I have just read "the 16" tyre conudrum on ducatis owners club england i found it in FAQs tire problem area
I think it looks to be a brilliant and much cheaper solution.
I am considering 17" but the costs are running up forks wheels brakes etc and what will and wont fit.
so as I have to strip the bike any way I have printed the article off and am going to have a good look at this option

Hey Mustang, greetings to New Zealand !!! (Wow my cousine lives over there too... Wellington )

I just take the rim from the "Monster", the brakingplate, and original the original spacers on sprocket.
Thats all....

I hope this will help ?!

Yes, the rear on the Sport is as easy as replacing parts. No modification to the swingarm or other parts (unlike the Paso). If you go with the 4.5" wide rim and a 160 tire, all is fine. If you get the 5.5" wide rim, run a 170 tire so you don't rub the chain on the tire sidewall. Use the sprocket carrier from the 4.5" wide rim, as it has a different offset, and your chainline should be good. (of course check it when you first put it together)

The front however is just as complicated as the Paso, as it is basically the same setup. The plug and play option is to get a complete front end off of a Monster or SS. (forks, triples, clipons, wheel, brakes, etc.) The Sport forks aren't really that good anyway.

There's more in the FAQ section.
Cheers,

Thanks for the input guys.
interesting variations here - i have a steel swing arm (i'm told came off the news SS models) but if i just drop the 4.5 17" rim in the with my current spacers, the sproket does not line up so i need to do some work here.

I'm staying with the 16" front as with the new rubber it's virtually a 17" anyway. And although the sport forks have no adjustment (except if you put spaces inside to compress the springs to get a preload setting) they are actually not a bad fork. I race my sport with the standard fork and I'll hazad a guess that they are better performers than newer budget Showa USDs you find on the monster range etc. they just don't look the biz.

The spacers for the two wheels are different, and should go with the wheel. You need to use the spacers for the SS wheel. Since you already have an SS swingarm, it should drop right in. The inside spacing of the two swingarms is identical, and both take a 17mm axle. You will have to use the rear brake caliper, caliper holder, and rotor from the SS/Monster 17" wheel.

Both of my Sports have SS swingarms on them. One aluminum, and the other steel. If the Sport swingarm cracks, which happens, it very difficult to find a replacement. Most likely, the previous owner modified the mounting arms of your swingarm to fit the Sports pivot pin and engine.

Cheers,

Hi Clive,

if you take a look at my conversation you will see that the parts in front are completely taken from an Duc ST2. Fork, rim, brakes... The parts are inexpensive and worth it.
The fork is much better and more sensitive, the brakes ... "bite" better and with the 17" rim you will get tires that you are dreamed of.

It the first time that i tried out a project like that and i`m not a mechanic. But still proud.

So do your thing !