31 Oct - Happy Halloween. Whatever... Unless any trick-r-treaters knows how to troubleshoot Ducatis, I'm not interested. I'm handing out used spark plugs, worn wellnuts, fried voltage regulators and starter solenoids, and old tires to the trick-r-treaters tonight. They don't know what to think of the treats, but it gives me a hoot, and that's all that matters.

Today I made a run to the post office to mail out stuff, drove over to Brad's to get 3 sets of tires put on, put the wheels back on Ken Ford's ST4S and came into school to teach tonight. I'm behind in getting my presentation together for Friday. No surprise there. I can't work unless it's crunch time if it's something I'm luke warm about. Now if I had a deadline to put the carbon/mag rims on my 999, I'd have them on way early. Alas, I don't have time to do that.... well, maybe this weekend :-)

No orders for a few days now. Folks must be busy with their halloween costumes or getting an early start on Christmas shopping, because the DT shopping cart is empty :-(

After this weekend, I'll be down to 2 customer bikes in the shop. I hope to have a bare shop by the first week of Dec so that I can do my own work. Gee, I've said that before.

The mid-term elections are around the corner. While I'm a republican, I don't have time for rabid political types. If you're a flaming conservative or liberal, I'd just as soon bury you up to your neck in an ant mound. The same holds for the knee-jerk Ducati types that either hate Terblanche or consider themself purists. It's a freakin' motorcycle, not the Mona Lisa. Ride the goddam thing and quit preaching. But I digress. I hope you all get out and vote. Failing to vote is a disservice to your country. Of course, not knowing the issues and voting isn't cool either. I think voting should be a privilege, like it was in Starshop Troopers. In that movie, you weren't a citizen unless you served in the military. Of course, I've met a few folks in uniform that weren't any better than their oxygen-stealing civilian counterparts, so that model doesn't work either. I'm up for a benign Dictatorship. Somebody who would build motorcycle-only lanes on every thoroughfare, and who would reward people for owning and riding motorcycles. I'm off to teach... it's been a weird day.

29 Oct - Today I'm juggling careers teaching at the university, preparing my lecture at the Special Warfare Center for Friday, and ordering parts for DT. More supplier problems and more delays in getting stuff. The same old crap. The only bright spot today is the ride to and from work on the 888. Tonight I'll watch some football while I again work on my lecture. Tomorrow I'll be doing DT stuff, including changing some tires and finishing Ken Ford's ST4S. Everything else is good. Another beautiful day in the Panhandle of Florida. :-)

28 Oct - Today was a mixed bag. First, the good news. Congrats to Nicky Hayden on a well-deserved MotoGP win. Congrats also to Valentino Rossi for his sportsmanship. He's a class act. Congrats also to the Ducati boys. First to Bayliss for winning the only MotoGP event he has entered in 2 years, and second to Loris for making sure Ducati dominated the podium procession. What a great day for racing, or for fixing Ducatis......

Now the bad news. My day started great. It was perfect weather for riding, so I rolled out the 888 and headed to meet Brad and Mark for some twisty action. 15 miles into the trip the 888 issued a loud backfire and died. I coasted to the side of the highway and did a 15 second diagnosis as the starter solenoid taking a shit. Brad is used to the affair, having hauled Suzi's M750 several years ago from the same locale. Brad headed home, grabbed his trailer, and picked up the 888. I was home by 11, about the same time I would have gotten home from the ride. I was sorry to spoil the ride for the guys. As I said, it was a perfect day for riding. Suzi had to do some shopping, so I took the fairing off the 888 to start troubleshooting. I checked the voltage at the battery and my shoulders sank --- 11.5 volts on a new, freshly topped off battery. At 11.5 volts the ECU shuts off. What causes a battery to lose charge? The dreaded voltage regulator. Two hours later, a fresh voltage regulator is connected with marine-grade connectors and tucked in behind the steering head. What a pain in the ass. I'm hooking up a tiny voltmeter to keep an eye on things in the future. The idiot light on the dash never gave me a warning of a low charge. I still have to troubleshoot that issue.

The VR that was on the bike looked to be the stocker, so 14 years is more than can be asked for the part. The resistance at the stator was good, so I know that didn't cause the malfunction. I did find a corroded ground behind the VR. A previous owner had merely tucked the main ground between the VR and the heat sink plate. What an awful place to put it. It had corroded into the heat sink and the connector was trashed. I routed a new ground to a location where it has a good ground to the frame.

That's it for me today. The 888 is road-worthy once again. Time to relax and watch some football.

28 Oct - I decided to just put the 888 back together and take it for a shakedown run this Sunday. The forks on the 916 need attention first, so I'll start with that bike. This weekend I hope to finish Ken Ford's bike and get it off lift #1. Chris Turner's 748 goes up next week. I won't get much bike work done next week. I have to fly back to Bragg to give a lecture on International Economics... a lecture that I haven't started to prepare yet. It's all in my head. I just need to create the powerpoint slides and organize my thoughts.

I posted on the message board the status of the axle plates (ST4S/Late model Monster with Aluminum Swingarm). I got them in yesterday, and they get mailed right back tomorrow. The fabricator didn't do the relief cutouts on the backside of the plates. That's a no-no. So much for his keen eye.

I'm looking forward to the season finale of MotoGP this weekend. I'm hoping for Nicky to win. If Nicky doesn't win, I'm at least hoping for Pedrosa to crash... I know, that's not very nice to say, but who cares. I'm an ugly American. So what was Ducati smoking when they decided to resign Mini-me (Lanzi). Lanzi may be tight with the factory, but he's not the person to ride a bike in need of a smoking fast rider. The 999 is maxed out in WSB, and only somebody like Bayliss or Hodgson can ride the pants off of it. Lanzi is like Ben B. --- when his mojo is on he's shit hot. Otherwise, he's like a popcorn fart.... you know a fart you get all excited about until it just pops out and disappoints both in terms of amplitude and staying power. I'm devastated that the Ducati Corse factory team didn't call and ask me for my input prior to resigning Lanzi. Oh well.

27 Oct - I'm fresh off the treadmill after another ladder session of sprints. My heartbeat and pace tell me I need to shed a few pounds. One of the curses of age, I suppose. I should be able to hold 170 pounds on my frame, but I can't run with it. The only advantage of a few extra pounds is that body armor is easier to wear around if you have some bulk to wear off. I've sweated off 10 pounds in a day wearing armor in Iraq. Maybe I should start an infomercial --- The LT diet plan. It only takes 12-16 months, you get to travel to far away places, and you get to interact with wonderful people, some of whom who want to kill you. But I digress...

Just a clarification for those of you wanting to schedule a service. I'm not accepting any NEW clients until further notice. Existing clients are always welcome.

Today I have to spend 4 hours at the university. We're interviewing a person with the same specialization as me. I've been the youngest person on faculty for the last 15 years. That fact implies we're getting up in years as a group. The new guy would be able to plug a hole in case I go away again for the Army.

This afternoon I hope to do some more work in the shop. The weather is a washout in the Southeast today so it's an inside day anyway.

26 Oct - Last night I met with the Pensacola Ducati club. I usually end up hauling parts to the meet. I don't mind a bit. Today I finished Reid Rushing's ST4S and got that out the door. I also did most of the odds and ends on John Dean's M800 and Ken Ford's ST4S. I even got to do some work on my 888. Ever since I got the bike, I've wanted to upgrade the sidestand. The bike leaned over way too much and the sidestand was in the way of the shift lever (the bike has Ferracci rearsets). I cobbled together an Monster S4 sidestand bracket with a +1 titanium sidestand that I had left over from my my M900. I had to do a bunch of grinding on the bracket, but I got it to work. While I have the fairing off, I've decided to go ahead and upgrade the forks. I'm putting Traxxion Dynamics innards in each bike when I do a service. Their AK20 setup is something to behold. Most owners think if they have ti-nitrided fork sliders and the word "ohlins" they have top grade forks. Not necessarily. Good forks are determined by what's inside them - the quality of the valving, the stiction and weight of the damping rod, the rate of the spring, and the weight of the oil. I'm not a suspension expert, but I know what a good set of forks should feel like. The AK-20s don't come cheap. A "good" upgrade will set you back around $1000. If the forks are over 5 years old or have 20K miles, I also have the seals and bushings replaced and the oil changed. Why don't I do it myself? Because it is a pain in the ass, and I get a healthy discount from Traxxion. Why would I do it myself when they can do it better and cheaper than I could?

25 Oct - Yesterday was a whirlwind, but I got everything accomplished on my task list. I got Reid Rushing's ST4S up and running. I'm adding another service procedure to my "to do" list on customer bikes -- the crank angle sensor. The sensor is also called the pickup coil and attaches to the alternator cover. When the sensor stops reading the rotation of the crank, you get no spark. Two things cause this to happen. Sometimes the sensor gets covered with oil and sludge or assembly lube and sometimes they fail. I've seen them fail on bikes with less than 6000 miles --- two in the last month in my shop. I've also had some luck with simply cleaning them off and having them work. It seems that assembly lube from the factory can get smeared across the face of the pickup coil during normal running. Dirty oil can cause the same thing. When this happens the bike will get harder and harder to start, and will eventually fail to start. Fortunately, the VDSTS software diagnoses this problem. On Reid Rushing's bike, the crank angle sensor and the barometric (air pressure) sensor also failed. That sucker is expensive -- $177. The pickup coil/crank angle sensor is $107. The problem with pulling the crank angle sensor to inspect it is the location. It is tucked behind the coolant hoses on the front of the alternator cover. On some bikes, the top coolant hose must be disconnected in order to pull the sensor. That means the coolant must first be drained -- a PITA procedure. Hence, I'm going to inspect the cleanliness of all pickup coils on customer bikes that are having a full service. I have to drain the coolant and remove the radiator from the bikes anyway, so it's no big deal. So... if you're bike is hard to start or you lose spark altogether, one culprit may be the pickup coil. Of course, it could also be any one of a hundred other different problems. After all, it is a Ducati.

On another note, I put countershaft sprockets up on the web page. You can find them here

Late model crank angle sensor/pickup coils are secured to the front of the alternator cover with one bolt and are shimmed to a specified air gap. Remove the bolt, pull out the pickup coil and clean the sensor face.

24 Oct - I had a few emails last month from customers asking if I offered gift certificates. Well, I do now. I popped them up on the website this past weekend. It's kind of a no-brainer for spouses of Ducati owners. Or for you selfish types, you can give one to yourself this Christmas.

Desmo Times never has been a very profitable venture. Part of the problem is my penchant for upgrades. So when I had to order some replacement rearset parts for John Dean's M800, and Chris at Cyclecat told me that they had a left over set of carbon/Mag wheels for a 999, I couldn't resist. Now I have to find the time to put them on... after customer bikes are serviced of course.

I was up at 4:00 this morning to pack some boxes and am heading to the PO in a few minutes. Then its back home to load up John Dean's M800 fuel tank for a trip to my auto body painter. Then a stop at the bank, then a committee meeting at 11, then back home for lunch and some work to try to fix Reid Rushing's ST4S, then grab an early dinner, then teach from 5:30-8:30 tonight. I hate tuesdays.

23 Oct - So the Ducati A and B teams are supposedly set. Capirossi and Stoner on the A team, and Barros and Hoffman on the B teams. Capirossi's 4th in the points is the best Ducati has accomplished in MotoGP. Realistically, he should be third. Nicky and Rossi have been the most consistent. With Melandri and Capirossi clear second-tier performers. Stoner's 7th overall is very impressive for the rookie. I think Ducati landed a catch with him, and Capirossi's influence should settle him down.

3 weeks until Milan.....:-)

22 Oct - While I don't post on other boards, I do scan them for what's "in the wind". One of my pet peeves is when somebody posts incorrect information about products I sell, but doesn't have the inclination to post to my message board or send me any email for clarification. First, one such misconception is the Power Card. I resell the Powercard because it's a great product and is simple to tune. The Powercard has full adjustability of the fuel map, just like the Power Commander (PCIII). With the PCIII you need to hook up to a computer. The same is true of the Powercard with a separate plug in. I don't market the plug in, because most customers never touch a map once it is loaded. The powercard has adjustments on the card for 6 different load conditions (rpm and load = pulse width). The full map can be tweaked with the separate card plug in. Both the PCIII and the Powercard are downstream of the ECU, meaning that they read the injector pulses and adjust the pulse width based on the load. It isn't witchcraft. Yes, neither the PCIII or the Powercard can subtract fuel, but then you don't want to subtract fuel with a performance map. Second, you can't "chip" the 5.9 ecu. You can't flash it and you can't eprom it. You CAN try to get a hold of the FIM aftermarket ecu, but the cheaper and easier alternative is a PCIII or the Powercard. Either way, you should dyno tune the bike to optimize the setup. Most running problems can be dialed out on the Powercard, without hooking up to a computer (the PCIII). In fact, most owners never touch the map that comes in it. The powercard solution is appealing to 2-valve DS-1000 motors because they are notoriously lean. The makers of the powercard are mapping a solution for Ducatis with CO sensors (closed loop). Whether you select the Powercard or the PCIII isn't important to me. I'll use the Powercard because I have a conduit to the developer.

Today is a washout in Pensacola. I'm busy unpacking and cleaning up. I've got a full day of teaching tomorrow and I'll ease back into working on bikes on Tue. Life is good.

21 Oct - I made it home safe and sound after a 700 mile blitz in 10 hours, all with a 500 pound sportbike loaded in the back. Those 500 pounds make a difference in fuel economy. I had to stop several times to refuel. Usually, I get 550 miles out of a tank on the old Avalanche.

This morning we packed the last week's worth of orders. I don't know what I'd do without Suzi. She helped me, and saved me several hours of work.

So, the Australian kid is in at Ducati Corse and Gibernau is out. At least Ducati is testing somebody young this time. He crashes a lot, but hopefully he'll grow out of that. I'm glad to see Ducati is giving the vacant seat at the last GP to Bayliss. After all he's done for Ducati, he deserves it. I like him a lot. Still no word on the other WSB ride. I'll be surprised if it isn't Hodgson.

Today I'll be busy unpacking and doing some honey-dos. Then I have to get ready to teach at the Univ. this week and start on some customer bikes. Whew.....

20 Oct - I finished my teaching duties yesterday at the center, and am heading home this afternoon. Yesterday during a lull in teaching an old student popped his head in say hi. He was in a class that I assisted in teaching this past January. He completed his mobilization and was sent to Iraq. He's back home convalescing from a shrapnel wound in his back. He related his experiences over there. We try to get an intel feed from every returning Civil Affairs soldier. He also told us that another student in the same class is in Walter Reed recuperating from a sniper shot to his hip. Over the past few years, I've helped train hundreds of soldiers. A few are amongst the list of deceased from IEDs, snipers and fire-fights. Whenever I hear of one of my students getting wounded or killed overseas, my first instinct is to want to volunteer for another tour... that somehow I could fix the situation. The urge is borne of rage, and usually passes. What doesn't pass is the feeling that one tour wasn't enough, and that I need to return to the sandbox to help out. I'm probably making more of an impact in the classroom, but it's not the same as being on the ground.

I've got a 12 hour drive ahead of me, and orders sitting in my shopping cart to fill. I don't thank my customers enough for doing business with me. In same breath as the love I have for life, my country, my family and friends is the love I have for motorcyclists and the few Ducatisti amongst them who entrust me with their hard-earned dollars. God Bless you....

Major Stephen "LT" Snyder

• Instructor - Bravo Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Warfare Training Group
• Asst Prof of Businss Strategy - The University of West Florida
• Contributing Editor - MCN
• Ducati Certified Technian and Owner - Desmo Times
• Nitwit

19 Oct - A number of people have asked me why I don't consider opening a Ducati dealership. I just laugh and say "no way". First, doing this for a living would suck. I have no desire to make it a full time business. I enjoy helping customers out and tinkering with the bikes. Doing it every day would ruin the fun. Second, I actually compete against many Ducati Performance products because I believe them to be either outrightly better or more cost effective. Ducati probably wouldn't like many of the products I sell, and would require such things as I ONLY use OEM belts on customer bikes. I don't take orders from anybody (other than the wife and the Army), least of whom Ducati. Third, I enjoy being able to take potshots at Ducati in my emails and editorials. I love Ducati's but I don't have to love the company and the decisions of the executives. Ducati has requirements on tools, parts, floorplan, etc. I already have the Army and a wife to please. I don't need another master. Fifth, there already is a Ducati dealer in my town, and I don't even consider my town large enough to support a Ducati dealership. The only way the one in Pensacola remains afloat is because they also carry Triumph. Based on these factors, Desmo Times will remain independent for the forseeable future.

18 Oct - I sold my only 2 sets of ST4S cam belts this week. I've had them on the shelf for 4 months, and then sell both sets within 2 days. Now you see how hard it is to predict sales. The only reason I stock the belts is because of customer bikes. And every time I sell a set I grit my teeth over how much money I made for Ducati. Grrrrrrr.

Ducati has been using a new marketing ploy. For 2008 Ducati is stating that they are significantly reducing maintenance costs on their bikes. Part of this is done by raising the service intervals. This is meaningless to me because once I set valves, I tell customers that I don't want to see them again for 10K anyway. That keeps cam belts and valve inspections in synch. Ducati could lower the maintenance costs by slashing the prices of their belts and by not coercing customers to have the 600 mile service performed. If the bike is properly set up by the dealer, the 600 mile service should only consist of changing the oil. Everything else is a waste of time provided the bike is running properly. If you can't tell if the bike is running properly, then by all means have the 600 mile service performed. The problem with doing checks yourself is that #1 - unless you have a harmonic tensioner you can't supposedly check belt tension (I can pretty much do them all by hand without a tensioner, but verify with one just for grins), #2 - you can't verify the CO without a snifffer. #3 - you can't pull the plugs from certain models without a handmade plug removal tool, #4 - you can't change the base trim settings without VDSTS, Mathesis or a DDS. #1-#4 now scare away most owners from either owning a Ducati or performing the work themselves. The new closed-loop F/I system is also requiring work-around by owners. The Euro-3 emissions have caused F/I setups that are so lean as to yield poor running characteristics. Ducati has claimed that they are improving things for 2007. I'm guessing that the quietness of the wet clutch will allow them to mess with the running characteristics of the engine. I'm very sad to see the dry clutch go but the whiners have won out - wet clutches it is. I don't know what other ways Ducati can lower maintenance costs. They have already improved the capabilities of the valvetrain and set valve clearances more optimally at the factory. That has made my job easier because I have to replace fewer shims. While this change is welcomed, I have a few other ideas. First, move the fuel filter to outside of the gas tank. That would save a lot of time, as getting to the tank-based fuel filters is a pain in the ass. Second, ditch the cam belts or find a way to make them last 5 years. Nobody does it, but I'm guessing the current kevlar reinforced belts will last 4 years or 20K. Ducati probably doesn't want to miss out on selling belts, so I doubt they'll increase the service interval. Third, make it easier to service the valvetrain. The process is still confusing to most owners, and it doesn't have to be. Finally, make it easier to get to servise items. Elements of the 748-998 and monster platforms have the most appeal -- tanks that tilt up and fairings that remove easily. Ducati has gone against this convenience with the 999 and the MTS.

17 Oct - Today was a washout in Fayetteville NC. That's okay though, because I was trapped inside the Special Warfare Center's "Schoolhouse" all day teaching. The countdown is down to 3 days.

I found a way to cheer up Nicky Hayden. Somebody show him a tape of the Bears/Cardinals game last night. Being a Cards fan after that game will take more courage than I can imagine. I went to bed during the 3rd quarter thinking everything was set for the Cards to win. What is the expression - snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

Mentally, I'm burned out on my assignment up here. I love teaching, but every time I come here it's deja vu all over again. Sounds like a good time to move on.

I got a call today from somebody looking for a job. He had heard that I was looking for a technician. Other than the fact that I'm not hiring and that he had never worked on a Ducati or as a full-time technician he was the perfect candidate. I think he said that he stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night, so he thought he was qualified.

There must be some holdup on Continental tires -- my preferred brand right now. I have 2 sets of Road Attacks on backorder for the past month. Grrrrrrr.. The good news is that all my countershaft sprockets are in, so now I can offer them for sale when I get back.

Still no word from the machinist I contracted for to do the axle plates. Sometimes I get tired of harrassing people to do work they've agreed to. What a PITA.

Tonight I've got to prep a full day of teaching tomorrow on how to run a Civil Military Operations Center. Unlike the mechanic who called today, I'm qualified to perform my duties. So much for finishing some articles for MCN. The Army has gobbled up my free time. Oh well.

16 Oct - Whew, a long Monday is over. You know you put in a long day when it is dark out when you leave for work and dark when you are driving home from work. I taught a class today and worked with teams of students on some planning exercises that we put them through.

I was going to rewatch the MotoGP race tonight, but I think I'll watch the Bears game instead. I'll save the race watching until I get home. Besides, the guy I stay here doesn't like or care about motorcycles.... and it's his TV.

I was perusing a few websites last night. I usually check out ducati.ms and speedzilla looking for anything interesting. Of late, I've been reading the Ducati 1098 threads as entertainment. If you haven't checked them out, they are very entertaining. Usually, somebody with good intentions starts a thread, then somebody "in the know" puts out what he believes to be reliable info on the new bike. That is followed by a few naysayers who call him a liar. Then a back-and-forth starts about who is full of shit. The thread usually finishes with a few apologies and "can't we all just get along" posts. If people would just read my 12 October DD, they'd stop argueing over the internet. Not everybody agreed with my impressions about Pedrosa being a nitwit, but that's okay. I'm in military mode these days, and when in uniform, everybody is a nitwit until proven otherwise. Just today, a few friends called me a nitwit. I couldn't prove otherwise, so their impression is intact. And I'll sleep fine knowing that. Some of you reading this post might be nitwits, or have friends who think you're a nitwit, and that's okay. Remember, riding a Ducati allows you to hang out online with other nitwits... like me.

Only 4 more days here in Ft Bragg, then it's time to load up a customer's sick 748 and blast home Friday afternoon. I hate the ride home because I have to get around rush hour in Atlanta. Whoever designed the road network in Georgia should be shot.

I got my contract to come back here for a day the beginning of Nov, so if the weather is good, I'll do a ironbutt on the Gran Canyon. I've got just enough tire tread to get up here and back. Riding 700 miles in one day in November is tough though. Not enough daylight, and too many nitwits on the road. Did I say nitwit again?

15 Oct - MOTOGP SPOILER BELOW.

Well, I passed my PT test yesterday to SOF standards, but each year it gets more difficult to do so. To celebrate, I had a steak dinner last night big enough to choke a king.

Rossi should buy Pedosa something nice. What a nitwit. Pedrosa takes out his teammate, and Rossi now leads the championship heading into the final race. What I said yesterday about pulling for a comeback from Rossi didn't include stupid shit. Poor Nicky! Elias drafting past Rossi at the line saved Nicky 5 points though, and he still has a shot. The momentum is clearly in Rossi's favor now though. He doesn't have to win the last race, just finish one place behind Nicky. Unbelievable turn of events.

I'm busy stocking up on groceries today and washing the truck. Later this afternoon a 748 is coming my way. I'll meet the owner and go over the troubles he is having with it. Then it's off to Col. Doyle's house. I have dinner with he and his wife each time I come up to Ft Bragg.

After my dinner relaxation I have to prep for the class that I have to teach tomorrow - Populace and Resource Control. If it doesn't sound that interesting, then you have the same attitude as the students. Tomorrow 150 new students show up, but they'll be split into 2 different classes. My team won't have a part in training them. The new group is a combination of Army troops pulled out of the Inactive Ready Reserve (ex-soldiers who don't want to be here), and non-voluntary transfers from the Air Force and Navy. What a motley crew.

14 Oct - Suzi was motivated this morning to pack all the backorders, so if you ordered stuff this week, it ships today. What a great wife.

It looks like the MotoGP race tomorrow will be a barn-burner. I've got to admit that I'm actually routing for Rossi. I just can't resist a comeback, although you could probably argue that Nicky is the underdog even though he's in the lead. Rossi, Edwards and Nicky on the front row. Not a good show for Ducati though. Third row is the best they could muster.

I don't know if you've had a chance to look at the Ilmor bike. It is a new 800cc bike that is undergoing race testing for next year. Gary McCoy is the rider. McCoy is one of my favorite riders. First, he's a regular guy. Second, he's had a rough career. Third, he can back a bike into a corner better than anybody. The bike is very cool looking. Check it out at motogp.com.

The image at right is from the Italian round this year, when Ducati painted the Desmosedeci in the Italian tri-color motif. I've always loved the looks the the original 851 tri-color. If the 1098 tri-color looks anything like it, it will be very chic.

13 Oct - Today I had to get up at 3:30 for some early morning training. We run the students every few weeks on a 6 mile ruck march. We have to do this to ensure they're in shape for the end of course field training exercise (FTX). We make them walk with a ruck approximately 30 km in 24 hours, in between other missions they have to complete. We found that if we didn't do periodic ruck marches during the course, their feet would be all blistered up by the end of the first day on the FTX. Yesterday they did their monthly airborne drop out of a C130. I'm just getting to know some of the students. The class is mostly Captains, with a few Allied students, Majors and Lieutenants. By the time I have rapport with them, it's time for me to head back to the real world. Like I've said before, I dabble in 3.5 careers, and do none of them well. I'd do the Army thing very well, but I'm getting too old to put up with the stupid shit.... and there's a lot of stupid shit you have to deal with in the military. You tend to have less to deal with as you go higher in rank, but the same crap always shows up. A good sense of humor helps. Every time I think of deploying again, I remember all the days of wasted time spent in mobilization stations, and mobilization prep, and mobilization staging and recovery.

I'm taking my PT test tomorrow with a fellow reservist. He's a cop in South Dallas when he's not here with me teaching. He did a rotation in Iraq, so we can relate to each other on certain things. He rides a Gold Wing, so we don't talk motorcycles much. :-).

Have you seen the specs on the '07 R1? The specs look like a race-prepped superbike - 178 HP with a slipper clutch and fly by wire throttle. There should be laws against inexperienced riders purchasing rockets like that. Then again, I'm a believer in social darwinism. The horsepower wars are alive and well, my friends. We don't need the horsepower, but evidently the manufacturers think we do. I'm quite satisfied with the horsepower numbers that Ducati has provided for their liter-class bikes. I guess I'm in the minority.

.

12 Oct - I copied the picture at right from a friend's hard drive. It coincides with my completion of my "one-percenter" editorial for MCN. I know the picture isn't politically correct, but it captures my attitude towards message boards, and those few who abuse them. The next time you see people arguing over the internet, send them the picture.

I got to watch a show tonight on the importance of NASCAR to North Carolina. The sport brings in about 5 billion a year of revenue into the state, and tourism is becoming more important as throngs of NASCAR fans flock to museums and race team garages. I could puke. I feel cursed to live in a country that worships NASCAR yet doesn't even know who Valentino Rossi is. I guess NASCAR is easy to follow and watch and that appeals to folks that like a relaxing way to spend a day. I like motorcycle racing because I've been on a track and can relate to the riders. I feel no connection to NASCAR, don't like car racing in general, and would rather watch two cows screwing than watch a NASCAR race. But that's me, and I'm obviously a strange person in a strange land.

No Ducati news today. I get to go home in 9 days though. :-)

11 Oct - I was surfing the internet last night and came across some pictures of the 2007 Sport 1000. Wow, it looks great. They added a red frame and swingarm and black wire wheels. That is one tempting bike. I need it like I need a hole in my head, but it's still a neat bike. It will also come in a two-seater variety. I also saw a dark picture of the profile of the top of the new superbike. Looked remarkably like the 916. That's a good thing. The word is that the bike was Terblanche inspired, but then handed off for further development.

No word yet from the machinist I contracted for the ST4S axle plates. I'm hoping to have them by the time I get home. I'll probably do a run for the ST2-3-4 if I get a few more people interested. In order to make the axle plates cost effective, I have to get 25 sets made.

The weather here in NC is cooling off. I have my PT test on Sat, and the overnight lows are supposed to be in the upper 30s. I haven't seen a temperature that low since Brad and I were riding north from Jackson Hole Wyoming on the way to Yellowstone National Park.

I picked up a contract from the special warfare center to deliver a lecture on International Economics to their advanced regional studies students. It looks like I'll be coming back up here in 3 weeks on civilian status to deliver the lecture. Sounds like a good chance to dust off the Gran Canyon. I have the lecture on Friday, and since I get thursday and friday off from the University, I can head out Thursday morning - ride the 700 miles up to Fayetteville, deliver the lecture Friday morning, and blast back to Pensacola on Sat. I'll be tempting Brad with the offer, but I don't know if he's up for 2-700 mile days with a day of rest in between.

10 Oct - Fellow Pensacola Duckhead Mark Dill did a survey of superbike ownership on Ducati.ms. With 336 respondents, 3 were less than 20 years old, 88 (26%) were in their 20s, 134 (40%) were in their 30s, 75 (22%) were in their 40s, and 36 (11%) were older than 50. I'm not surprised by the results. Riding a Ducati superbike isn't for kids because of the cost, but it isn't for those with their AARP cards either due to the ergonomics. One of the articles in my backlog is a how-to for staying fit for superbikes. It involves flexibility and strength training. I'm convinced that a long-term program geared towards both will yield a body that can withstand the rigors of a superbike. I've got a bunch of money tied up in Superbikes, so fitness makes sense so that I can enjoy them. I use my Army PT tests as a gauge of how fit I am, but the Army PT test doesn't measure flexibility.

Today I did some Army prep stuff, including preparing to teach classes this week. I also am rounding out my Evaluation Reports. I'm planning on switching units at the end of the year, and going back in the pipeline for deployment. I should be okay for the first half of 2007, but it's my turn to go back overseas, and I won't shun the duty. We'll see.

Only 4 more weeks until the Milan show and the first look at the 1098. The Ducati plant is currently gearing up to produce the Supermotard. I don't know if the sport classics are continueing for next year. I think the GT and Sport should remain in production. Ducati has always stated that the Paul Smart was a limited run bike.

I picked up a copy of Ride Texas magazine at Books a Million here in Fayetteville. I've seen it before, but haven't ever read a copy. I'm subscribing. It's a good color independent publication of rides in and around Texas. This month's piece was on riding in the Big Bend area. Makes me want to load up the Gran Canyon and head West.

I'm having dinner this Sunday with my mentor from my last unit. COL Doyle is the soldier's epitomy of a hero -- from Platoon Leader in Vietnam to a Major during Desert Storm 1 to a COL in Iraqi Freedom. While we were there in 2003 we shared our thoughts about what we expected to happen in Iraq. Unfortunately, our expectations have come true. It's been hard to train deploying soldiers while disagreeing with the handling of the war. I keep my thoughts to myself, and train soldiers to the best of my ability. While my expectations and fears have been met, I no longer have a solution. The window of opportunity may have closed, but if I'm deployed I'll yell "yes Sir" and do my best to deserve the support that fellow Americans continue to show towards the military.

9 Oct - Sometimes our expectations don't mesh well with reality. Prior to working on my first ST3, I was convinced that doing a valve adjust would be similar to working on a 2-valve Ducati. Boy was I wrong. The first problem confronting a DIY type is removing the rocker arm retaining clip. Ducati used the same clip used on the rest of the 2V lineup. The clip works great for those bikes, but not on the ST3. When clipped in place, it is impossible to get a pick or screwdriver underneath it to remove it. I spent an hour trying to figure it out. In the end I had to remove the left rocker pin cover plate and use a rocker pin extractor to pull out the rocker pin enough to remove the clip. For grins, I also pulled off the opener rocker. Guess what I saw?.... The beginnings or rocker arm wear. So, the ST3 suffers the same fate as the rest of the non-testastretta 4V bikes... rocker arm flaking. The bike in question had 12K on the clock, and I'm guessing that in another 12K or so the flaking will start. The opener rocker arm surface had the tell-tale graying of the contact chrome area. I'm sure Ducati will warranty them. The bad part is that removing the cams and opener rockers should be added to any valvetrain service check on the ST3, and that requires time. So, the price of an ST3 service just went up to that of working on an ST4S... and pulling the cams from an ST4S is less time consuming than the ST3. Again, I'll take working on my old-school ST2 any day.

One final tidbit. For those of you with ST3 models planning on doing your own valves, remove the belts prior to doing the valve adjust. Trying to find the detent in the cam shaft that allows you raise and slide over the opener rocker is next to impossible with the belts one. Just an FYI. Oh yeah, and that exhaust valve helper sping is a MOFO to depress single-handed. Of course, this tidbit will go into the next book, but I'm not planning on writing one any time soon. Of course, if can manage to split myself in 2, writing a book for next year would be a possibility. I hear they're doing wonderful things with genetic research.

8 Oct - Greetings from Fayetteville NC. I had a long rainy drive up to North Carolina yesterday and have been holed up in my buddies house today. I haven't been slacking though. I spent the day going over the slides I have to brief this week in the classroom for another class of CAPOC officers (Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command). I also did quite a bit of writing for MCN. It seems the only chance I get to write is when I'm away from home.

I'm glad that I shut down the business for a few weeks. Suzi's stress level is down, and when her stress level is down, so is mine. I won't think about Ducatis much this week. That will end on Sunday when a customer drives down from Charlotte to Fayetteville to plop a troubled 748 in the bed of my truck. The 748 will be the last non-LT bike I work on this year. Hooray!!!

I was glad to see Bayliss win the last race of the year. I had a feeling he would do that. He's just too competitive to just sit back and let others win. So how is Ducati going to argue that they need a displacement advantage? That is going to be a tough sell on the FIM guys. I suppose next year will show if the Japanese open more of an advantage over Ducati in WSB. Unfortunately for Ducati, Bayliss has shown what can be done on the testastretta. The fact that he's the only one who can do it isn't going to resonate. On the other hand, Ducati is a popular manufacturer, so we'll see. At the very least, the season should be entertaining --- Biaggi on a Suzuki, Corser and Haga as teammates on the Yamaha... and, I'm hoping, Bayliss and Hodgson as teammates for Ducati Corse.

6 Oct - I've been busy studying spy shots of the 1098 Superbike. Here's what I see/surmise from the crappy duct-taped distant spy shots:

• Widely spaced headlights with a center intake like an RC51. Width at front similar to 916
• More of a pressurized airbox than on the 999, but airbox less exposed than 916-series.
• Radial Calipers w/10 spoke wheels.
• New engine configuration with Desmosedeci Style Valvetrain - perhaps gear driven with larger valves and possibly larger valve stems.
• Pain in the ass to work on -- just an assumption given current trends.
• 916-style exhaust cans but they protrude ala the 999 exhaust.
• Beefier single-side swingarm.
• Lower fairing doesn't extend as far back as 999.
• Side fairings a combination of the 998 and 999 - somewhat angular.
• Gas tank more like the 916 or motoGP bike.
• Tail section more reminiscent of the 999.
• New instrumentation but with the damn immobilizer.
• 600-CC class in size.
• Termi exhaust, ECU, and conversion from closed to open-loop F/I will be must if you purchase the first batch. Euro-3 emissions are a killer on performance. It will take until mid-'07 for other aftermarket manufacturers to catch up.
• Carryovers - rear wheel hub from other SSS models, radial calipers from 999, starter, dry clutch, transmission from 999 (749 would be better), injectors and quick disconnects from 999, 59a ECU, CAN wiring, and tall gearing.

5 Oct - Things haven't gone as planned this week due to an outage of our heat pump. I lost all of Tuesday to getting it repaired. That left today as a 12 hour day in the speed shack tuning Mike Salyer's ST3, getting Ken Ford's ST4S sidestand to work with the CC rearsets, and draining and removing John Dean's gas tank to prep it for repainting. Poof - 12 hours gone. I'm all beat up and my hands are cramped from working on the valvetrain of the ST3. What a PITA!. Tomorrow I have unexpected full day at the University, so this is the last day I'll wrench on bikes for a few weeks. Saturday I pack for 2 weeks and hit the road for Ft Bragg, NC.

For whatever reason, sales have plummeted during the last week. Evidently October must be annual non-Ducati-wrenching month. Or perhaps everybody is riding instead of wrenching.

While I'm away doing my Army stuff I'll finish writing 2 articles for MCN - one a 3 way GPS comparo, and the other on how to buy/sell on eBay.

When I get back, I'm determined to do required maintenance on my own bikes. No, I really mean it this time. I'm even contemplating shutting down the service end of things for new customers until 1 Jan so that I can concentrate on renovations and my bikes. Call me selfish.

I did my daily run today. For the first time since high school I ran 1/4 mile at a 5:30 minute pace. My heart monitor was pinging off the 100% of my max allowed heartrate for my age, and I was sucking wind at the end, but I did it. My Army PT test is in 2 weeks, so it's last minute peak time in my workouts. I'm no Jack LaLane, but I hope I'm lucky enough to be fit until I'm collecting Social Security. For now, the added side-benefit of fitness is that I feel good stradding the 888 - the most uncomfortable bike in my stable. Hmmm, sounds like an article in there somewhere.

I've been waiting for 3 weeks for all the sprockets required to be able to offer them for sale. What a pain. In order to offer them for sale, I had to order 2 styles, 2 pitches, and 2 tooth sizes. That's 8 different combinations Old Style - 525 & 520 in 14 and 15 tooth and the same for the New Style. I have 6 of the 8 different varieties in stock, but can't activate the product on my website until I have them all. In the meantime, I've paid for all of them. The holdup is Tucker Rocky. Non-stocking butt-pirates.

4 Oct -There's been a lot of speculation about Ducati's new superbike. From the grapevine, I've heard many things --- some crap and others more plausible. From what I gather, there will be 3 variants of the new 1098 -- a base model, an "S" and a Tri-color. There won't be an "R" spec until 2007, when Ducati plans on racing the new motor. None of the spy shots that I've seen are worth much. None would cause me to rush out and trade in an old Duck anyway. I treat every Ducati I have as a piece of artwork. Some are better out of the box than others, but all are somewhat classics. I don't have a problem with the 999, and suspect I won't have a problem with the new 1098. Where I live, such superbikes are a waste anyway.... flat, straight, hot roads. Not exactly the roads designed for a corner-carving liter-class beast. While everyone is looking at the potential designs of the new superbike, I'm awed at the performance. 160+ bhp in the base model and a bike that is a full 35 pounds lighter. That will probably mean a smaller package as well. As a 6 footer, I'm not enthused about cramming myself in a bike the size of a 600cc class sportbike, but we'll see. I changed the 916 ergos to fit my body type, so I'm sure I'll add aftermarket stuff to make the 1098 fit as well. Only one month away from the Milan show and the end of speculation.

3 Oct - Today's email is about expectations. I remember when I used to get my bikes worked on at shops. My expectations were that when I picked up the bike, it was put back together correctly and that the repairs/maintenance was performed. I didn't expect any other niceties, such as the bike was clean. Before I let any customer pick up his bike (I've never worked on a girl's Ducati), I always shine it up from front to back to remove any fingerprints, smudges, etc. No customer has ever commented on this, so I'm assuming that is now a standard practice at dealerhips and shops. I also note on my invoice exactly what was performed. I never charge for work that wasn't performed, and don't charge for little nuts and bolts that I take out of my excess parts bins to repair a customer bike. Again, no customer has commented on this, so I must assume it is standard practice.

While customers don't comment what I do, there are a select few who have expectations askew with reality. I expect my customers to have basic mechanical skills. By basic, I imply that they recognize a screwdriver 8 out of 10 times, and know the difference between a flathead and phillips-head screwdriver. I even expect them to understand the concept of lefty-loosy righty-tighty. With today's cars, an owner can get away with knowing nothing. My wife knows nothing about how a car functions. When it fails to function, she has me or the dealership to fall back on. Motorcycles are different. Forgive my insolence, but IMHO if you don't know how to set the idle on your bike or set the chain tension you need to pick another hobby. Motorcycles are far more "mechanical" than cars. What do I mean by "mechanical"? Motorcycles require more periodic maintenance and tweaking to keep operational. Even a Honda motorcycle requires more maintenance than a Honda car. I have no time for owners that don't want to bond with their bike. While a Ducati is a premium motorcycle, I don't think that premium means hands-off. In my eyes, parts of motorcycling is understanding your bike, and having the skills to keep it running through routine simple maintenance. Notice that I say "simple maintenance". That means oil changes, spark plug changes, setting chain tension, etc. I don't expect every Ducati owner to set their own valves. On the other hand, you'll have to forgive the look on my face when you drop off your bike and give me cartons of oil to perform an oil change. If you refuse to perform your own routine maintenance because of lack of time or lack of skills, you need to rethink your priorities. I'd rather work on Ducatis than most things, and find the chore thereaputic. While bike maintenance can be stressful, most of the stress comes from the one-percenter owners. Sometimes I just want to say "Dude, you're a goddamned tool, and I refuse to work on your bike because I have a new "no tool" policy". I save such venting for my wife Suzi. After a few "there, there's" her, all is well. Just writing this has got me all worked up. Time to enjoy a Chick Filet Vanilla Milkshake. Mmmmmmmmmm...

2 Oct - I learned 2 things this weekend. First, I know nothing about heat pumps. Our heat pump went on the fritz Friday night. We got a technician out on Sat afternoon to fix it, but he didn't really fix it. Fortunately, we have a small window unit in our sun room, and it's strong enough to keep the house bearable. Today I'll be trying to get the same company to come back and fix what they should have fixed the first time.

Second, I learned that the range of Suzi's S2R is exactly 142 miles. I went for a nice little romp with a few friends on Sunday. I hadn't exercised her S2R in awhile, so I blew the cobwebs out of it. We stopped off at Brad's garage on the way back so that I could give him a part that I need to get welded. While there, I swapped bikes with Mark Dill's ST4S. He wanted me to ride his bike to see if I noticed any problems. I rode his ST4S the remaining 10 miles home, and told him that the low fuel light on the S2R was on. My M900 has a range in excess of 160 miles, so I thought he'd be fine. I kept a look in my rear view mirror just in case. As I approached the turn off to go to my house, I looked in my mirror and saw what I thought was Mark on the Monster. It wasn't. I made it home but Mark was nowhere to be found. He pulled up some 10 minutes later. He had ran out of gas and had to push the S2R 1/2 mile to a gas station. Point taken! When the warning light comes on the S2R, it means business. Strange how a smaller F/I motor gets worse fuel economy than my carbureted M900. Sorry about that Mark.

It was nice to see Troy lock up WSB today. Imola has always been good to Ducati. At least they can relax and enjoy one championship this year. And Neil getting on the podium at the beseiged Mid-Ohio was nice too. I wonder if Ben's 4th place will be good enough to get him a ride next year.

Ken Ford picked up his GT today. That's the good news. The bad news is that he dropped off his ST4S and John Dean dropped off his M800 after a low speed right side get off. I'm maxed out on bikes at the shop. Oh well. Oh yeah, one other piece of good news. I'm glad I got to ride today, because the heat has blasted down to Florida again. A heat index of 94 today, and continued heat all week. I guess those overnight lows around 60 were just a tease. I had to turn the A/C on in the showroom again. What, you don't have your Duck sitting in a air-conditioned garage. For shame!!!!!

Desmo Times

555 Childers St

Pensacola, FL. 32534

www.desmotimes.com