"V" vs. "W" heads...

[Speedbag]

I believe so. Chris at CA Cycleworks would be able to vouch, as its part of his super-badass 102hp 2V kit: http://www.ca-cycleworks.com/shop/heads/heads.html



one day.....[wishful thinking]

I wanted that setup soooo bad for my '94. But it was not to be, since in the end it would have cost twice what the bike was worth (and I'm a tightwad).

[junior varsity]

I'm hoping to one day invest in an older SuperSport to throw a silly amount of money at. BST wheels, crazy 2V motor, etc.

[Raux]

I'm hoping to one day invest in an older SuperSport to throw a silly amount of money at. BST wheels, crazy 2V motor, etc.

well the Kamna motor at 118hp is officially THE crazy 2V motor.

[junior varsity]

Indeed. The Kaemna makes 118 over 1078cc (109.462 hp/L), the CA-Cycleworks uses a 966 BCM kit and produces 102 (105.59 hp/L).

If I had a million bucks....

[dansamp]

I wanted that setup soooo bad for my '94. But it was not to be, since in the end it would have cost twice what the bike was worth (and I'm a tightwad).

Hey !!!!
that's my bike !!!!

I was one of the first customers Chris had at his new shop   
I still need to get some light weight wheels
and then Carbon rotors
and then.........  

[discotec]

So ST2 cams are a direct bolt in mod? Is it a very mild performance mod?

Hope so, but that may only be parts of the problem -- quoted from bikeboy -- "The not so good carb engine came in 900 Monster from engine number 037728 and the Cagiva Elefant series. The differences are camshafts and valves. These lower spec engines have 750 cams and valves. The valves are a couple of mm smaller. The cams are a little wacky, being about the same duration, but lower lift than the good 900 cams"

More -- " So there you have it. If you have a late model 900 Monster, the first mod to make is getting rid of the standard cams and maybe the valves. This puts you behind the eight ball from the start unfortunately."

mmmm I  Need to do some head/cam work??

[ID_DUC_MON]

My 97 has the W heads  It is my understanding that V heads are a quick swap with only some jetting to muck with. Is this true? In regards to the $$:HP ratio, is it worth it? In that same note, it is also my understanding that a set of 900ss heads from the same vintage should be V heads. Correct?

I have been considering a V head + 944 upgrade for the next off season but I also am wondering if it would be more feasible to just source a used 900ss motor and refresh it for a swap out.

Has anyone done either of these? Would you do it again?

[junior varsity]

if you are looking at doing some engine swapping, start looking for a 1000DS motor if you can. The M1000 was also a DSS and should go right in.

[Travman]

The M1000 engine is a good suggestion.  I never see these listed for sale though.  Of course the SS1000 and the Sport Classics have the DS1000 engine which could be used for a swap into the Monster frame.  The DS1000 from the Mulitstradas won't work because the swingarm mounts differently

[junior varsity]

Well, it might be made to work. The crankcases themselves are all nearly identical.

[Travman]

Well, it might be made to work. The crankcases themselves are all nearly identical.

Perhaps a DS1000 or DS1100 from a Multistrada could be made to work in a Monster frame, but the Monster, SuperSport, SportTouring and SportClassic bikes have the swingarm bearings in the engine cases.  SuperBike, Multistrada, HyperMotard bikes have the bearings in the swingarm.  This means it wouldn't be a simple motor swap to take an engine from a Mulitistrada and put it into a Monster.  (Source: Duck-Stew, http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=34283.msg597196#msg597196)

Maybe the swap wouldn't be as difficult if a Multistrada engine and corresponding swingarm were used in the Monster frame.  However, then you would have to worry about how the shock would work.   Any way you do it, it's not going to be a simple bolt in job.  

[Frank C]

I swapped the W heads for some SSie heads and cams.  Easy to do if you can find them.  Definitely more HP at a higher rpm, but not dramatically so.  Low end grunt is about the same (around town riding).  But I was already running FCR's and Dyna coils before the swap.

The FCR's and a light flywheel produced the most dramatic improvements in performance, even with the W heads.  Had no issues keeping up with bikes that had the proper V heads.

[MadDuck]

The FCR's and a light flywheel produced the most dramatic improvements in performance, even with the W heads.  Had no issues keeping up with bikes that had the proper V heads.

+1  +1  +1

That's what I did to my W head 98 Monster. While it is true that the V heads breathe better and the engine makes a couple or 3 hp more power there is not a huge difference in the way the engines run. People tend to act & believe that there is a night and day difference between the two engines when in actual fact there is only a barely perceptible change.  Don't feel as though you're a leper if you have a W head bike. Now if you want to spend all the $$$ to have a bigger bore and reworked heads like the CA Cycleworks project then by all means have at it. That's much more noticeable than just switching from a W to V. Not that I wouldn't have done it if I found the heads and had the chance but it wasn't a project that ate at me.

[junior varsity]

if you ARE looking for V heads, browse Gotham Cycles and the like.

[krista]

if you are looking at doing some engine swapping, start looking for a 1000DS motor if you can. The M1000 was also a DSS and should go right in.

That's what I tell people inquiring about the testarosso head work. Why spend $7k to get to 100hp when a stock 1000 engine with FCRs makes that?

The M1000 engine is a good suggestion.  I never see these listed for sale though.  Of course the SS1000 and the Sport Classics have the DS1000 engine which could be used for a swap into the Monster frame.  The DS1000 from the Mulitstradas won't work because the swingarm mounts differently

I've got one for sale. Had it for years. Of course, I want $2k for it... and since everyone wants to pay 900ss or 748 prices, they don't want it. So, it will either sell to someone. Or someday, I'll put it in something and add FCRs to it.