I bought a 2001 Ducati 748s a while ago and performed a 90% tear-down and began restoring and rebuilding. I decided to capture my work mid-way into it. Not intended to be a how-to, but happy to share any process or detail if you want to reach out and ask me.
February 2025
Heat shielding / AZ-proofing.
Thermal shielding under cans/seat, crankcase breather w/upgraded breather valve (replacing stock which has reportedly cracked for some, and caused castastrauphic grease fires). I went through all lines, replaced all fuel lines including an improper rated in-tank tube (was not submersilbe rated - and was deteriorating). Thermal shielded all the fuel lines from tank to throttle body and back.
Rerouted and cleaned up electric, brake, breather, and vaccuum lines.
Late February 2025
Stopping is a good thing.
Upgraded all brake and clutch lines with braided lines, Rizoma reservoirs top it off… get it?
May 2025
Media controller.
First mordernization update was adding a Bluetooth audio controller. I repurposed some old picatinny rail, and an offset flashlight clamp to use as the method for mounting the controller. I found a cylindrical body secrew-down marine application BT5 controller. It needed to have the exterorior threads shaved down to fit the diameter of the clamp sections properly.
While I had the air stock ducts out, i decided to replace them with carbon fiber ducts where my BT controller would be mounted to.
Final assembly turned out perfect. Control is via single knob, rotate Left/Right, rotate and hold, push-in, push-in and hold, are the combos that execute commands. I can control my iPhone tracks and levels with my hand still on the grips, using just my thumb!
July 2025
More tech: Blind spot indicator
I love the feel of mechanical controls with most older motorcycles and cars. But I definitely like a lot of the tech and convience inherent in modern vechiles. I love what's been happening in the Resto-mod scene with cars, especially with Singer. Not a ton is happening in the sport/super bike arena though. It's a challenging platform with an often unforgiving lack of 'add-on' space. Perfect challenge for incorporating a blind spot detection system (which will be a ground entry basis to the birthing of a platform for other very targeted future experiements). And here we go.
(The stack: ESP32 S3 Wroom board, Waveshare transparent OLED display, HC-SR04 sensor (phase 1 quick validation — moving to mm wave sensor for phase 2 executing broader sensing properties).
Became friends with Chat GPT
I decided to leverage some AI assitance since I don't have a ton of embedded programming experience, however, familiar with Arduino's IDE.
A preview of the AI collaboration covering ground 0, pahse 1 'sonic sensor execution, and into phase 2, mm wave early tests.
Proto build: Sensor
The HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensor is located in the RH tail section. I 3D printed the housing using Nylon12-Carbon Fiber. It's a sectional, sandwich contruction where the mounting plane for the sensor has the ability to pivot on it's Y axis to hone its directrional sensing 'cone' as needed.
The mounted sensor (VHB to the rescue as I did not want to commit to drilling mount holes right now).
Sketchup model of the housing elements.
Proto build: Controller & Logic
I mounted the ESP32 board to a proto-board and soldered the component pinouts and the resistors needed to facilitate proper voltage division needed between the sensor and board. Chat GPT was kind enough to provide me wtih a schematic that illustrated my needs in context. Specifically I wanted to up the voltage of the HC-SR04 to 5V in order to increase the dectection range to around 16' where the ESP32 provides 3.4V max output .
The array is dependent upon the use of a common ground for signal command (and of course for closing the power circuit). I'd be using a dedicated 12V to 5V USB A+C power supply to power the board and the sensor independently. The display will draw from the board's power (3.4V pinout). All components will share ground at a terminal block.
I discussed variables and iteration intent with Chat GPT to provide context and intent as I go along here with the phase 1 POC build. Topics included limitiations and environmental considerations with the ultrasonic sensor, an appraoch to using a phased array with ultrasonic, and executing enhanced sensing with MMwave.
ESP32 mounted in 3D pinted housing
ESP32 mounted in 3D pinted housing
Sketchup model of the housing elements.
snippet of future thought and potential paralell dev executions that I may want to do.
Chat GPT can both take and dish out the compliments humanly and sincerely.