Fabricating the Rear Frame and a Custom Seat Cowl

Welcome back to the Ducati series,

Let's dive right into the first major modifications and fabrication tasks! It all started with the rear frame. It was tightened, shortened and simplified to achieve a slim look. We cut the lower tube and made a new connection to the upper one, by welding in a bend and a new, inclining section. Then we connected both sides with a single, slightly curved, rear tube, creating sharper than usual corner radii. In the next step we set the tail/brake light right into this back end tube.

All welding was performed by a professional welder we're good friends with. The modifications demanded real craftsmanship and a lot of manual labor. When we were finished with the frame alterations we de-tabbed it and put a new electrical component pan and seat support plate in place. After that it was already time to disassemble pre-paint and also do some revision work on the engine. The engine will later be painted in a rich dark grey and the frame will get a fresh layer of it's original color.

Next on the list is the new custom seat made to fit the rear end with a near seamless connection. So we set out to hand-built a seat cowl. First we shaped a master model from scratch. Then made a mold off it using fiber-reinforced synthetic plaster. Also, the final lay-up with hybrid carbon-kevlar and fiberglass fabric was done at the workshop. Later a fitting seat cushion was made by a trusted local upholsterer, using genuine black leather. You can see a step-by-step photo documentation below!

Thanks for reading! Soon in part three of this series, we'll have a look at the front bodywork and new electrical components.

See you next time! Cheers 

Mick

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