The "Pile of Paso"



Surfing on the internet and hitting all of my regular forums, I saw a posting by a member on the Ducati Paso Forum about a Paso rolling-chassis in the Atlanta area that was being given away (Thanks, Jon!). To make a story less lengthy than it can be, I contacted the owner within three hours after it was posted, and he said the stuff was mine and to come pick it up. It also turned out that Steve, the guy giving the stuff away, was someone whom I'd met through the Ducati Index, several years ago, and had actually ridden motorcycles with on some mountain roads, including the Blue Ridge Parkway, back in 2001 or 2002. He said that the bike was basically a rolling-chassis (frame, wheels, suspension), with a few body panels, the gas tank, and a Corbin seat. He wasn't kidding, either!

[The rolling chassis, as I first saw it. Bare-bones, and not much to it.]

[The rolling chassis with the seat and tank installed.]

In all, it was the frame with both front and rear suspensions, handlebars, wheels, old tires, both side fairings, both tail section fairings, the tank, the Corbin seat, Cobra F1s mufflers, and the tray/mud-guard that goes in the rear subframe. I slapped the left-side fairings on the bike with a few zip-ties, just to see how it would look...

[Chassis with a side fairing and a tail-section fairing held n with zip ties).]

I was informed that there was no title, only a Bill of Sale, as he bought it with only a Bill of Sale. Interestingly, we forgot to fill out the Bill of Sale that I took with me, so I may send it to him so he can sign it.


The whole drive home, I was wondering how I was going to get the tank open to see what it's condition was like. The one on the Paso Project had been rusty, sealed, and rusted again, so it was in pretty bad shape. I've been wanting to give it a POR-15 treatment, but can't bring myself to treat the tank, yet. After we got home, I checked the tank that we already had and discovered I could just unscrew all the bolts and remove the cap, so I did.....and then I took the cap apart and ground down the locking mechanism so I can use the cap (the one on the other tank doesn't have a lock on it).

[The underside of the gas cap with the ground-down locking pin.]


I was very pleased when I looked into the tank. The inside is extremely clean. I was shocked as to what good shape it was. I figure we'll be using this tank on the Paso Project.

[Inside of the tank.]


[Inside of the tank.]


[Inside the tank.]


So, it's looking like the trip was well worth it. I'll be using the tank on the Paso Project and will be using the nice Corbin seat. It's a shame that I didn't discover this a back in November (2006), as I could have used the left fork slider and upper triple clamp. Also disappointing, the wheels on this Pile of Paso are in better shape than the Paso Project's, and I already had the front wheel straightened and new tires and wheel bearings installed. I'm not too sure if I'll keep the wheels and put them on the Paso Project, later.

[Really nice Corbin seat.]

I don't know what the future is for this Pile of Paso. I may try to track down the title, I may just part it out once the Paso Project is complete, or......maybe I'll look into installing all the '94 SS900 parts I was saving for Phase II of the Paso Project (upside-down Showa forks and triple clamps, 17" wheels, 320mm full-floating rotors, Brembo Gold-line calipers), find an early 90's carburated SS750 or SS900 engine to stick in this frame, and get one of Air Tech's "competition" headlight fairings to make for a really interesting, very low-budget, track bike.....for now, it'll sit and collect some dust for a while.



Back to the Paso Project.