously peeled away. I only install them on customer bikes -- on monster and ST swingarms. The tshirts will be Gilden brand --- a nice tee --- and will be Ducati red. When will they get here? Well, I ordered them on Friday, so they'll probably be ready for pickup while I'm gone. I ordered 1 doz medium, 5 dozen large, 4 dozen xl and a dozen 2xl. Price will stay the same -- $16. It took me a full 3 years to sell most of the last run of tshirts, so I'm hesitant when ordering them. Evidently, what I think is cool looking appeals to a select few. I think Brian Vogel's creation is gorgeous. His designs adorn AMA and MotoGP riders, so if its good enough for them, I think its good enough for DT. I'll have Suzi model the thirt when I get back and will pop it up on the website over the holidays. I'm sorry it won't be available in time for a Christmas present. No preorders folks. There will be more than enough to satisfy demand. I cleared out some of my old tshirts yesterday from the closet so I can wear a few myself.

Above -The old DT sticker logo. It will now adorn the left chest of the new t-shirt

Above - The old DT left chest logo will move to the back of the tshirt. Picture that on a red tshirt, and you can see an image that pops out at you. I gave Brian a spare superbike tach for him to create the logo. The 2 valves in the logo signify the importance of valves in the Ducati motor architecture. Brian then embellished with a glossy look, a carbon outer dial on the tach (he insisted on that after seeing all the carbon on my bikes), and arrows on the "Desmo" and "Times" to signify the fact that the owner doesn't know whether he's coming or going.

2 Dec - I got a fair bit done yesterday. I finished Ken Ford's bike... again. I then tried to tune the lonesome 748. Unfortunately, as soon as I started fiddling with the throttle bodies, the adjusting ring snapped off. It almost looks like it was corroded, although plastic doesn't corrode per se. Weird. I never had the throttle body synch screw shear off like that. And, of course, you can't just order the plastic adjuster. You have to order the whole rod with the adjuster. $150+. Damn Ducati. So, the 748 is dead in the water until I get that. I then tore into Brad's ST2. I replaced the dog-leg sidestand, installed the fairing brackets, high output fan, billet coffin reservoir covers, some Dzus fasteners, a battery box and battery conversion, and a comfort fairing install. Whew. The bike looks great, but it took me the better part of 5 hours to do the mods. I was going to install a fan switch, but I didn't want to punch any holes in the new comfort fairing. Maybe next time.

I awoke at 0330 again. I cleaned the workshop and did a few final things on Brad's ST. It's ready to hit the road. The rest of today is a frenzy of chores - finish cleaning the outside of the house (stains from our sprinkler system this summer), hook up the trailer, and pack the trailer with my track gear. Then suck up all the leaves in the yard, make a run to get the anchor 4x6s for the bridge, get Brad to come get his bike, and collapse in a chair.

Other than routine orders, no special stuff for the next few weeks due to impending military duty. I'm taking Guido and Luiggi with me, of course. Even a split personality has to stick together once in awhile.

Well, I was waiting for it, and I got my first person who was offended by my "racial comments" about Italians. Dude, you need to get a sense of humor. If you don't have the same sense of humor as me, its simple --- leave. This is a blog. It isn't a paid forum, and you don't get to temper my sense of fun. Just go away, but don't tell me you're going away. I deleted your comment from the message board and deleted your userid. Oh, I forgot to tell you, Italians are spiteful bastards too. Guido and Luiggi stay. Not only that, but I wouldn't be surprised if I split into a few more personalities. Remember, I'm 1/2 Italian and 1/2 German. Wie Gehts!

Above - Chris Turner's throttle body linkage rod adjuster. Damn cheap plastic collar... you can't order just the plastic collar either. $150+ for the rod + collar.

Chris Turner's half-rings, or what's left of them. On the left, the pieces of various half-rings. This is what happens when closer clearances are too large --- say .008" or greater. On the right, a fully-functional half ring.

1 Dec - Guido and Luiggi both woke me up early again, this time at 0400. This is getting old. I'm sitting here in my underwear trying to shake the cobwebs out of my noggin'. Not a pretty sight. Guido is upset with me over my comments yesterday -- the silly Dego is like a girl with testestosterone --- sensitive, but offensive at the same time*. Luiggi, on the other hand, is much more subtle. He doesn't talk much, preferring to pack boxes and watch reruns of Oprah. I caught him yesterday flicking a booger into one of the boxes. I told him that if he was running out of packing material to tell me. Customers would rather have styrofoam peanuts or newspaper than boogers. Of course, I could be wrong. Today, I promised I'd take Guido out to shop for Christmas presents. I told him that if he can keep from flipping off any passers by and refrain from being paranoid about people looking at him, I'd let him answer a few phone calls next week... but I already know what's going to happen. The first person to pull out in front of my truck will result in him giving the offender the bird, after which time he'll yell "you fookin' moron, wise doncha watch where yuuz goin'". And as soon as he catches somebody looking at him he'll utter "what you lookin' at Frankenstein? Why doncha take a fukin' piccha?".

The first few track reports are coming in from Kyalami on the 1098. I wouldn't pay too much attention to the reports. As a motojournalist, I can separate fact from flowery writing. The problem with ride reports is that nobody rides the bike like a street rider would. Testing it on a racetrack is great, but that's probably not how you'd ride it every day. Look for comments about engine heat, ease of starting, gearing, etc.... You probably won't find any. That info won't be available for months, if at all. Still, the energetic journalists seem enthused. I'll save the lofty praise for when I get to ride one.

Today I'm heading out into the garage for a day of wrenching, and I'm not taking my phone out into the workshop. A day of peace and quiet with me and 3 Ducks - a 748, ST4S and an ST2. We'll see how far I get.

I've got a few more products to roll out -- more fasteners. I've got zdus fasteners now, for those of you with 748-998 bikes that are tired of your dingy fasteners, or for those of you with the downgraded 748 model without dzus fasteners. The parts from Tucker Rocky continue to dribble in. Speaking of dribble, I think it's time for a tinkle......

* For those of you late to the show, Luiggi Linguine and Guido Gaducci are my imaginary alter egos. They represent different parts of my consciousness. I'm half Italian, so if I want to poke fun at my own ethnicity, that's okay. I'm proud of my Nazi/Dego heritage. If you find it offensive, fuck off... It's my blog, and I'm not out to be politically correct. I've got enough careers where I have to do that.

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