The Ducati blew up!

Not like BANG, more like a balloon.

I painted my old Monster when I sold it to a girl in Dallas:

She was thrilled with it when I delivered it to her, but a couple of months later I got a call from her that there was a problem with the paint. So I headed back down there to see what I could do for her.

What a nightmare. I've never had anything like this happen, but I suspect I was trying to push the process too much. There're three coats in this job, a base, a candy, and a clear. I think I didn't give enough cure time to the candy.

The tank was the only place that it happened, so I took the bike back, stripped it back down to the plastic, and started over.

This time I gave the candy a week total to dry before laying down the clear.

So far so good

Twins... ish

With the help of a friend of mine we managed to get her running, not very well, but that was without the plenum or the stacks on the carbs (which have black rubbery tar in them) and it was without an exhaust. So I'm feeling a little bit better about my mystery purchase, not that I felt bad, but it was nice to hear her wake up.

...and now that I know she works, back to tearing her up:

Had a little more water in her than I thought... this is what happens when an airhead tries his hand for the first time at a waterbike. There are 5 other bikes in my garage and this never would happen to any of them!

looking naked

with my old Ducati (back in the garage for some paintwork fixing for the new owner)