The new guy on the board..

[john jupiter]

Hello everyone! from the perfectly selected username by our administrator Jim, im sure you can figure out my name and what model Ducati I have. I just picked up an original but non-running 450 and im excited about getting it into running condition in time for spring in CT.

The good:
engine turns free
good compression
trans shifts

The bad:
no errrrr petcocks... So waiting on those while rebuilding the vhb29
No throttle , choke or decompression cables.. Finding it impossible to locate these.
The wiring looks really tired and crusty even though all the lights work..

Looking forward to learning as much as i can about my Scrambler and the rest of the singles out there from you guys.
If anyone has an opinion on weather to keep the 6v battery or go with a system that eliminates the battery i'd love some ideas.

-john

[JimF]

I apologize for the username. Either PM with a new one and I'll change it or just post your desired username in a reply and I'll take care of it.

You'll find a lot of prior threads on 6V versus 12V, about how to implement the conversions and so on...

A few of us started a collaborative page here:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aes ... =CNzfwfwM#

but it's far from done and Bob has caught me making some statements that just aren't "correct." Truth is, he's right. I need to fix some stuff.

Anyway, to get your feet wet you might want to use the search window in the upper right-hand corner and look over some old posts while you are waiting for replies here.

Jim

[Teckhardt]

Welcome. Good to see another 450 on the board. Let's see some pics of your Jupiter.

Here is a pic of mine when I got her a couple of years ago.



She now sits in pieces all over my shop. I should have just fixed the few things that were not working correctly and rode the snot outta her, but I could not leave well enough alone. Guess the upside is that I am slowly learing about Duc Singles in the process.

You are correct that the 450 specific parts can be hard to find. PM me if you are having troubles and maybe I can give you some leads.

To start off with, the decompression cable (and others) can be had from http://www.desmo-ducati.de/shop/. I have purchased a few things from them and no issues at all. Good to work with.

[DewCatTea-Bob]

By: John...
" from the perfectly selected username by our administrator Jim, im sure you can figure out my name and what model Ducati I have. I just picked up an original but non-running 450 "

____ It seems (from his post above) that Jim is not so sure that you've currently got the perfect user-name for yourself, and while it's a much more suitable user-name (for this w.site) than many others chosen by many of us here, I tend to also question that particular user-name for your particular personal-self... Cuz when I first saw that name, I then thought to myself: "so who do we have here now? - seems we may have somebody who must be a long-time owner/lover of his Jupiter and therefore quite likely a fairly-good expert about it " . _ But now that I've learned that's not actually the case (and that you didn't even come-up with that user-name yourself), I'm now somewhat disappointed to learn so.
__ Now if you-yourself had chosen 'Jupiter-John' instead, I then would've been inclined to think that here's a fellow who's quite enthusiastic about his 450-SCR, and I'd then not be very let-down to learn that he had just recently obtained his very-first 'Duc.single'.
__ Anyhow, in the past few months we've had a very excessive number of non-Duker types who've been signing-up at this w.site mostly for purposes having absolutely nothing to do with DUCATI what-so-ever ! _ So unfortunately Jim has thus had to go to very near extreme measures to keep those ($#!+ HEAD) types out ! _ Just so we can merely allow only the desirable likes of yourself inside along-with the rest of us Dukers & Duc.Single-enthusiast/owner types.
__ So if you go-ahead & do as Jim is allowing, then I hope you'll still go with a user-name that's about equally associated with anything to do with DUCATI ! _ (And not something like: 'YmaKowZuki-Luvr' or the like, [if you know what I mean]).


" No throttle , choke or decompression cables.. Finding it impossible to locate these. "

____ And when you do find original-stock replacements, they'll likely cost far more than they're really worth ! _ So it's just as well that you learn to make-up your own cables (from bulk-stock). _ A 10-ft length of such bulk-cable could do all three cables for you, at a fraction of the price.


" Looking forward to learning as much as i can about my Scrambler "

____ You've come to the right/best w.stie for that !
__ Do you know which model-year your 450 is ? _ Do you have it's original title ?


" If anyone has an opinion on weather to keep the 6v battery or go with a system that eliminates the battery i'd love some ideas. "

____ If your WideCase-Duke's electrical-system is pretty-much all stock, then there's little reason to alter it in any way, unless...
Either you need to employ brighter lighting, or the motor is already far enough apart that it makes reasonable sense to go-ahead & replace (at least) the alternator-wiring, etc.
__ Fellow-member Jordan is another who's also concerned with converting to a battery-less system, so you may be interested to follow whatever he will have chosen to finally go-with, (as there's more than one option down-that-road) !
To find what-all he's posted thus far, you can look-up his name in the 'user-name listing' of 'members', and then click on it to find all his posts (in whatever threads).


DUKE-Cheers,
-Bob

[3564cam]

Hi John,
Me again,strange coincidence but I just bought myself a 450 scrambler as well in much the same condition as yours.Mine has no prop or centre stand,headlight,wrong tyres,no air filter housing.i bought lots of parts from www.ducatiscrambler.com They have absolutely everything you will need to get your bike up and running.We should compare notes as we progress mate
Steve

[DewCatTea-Bob]

" We should compare notes as we progress "

____ Hoping you'll both do that through postings, so that others can follow & learn as well !

____ Here's a little tid-bit for you Jupiter-owners...
In a 1970 issue of CycleWorld-mag, they road-tested a Jupiter and found that it matched the zer0-to-60 performance of the (then quickest 350!) 'Kawasaki Avenger-350 2-stroke twin', (also tested within the same issue), being "5.5-seconds".


Jupiter-Cheers,
-Bob

[john jupiter]

Thanks for the part sources and the welcomes guys!
i actually love the name, it sounds like a 50's du-wop singer and its really growing on me along with my chrome and yellow tank.
Mr DewCatTea Bob, love your info and took your advice and made my own cables today, it wasnt very hard and after i got the rest of my parts i wasnt goign to let a few cables stop me from trying to fire her up.
I do have a title, but not the original. Dont you need to turn the titles in as the bike changes hands? How would one keep the original? Came with original key though!

3564cam! That sounds like a great idea and youve got some excellent taste in cars and bikes!
I just came up from the garage and she actually fired up after a backfire or two and about a half and hour of kicking until i almost passed out... I went to get dinner, came back down and 2nd kick she fired right up, ran but stalled when i pulled the clutch in and went into first gear.
I need to adjust the idle and carb tomorrow and figure why its stalling when i put it into first..

Does anyone know how many turns out for a VHB29A on a 450 JUPITER??
Will post some pics tomorrow when i get it outside

[Teckhardt]

Does anyone know how many turns out for a VHB29A on a 450 JUPITER??

When I first started messing with my carb I was told 1-1/2 to 2 turns out to start with for the air screw.

I took my bike apart before I got it dialed in so I will be interested to see what settings you end up with.

[Bevel bob]

Stalling ,check out posts on sticking clutch.

[john jupiter]

photo.JPG

some pics while still mostly together. not a show bike by any means but i actually like the wear it shows. original air cleaner setup came with it but not on the bike.