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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Antietam Classic Cycle on November 22, 2014, 02:34:08 PM

Title: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-) For Sale
Post by: Antietam Classic Cycle on November 22, 2014, 02:34:08 PM
Well, sort of.  ;) Went down to Fairfax, VA this morning and picked up this:

(http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m5/Amboman4/CagivaElefant650001_zps86183100.jpg)

(http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m5/Amboman4/CagivaElefant650002_zpscb043f67.jpg)

'86 Cagiva Elefant 650. It is Ducati powered, but not really a scrambler, more an large dual-sport or "adventure tourer" I guess.

3500 original miles. Only $1000. Will make a nice stable-mate for '88 Paso 750.  :)
Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-)
Post by: leafman60 on November 22, 2014, 02:40:13 PM
I had two of those back in the early nineties.  One heckuva bike.  Only issue is that body parts are no longer available and I used mine in the woods which can be rough on such items.

I really enjoyed those bikes.  They also had a Lucky Strike cigarette-theme paint job variant. I liked the blue and white best. I have a bunch of pics of my adventures on that thing.
Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-)
Post by: arveno on November 22, 2014, 02:50:31 PM
 :drool :drool :drool :drool :drool :drool :drool

Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-)
Post by: Antietam Classic Cycle on November 22, 2014, 02:58:32 PM
I had two of those back in the early nineties.  One heckuva bike.  Only issue is that body parts are no longer available and I used mine in the woods which can be rough on such items.

I really enjoyed those bikes.  They also had a Lucky Strike cigarette-theme paint job variant. I liked the blue and white best. I have a bunch of pics of my adventures on that thing.

My brother had a Lucky Strike back around '91. I rode it a few times, must have been taller back then, can't reach the ground on this one.  ;) Fortunately, still have photocopies of the manuals.
Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-)
Post by: Turin on November 22, 2014, 03:07:03 PM
I had a Cagiva Alazzurra.  Great bike with an awesome little motor.
Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-)
Post by: crc on November 22, 2014, 03:17:56 PM
I read somewhere the Italians first called the a white elephant  :o
Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-)
Post by: dilligaf on November 22, 2014, 03:47:33 PM
I had a Cagiva Alazzurra.  Great bike with an awesome little motor.

 :+1 We enjoyed ours.  :BEER:
Matt
Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-)
Post by: crc on November 22, 2014, 04:05:08 PM
ive had a couple of moto morini x1 kanguros, didn't do a lot of off road on them but I wouldn't really call them dirt bikes. abit different though riding a v twin trail bike. the gearing was abit low on them for the road riding I was doing on then. I had two 3 1/2s at the same time, a early sport and a strada, them little buggers could realy hum for a 350, and I used to take the sport over redline a lot, it loved it ;-T
Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-)
Post by: tazio on November 22, 2014, 05:31:36 PM
ive had a couple of moto morini x1 kanguros, didn't do a lot of off road on them but I wouldn't really call them dirt bikes. abit different though riding a v twin trail bike. the gearing was abit low on them for the road riding I was doing on then. I had two 3 1/2s at the same time, a early sport and a strada, them little buggers could realy hum for a 350, and I used to take the sport over redline a lot, it loved it ;-T
I got this brochure when I lived in Venice (FL.)
Were the Kangaroo's 350cc ?
Test rode a Cagiva Elefant 650 (was coming off a Yamaha XT550), should have bought it..
Your's looks great Mr.Charlie!! How do you find these deals ??!! :bow
(http://i1282.photobucket.com/albums/a538/broughsuperior/06-19-2012095822PM_zpsddc7226f.jpg) (http://s1282.photobucket.com/user/broughsuperior/media/06-19-2012095822PM_zpsddc7226f.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-)
Post by: crc on November 22, 2014, 05:35:43 PM
yes the kanguroos were 350s, there was a few different series of them over the years of production. the camels were 500s. ive never ridden a 500 morini but from what ive read theyre not much faster than a 350
Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-)
Post by: Antietam Classic Cycle on November 22, 2014, 06:28:06 PM
Test rode a Cagiva Elefant 650 (was coming off a Yamaha XT550), should have bought it..
Your's looks great Mr.Charlie!! How do you find these deals ??!! :bow

Every night before going to bed, I browse several area Craigslists. In this case, the Elefant had been advertised for at least two weeks without any photos and one week with some (obviously) older photos. The seller said most people that replied had no idea what an Elefant even was, but just thought it looked cool. One even compared it to a KLR.  ;D He was amazed that not only did I know what it was, but had actually ridden one before. When I mentioned that I also had a Paso, he decided I was just the guy for the bike.

Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-)
Post by: steven c on November 22, 2014, 06:48:11 PM
 I used to have a 750 Paso a few years back, fun bike. What do you do about tires? Is there anything close these days?
Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-)
Post by: Antietam Classic Cycle on November 22, 2014, 07:05:14 PM
I used to have a 750 Paso a few years back, fun bike. What do you do about tires? Is there anything close these days?

Shinko started making tires in the original sizes about a year ago. The SR880/881 only come in those sizes.
http://www.americanmototire.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=33_892_1105
$185 a pair for fat, short, radials is a bargain IMO. Reports from those using them are mostly positive.

Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-)
Post by: crc on November 22, 2014, 07:14:58 PM
I put a 900ss motor in a paso for a customer. had to take to the 900ss cases with a cut off disc as the 900 mounts were much wider. the boys in the shop were giving me sum strange looks but with carefull measureing it all turned out good. sum time ya just gota do what ya gota do
Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-)
Post by: crc on November 22, 2014, 07:21:19 PM
Charlie can I ask a favour of you please? you must have a loopy in the shop? would you please measure centre to centre measurements for the mounting of a police seat and post the results on the customer ettiquite post? don't want to involve you in any of my shit but I know what the measurement is and no one else seems to want to confirm it. I want the measurement to the centre of the rear mount slots as that is the true way to measure something like this. thank you if you oblige to my request
Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-)
Post by: flip on November 22, 2014, 07:43:43 PM
:drool :drool :drool :drool :drool :drool :drool



 :+1
Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-)
Post by: Guzzistajohn on November 22, 2014, 07:59:51 PM
I had a 'Fant for awhile. maroon colored with a 900 Duc motor. Great bike!
Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-)
Post by: bpreynolds on November 22, 2014, 08:21:56 PM
Got a better lookin muffler and exhaust than the new Scrambler, definitely. 
Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-)
Post by: Antietam Classic Cycle on November 22, 2014, 08:55:37 PM
Got a better lookin muffler and exhaust than the new Scrambler, definitely. 

Supertrapp sticking out, big ugly blob hidden under the side panel.

(http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NTYyWDc1MA==/z/y-UAAOxy14VRNidu/$(KGrHqJ,!k4FE)-kPG5NBRNidu0s8!~~60_35.JPG)
Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-)
Post by: Dogwalker on November 23, 2014, 04:23:30 AM
They also had a Lucky Strike cigarette-theme paint job variant.
The Cagiva Elefant Lucky Explorer, that won the Paris-Dakar Rally in 1990 and 1994 (when the bike for the Paris-Dakar still resembled much the road models from which they derived). Is the most widely known version, and one of the symbols of Italian motorcycle production of those years.
(http://www.nydesmo.com/images/pag18-19.jpg)
Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-)
Post by: lucky on November 23, 2014, 09:56:10 AM
Job 1:  replace the belts.

(Don't ask how I know)
Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-)
Post by: Antietam Classic Cycle on November 23, 2014, 10:19:20 AM
Job 1:  replace the belts.

(Don't ask how I know)

Yep. On my "to do" list (along with the Paso's and MZ's).
Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-)
Post by: dl.allen on November 23, 2014, 10:34:23 AM
Wow, great find!  Subconsciously Ive been making my KLR look like an Elefant!   Someday I will own a Luckly Explorer version
Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-)
Post by: Travman on November 23, 2014, 11:29:37 AM
Nice find Charlie. Hope to see it soon. I love funky Italian bikes.
Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-)
Post by: Antietam Classic Cycle on November 23, 2014, 03:15:19 PM
Nice find Charlie. Hope to see it soon. I love funky Italian bikes.

I talked to a guy about a year ago who told me electric bikes were the future. I thought he said "eclectic" so I've been stocking up whenever I get the chance.  ;D
Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-)
Post by: steven c on November 23, 2014, 03:19:12 PM
 You have good taste!
Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-)
Post by: canuck750 on November 23, 2014, 05:09:22 PM
What a cool bike, never seen one, thanks for posting!
Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-)
Post by: rboe on November 24, 2014, 10:49:11 AM
Rode with some guys at an enduro rally in Ely Nevada a couple years back. They could ride the Elephant like I ride a CT110. Amazing. Once back on the road and off the dirt the Quota ate them. Geared a bit too low for the open road (and the stock Quota is geared pretty high).
Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-)
Post by: Antietam Classic Cycle on December 04, 2014, 09:56:03 AM
A couple more photos taken the day I unloaded it at my off-site storage.

(http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m5/Amboman4/CagivaElefant001_zps7c5f1475.jpg)

(http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m5/Amboman4/CagivaElefant003_zpsb8a6069a.jpg)

Had the seat off so I could snap a pic of this rubber boot:

(http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m5/Amboman4/CagivaElefant002_zpsf9940e72.jpg)

It's cracked and wrapped with red tape. I'd really like to find a new one or even something that would fit. There's probably something automotive that will work, I just have to find it. If anyone knows of a source, I'd like to know about it.

I dialed out almost all of the shock preload and can just get my toes down now. Bought another seat from Ed Milich, plan to have it cut down and reupholstered. That should get me low enough to get the balls of my feet down. 
Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-)
Post by: Antietam Classic Cycle on March 08, 2015, 06:40:31 PM
Update. Brought the Elefant home from storage on Jan. 28th and got to work on it in my spare time. Nothing really challenging and I made good progress fairly quickly. Finished it up yesterday evening except for installing the Tusk handguards. Did the first "test hop" of just over 2 miles yesterday and another 45 miles today. So far, so good. Only "issue" so far was an oil weep from the filler plug, fixed by replacing the perished o-ring with one meant for a Loop distributor.  

The backroads are quite sloppy after 10" of snow followed by a couple of 50 degree days, so now she's a dirty girl.  ;D

(http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m5/Amboman4/Cagiva%20Elefant%20650/Elefant%2003082015%20003_zpsrxzqdxjc.jpg)

(http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m5/Amboman4/Cagiva%20Elefant%20650/Elefant%2003082015%20002_zpsjknidxvo.jpg)

Slideshow here: http://s100.photobucket.com/user/Amboman4/slideshow/Cagiva%20Elefant%20650
Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-)
Post by: Yukonica on March 08, 2015, 07:12:33 PM
]I had two 3 1/2s at the same time, a early sport and a strada, them little buggers could realy hum for a 350, and I used to take the sport over redline a lot, it loved it ;-T

I had a 3 1/2 Strada for a few years. Rode the skin off it. I even rode it from Victoria BC to Calgary and back without any issues. Loved the bike except for the one carburetor intake facing forward... would shut down that cylinder in a heavy rain. Bike was third hand when I got it so I have no idea if that was a design or an add-on. I'd buy another if I ever saw one for sale. Great little bike.
Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-)
Post by: krglorioso on March 08, 2015, 07:52:42 PM
Charlie:  Ride it like you stole it, because for $1000 you did!  Lucky you!!

Ralph
Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-)
Post by: Bill Hagan on March 08, 2015, 07:55:57 PM

Bring that thing down here sometime so I can ride take a look at it in the flesh.  :D

Very nice, Charlie.

Bill

Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-)
Post by: LowRyter on March 08, 2015, 08:00:44 PM
well, good luck but Ringling Bros put all their elephants out to retirement. 

I hope you have a lot of peanuts.  But you'll have to put it to pasture.

 ;D

sorry
Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-)
Post by: leafman60 on March 08, 2015, 08:49:52 PM
Those Cagiva rubber parts and body parts are difficult to find. Check the rubber elbows that connect to the carbs.  I bet they're cracked up too.

I had two of these bikes and rode the hell out of them in the early 90's. Fabulous runners. I ended selling them due to body parts availability since I rode mine in the woods and encountered harm's way often.

For a while I could get things like the rubber parts but that soon dried up. I fixed my cracked rubber intake plumbing by cleaning the parts and spraying them with black aerosol vinyl, the tool-handle dip stuff. It worked great.

I shelved the heavy muffler assembly and fabricated a two-into-two system pushing two small Supertrap mufflers.

The Elefant is a super bike. It'll throw a rooster tail on sand at 60 MPH. Be careful.
Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-)
Post by: Antietam Classic Cycle on March 08, 2015, 09:23:11 PM
Bring that thing down here sometime so I can ride take a look at it in the flesh.  :D

Sure thing. I need to visit anyway.

Those Cagiva rubber parts and body parts are difficult to find. Check the rubber elbows that connect to the carbs.  I bet they're cracked up too.

For a while I could get things like the rubber parts but that soon dried up. I fixed my cracked rubber intake plumbing by cleaning the parts and spraying them with black aerosol vinyl, the tool-handle dip stuff. It worked great.

I shelved the heavy muffler assembly and fabricated a two-into-two system pushing two small Supertrap mufflers.

The Elefant is a super bike. It'll throw a rooster tail on sand at 60 MPH. Be careful.

Body parts - yeah, not real available, but I'm not planning on crashing. ;D I may buy another tank from Ed Milich - the way I see it, that's the most important, easily damaged and difficult to repair piece. Plastics aren't really a problem unless you really crash big-time.

Rubber bits - absolutely no issue here. I've already had the rubber "union" between the frame and airbox reproduced by CSM Reproductions and will have the rubber elbows from the carb to frame done next. No hurry there - mine are like new, no cracks or deterioration at all. The rubber on the intake manifolds did have a few shallow cracks, I sealed them with Seal-All and covered the entire rubber part with adhesive lined heat-shrink tubing. Used a section of a late Tonti breather hose as a replacement for the unavailable original.

The original muffler stays. Although it's heavy, it's quiet even with an open end cap, yet still has a nice bark to it.
Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-)
Post by: Antietam Classic Cycle on March 27, 2015, 10:30:13 AM
For sale in the Classifieds.
Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-) For Sale
Post by: Joe A. on March 27, 2015, 11:22:26 AM
I just noticed your website in your signature....Beauti ful work you do!! ;-T
Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-) For Sale
Post by: pressureangle on March 27, 2015, 11:47:59 AM
$1000 ?!!??

Inconthievable.

Awesome find.  :BEER:
Title: Re: Just bought a "Ducati scrambler" ;-) For Sale
Post by: Antietam Classic Cycle on March 27, 2015, 12:02:49 PM
$1000 ?!!??

Inconthievable.

Awesome find.  :BEER:

Yeah, only another $1000 and 30 hours to put it right. It'll be the same with my $500 Ducati Paso.