Hey,

so after a lot of mulling over getting an SD I am finding it a bit of a hard sell to the Mrs (I want to keep my Blade and a KTM 450 EXC but its apparently 2 bikes only...)

I am therefore considering building a SD type bike possibly using an Aprilia RSV4 Factory motor - something a bit wild and different and strangely 'er indoors doesn't mind that idea. I was wondering how long SD forks are from top to center spindle? I have some GSXR 1000 forks but having done a by-eye measurement when I popped to Devils Bridge over the weekend I think they are much too short. I want to start some basic draughts as I will have some free time shortly, I popped to some local bike shops but they had no SD's in for a close inspection.

I stuck some pics on a blog of previous builds if you care to look (and potentially dampen any "are you crazy" comments)

http://boxfreshclassics.blogspot.com/

ignore the name of the blog, my first choice was taken, as was the second so I gave up coming up with anything original for the time being. The Ducati may get road registered (and by 'may' I mean its an idea we thought might be good in summer - nothing more) - at the moment its being built for the thundersport series.

Cheers,
Mark

Isn't an SD type bike with an RSV4 motor in it called a Tuono V4R?

Yeah but anyone can just buy one of those plus having sat on one they are a bit cramped and small

Possibly some here will not take lightly to the tuono ...

Personnaly I would find a good V-twin to start with, from the SD point of view it could do with a bit more grunt but a V-twin is a good concept.

I have considered a v-twin. I looked at the vtr, tl but both of those are surprisingly heavy lumps and a bit uninspiring. A Ducati motor would be ok but would need to be at least the 999 engine. They are expensive for what you get stat wise. That left the Aprilia v twin from an RSV Mille. Good motor and you can get them cheap, I had settled on this before seeing a v4 aprilia engine on a bench, tiny thing and they sound nice. Unfortunately the lc8 engine seems to be a little lacking, many on here have said as much and they are also quite scarce which makes them an expensive option

Saying that I could build the whole bike using a v twin Mille engine for the cost of the v4 motor alone so I might end up using a twin yet. At the moment I like the idea of the v4

Dude..just sell the Blade and get an S.D..!!!

Lol I don't mean to piss them off. Are they that sensitive!

Thing is, I decide to sell the blade. Mind made up. Yep, she is going.

Problem is I always revert back to not wanting to sell it... I wouldn't mind but it's the original round headlight version that I lusted after when I was at school..