SD 900 darmah

[chew]

Had one for a eight or nine years. Good bike if you were a little mechanically minded and kept the maintenance up on them. I did 45,000 kms over two years at one point and it loved the every day use. Loved loooong runs. Throw away the clipons if they have them as the rake and trail are not really suitable. Sprag clutch on the starter motor was a weak point but mine was a kick start as well. Easy to work on. Only time it left me stranded was when it threw a chain. People did fiddle with them a lot so look out for too many alterations and who they were done by.

If it has a kick start, check the fit and spline as you will not source another lever. Loved it but the fact it wasnt getting ridden and parts were becoming a hassle led to it being sold for $5k, mid nineties.

I have an original owners manual for the Darmah that It was released in Australia with.....in Italian. Will post up a pic of the bike when the site allows it.

[chew]

Double Post

[chew]

Wow, that is weird.

[R160]

anyone here ever own one, good or bad, what so i look for on a 2nd hand one?

[Rich]

I've always liked the SD900s...

Would love to own a black and gold one...

[R160]

same, tryig to work out what they are worth etc.

[potato]

all the roughies are hiding in sheds or getting done up and re-surfacing for big$$


i'd pay around 4k for a doer upper if i could find one.

but thats just me

[Rich]

Please find me one for $4k...

[CBT]

I think the earliest models were reputed to have those dodgy old cast wheels (Not campags - the other brand ,can't remember the name). Significantly slower than an old SS but significantly cheaper too. A couple of old mates had them and one still has a 900SSD. Nothing especially unusual (compared to old duke standards) to worry about. I like 'em - still timeless styling.
The early ones have a thinner possibly less comfortable seat, with a wider flat duck tail and this was dropped in favour of a thicker pad on the later models. The SSD's retained the earlier darmah tail and thin seat regardless of year. If you find one badged as an SSD but with a thicker seat, and narrow duck tail then it will be a standard darmah that has been tarted up.
Heavy clutch, nice sounds, a proper 70's bike with character
... A few for sale in recent months at around $9k to $10k, but condition looked a bit dodgy for that price. Value is in the eye of the beholder I guess. Good luck !

[potato]

i better revise my estimate then.............

but, someone with one that they would let go for around 4k might read this and go, i can get this guy for 9 or 10k !

i'd negotiate but if i thought i was dealing with a gold digger,well, they can keep their $$ dreams and go rot in the back shed

[CBT]

hey Potato - the ones I saw in ads had plenty of good bits too but work to do as well. Your estimate might well be more realistic as far as fair value goes :-)

[potato]

link bro !

[CBT]

can't find the link. It was on gum tree I think.
Have found one on Bikepoint for $10.5k in South Australia
1978 DUCATI 900SD Darmah - bikepoint.com.au

[CBT]

or this one in WA... looks nice too....might still be available (passed in at ~$9.5k)

Ducati Bevel 900SSD | eBay

[R160]

redbook says 400 -900 bucks LoL

[R160]

well went along to the deceased (no reserve) estate auction at Todds auctions in forrestfield.
1979 SD900 Darmah, still rego'ed, looks like it just needed a good clean, and fuel system thoroughly cleaned, (throttle was seized shut) and at least a new fork leg (rust), bidding opened at $2K went for $4,800


other bike was a early 70's? (no comp plate visiable) Triumph Trident with kickstart done up as a Cafe racer. has disc front end, opened just under $2K from memory, solf for $5,600



would have loved the Darmah, but i woud have only gone up to $3,000

Lovely bikes, would'nt mind a SSD in the future :-)

[potato]

good to see they are still around

[Benno #03]

I had a mate who hadn't ownerd a bike for 10 years or so ask me to help him find one about 5 or 6 years ago.
We tracked an original 15,000km SD down in Bathurst. The pic's they sent where pretty good and he bought it sight unseen.
Bit of a gamble at the time, I thought.
But, when it arrived it was immaculate. I agree that they have a very heavy clutch and can be an absolute bastard to start at times, my mate did his knee quite badly on it (his was kick start only) and then bought a Harley Night Train. Wuss.
He still has it I believe, in country Victoria somewhere. From Memory he paid around $10k but it was an extremely nice original bike with zero mods. Wish I'd nabbed it off him before he left town now.

[SPman]

I agree that they have a very heavy clutch and can be an absolute bastard to start at times,

A man's clutch - limp wristed riders need not apply. My GT750 was a piece of piss to start... - hop on, turn on ignition, tickle the carbs (it had Amals), one kick and she was away......the Dellortos could be a bit trickier.....

[chew]

Yep, mine had Dellorto's. The fucker, what used to really shit me was when I needed a new starter motor spragg clutch, if I missed the right stroke with the kick start in the morning and didnt want to push start it, I would go wake my mate up, who would come out in the cold in his jocks and start it bare foot. Damn I hated him those mornings.