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I have been working on a 4 valve head for my 250 NC. I am in the design/drawing stage now. I have several Weslake Speedway heads that I am using for reference. I came across the Misano head that Lacey Ducati has on their website. Looks really good performance wise. Does anyone have any experience with this head ( Nigel ) ? At about 4,600.00 US ( if I converted correctly ) it is pretty steep price. I am keeping the bevel drive layout and going dual exhaust and carbs. Any thoughts out there ? you guys are a wealth of knowledge.

Thanks

Mike Mc

del Biondo racing developed a four valve head for Ducati singles. Tony Foale would also be wealth of knowledge. Developed a four valve head for the Aermacchi single back in the 1970's.

One of the benefits designers cite for going to a short stroke/big bore engine layout is the added room for bigger valves- you could consider doing what these guys do:
http://www.stotfoldengineers.co.uk/stot ... ce-tuning/
The bigger bore would probably make the 4 valve conversion a little easier, plus they talk about 13,500 rpm- sounds scary to me. Destroking a crankshaft will probably be easier than building a head, and the combination would be a showpiece.
If it's not a secret you should post some pictures of what you're designing.
The guys I know who are cylinder head experts have lots of respect for Harry Weslake- copying his work would be a good start.
I know a guy who races singles and works with some sort of million dollar flow bench at work, send me a PM with contact info if you'd like to talk to him.
Rick

Hello Mike,
Yes I have experience of these heads as I have been working with Misano for the last three years to help bring these to market. One of the development heads has already completed around 1000 race miles including two Manx GP's in the Isle of Man and many short circuit races. The first batch of production heads were completed last year and I am pleased to say that all bar one have now been sold. The next batch is already under way with an expected completion date of April this year. All the sales so far have been for race use within the UK and I am in communication with all the customers and will be following progress in the forthcoming season. I am planning to follow on with some development and testing with my own 350 road bike to fully investigate the potential for road use.

I can confirm the performance figures quoted are taken from a known Dyno. The 350 figures in particular probably do not represent the full potential as it was a one off test with no particular setting up. As the figures immediately looked fairly promising, we included them for comparison.

As for the cost, it is a reflection of the amount of money invested in the product. I have spent many years modifying original heads and if I was to charge the full hourly rate for the time taken to complete the work to this level, then a modified head certainly would not be any cheaper. One added advantage of these heads is that it is of course virgin material. The heads are aimed at those who want performance but can neither carry out the work themselves or find someone to achieve the desired performance.

Part of the design remit for these heads is to appear original on the outside and to be two valve so as to be eligible for all classic racing worldwide. The use of four valves is excluded from classic and vintage racing within the UK and many other countries. I have seen weslake heads fitted to a bevel twin, clever and well performing as it was, it is a special and no longer a Ducati. I have seen del Biondos head on display several times and I have never seen it running on an engine or heard of it being used in anger . The factory four valve head was unsuccessful and they reverted to using the two valve head. Personally I am not convinced that squeezing four valves in with the shallow port entry would be much of an advantage. If you make a head with a lot more down draught, double overhead cam, etc, then maybe but I am back to saying " All very nice and clever, but it no longer looks like or is a Ducati "

These Misano heads are production heads, not one-off specials. They are also designed to use as many of the original parts as possible including the rocker gear, cam covers etc. The price is currently £2195 +VAT in the UK and EU, so to the US it is (at todays rates) $3620 plus any import tax you may suffer over which we have no control.

These heads don't mean the end of individuals developing their own successful heads as I personally have managed to extract more performance from an original 350 than we currently have from the Misano heads, so for those who like a challenge and whose time is free..... carry on

If anyone wants to know more then the basic information is on the website, or I am happy to answer questions, just call me.

http://www.laceyducati.com/ducati-parts ... -1121.html

Regards
Nigel

P.S. Just seen the post from Rick with that link to Stotfold, really???.. I have seen and read this some time ago, DONT believe all you read. To me it looks like a load of rubbish! Performance is all about horsepower and results. I have been involved at the front end of Ducati Single racing since the early 1990's and if these guys were for real.... I would know of them.

Currently an engine with one of my cylinder heads is the fastest 350 Classic bike through the speed traps on the Isle of Man. That is faster than any of the Hondas, Nortons, Aermacchi, AJS's and an MV so I count myself as qualified to comment

Nigel, thanks for all the detail and information. I do agree the Misano head looks and sounds like a real good performance add on and keeping with the original design and parts commonality is important. Your conversion at 3620.00 makes this an attractive choice. I am a Tool and Die maker by trade and just like to build and tinker on motors in general. The Ducati is my current project and I like to keep tweaking it to see what I can get out of it. All with the insight of being able to put it all back to stock if needed. If you don't mind what was the trap speed of the 350 at IOM. I have taken my bike down to the Dry lakes for several runs at the land speed racing events and keep trying to get some more MPH out of my tune.

Thanks

Mike Mc

Hello Mike

I Fully understand your wish to "tinker", that's what I do!

Misano heads offer a more plug and play option for those who for many reasons don't want to or can't carry out development themselves. These heads buy a lot of development and time which for many is attractive. It also avoids me having to spend my life modifying and porting heads for customers. Development is interesting for me, but repeating the same or similar job for about 20 years has become wearing

Offering the Misano heads offers me the chance to free up more time for developing the parts business in the form of more new products and allowing further developments in performance.

This year Doug Snow clocked 128.07mph on the Sulby straight and 114.73mph at the grandstand. Neither of these are the fastest parts of the circuit as there are the down hill sections off the mountain. The Grandstand is about 600 meters out of a slowish uphill corner out of governors dip and the Sulby straight is flat and relatively smooth. Other factors of course influence the speed just as much as power, such as, the rider and aerodynamics. Both of these are large influences and as always it's about the package. Doug has managed 130mph on the sulby straight in previous years and bearing in mind this is a narrowcase Sebring using all original engine castings and the original fundamental frame, it's quite impressive!

Good luck with your developments and please let us know how things progress.

Regards Nigel

Nigel, thanks for the information. On the Dry Lakes the 200 MPH club is a goal for most racers. My goal is 200 KPH which at about 124 mph which should be pretty obtainable as I am very close now. The class record is above that but I aim to get close. Lots of variables being on a dirt surface, but we do have the advantage of a long lake bed to run and the "fabled" tail wind from time to time. Season starts in May and runs into November with August meet going to Bonneville.
Picture is an earlier trip when I was testing different pipes and jetting before changing to my current cross over pipe.

Thanks

Mike Mc