42107 - Ducati Panigale V4R

[Zerobricks]

1 hour ago, allanp said:

Just picked up mine and the new suspension is quite soft and very smooth. I found that is well built but easy to take apart if desired. The internal spring is tiny! If you can find stiffer springs of the same size it would be easy to change.

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=6654910

Full spring compression takes around 400-420g

 

Please post a deeplink to the photo so we can see it.

[allanp]

1 hour ago, Zerobricks said:

Please post a deeplink to the photo so we can see it.

Sorry, I've updated the previous comment.

[Zerobricks]

8 minutes ago, allanp said:

Sorry, I've updated the previous comment.

Thank you

And wow, that spring really is tiny! I suppose if you push the assembly together strong enough, the back pops out?

[allanp]

8 minutes ago, Zerobricks said:

Thank you

And wow, that spring really is tiny! I suppose if you push the assembly together strong enough, the back pops out?

As the back part is the part that eventually limits the travel then yes, in theory if you banged it hard enough the back could pop out. The way it's built into this model the top is enclosed by more Technic pieces so it can't pop out, but I might update my original comment to mention this.

[MegaRoi]

On 6/6/2020 at 3:39 PM, pluisje said:

The rain was gone this morning, so I made some photo's with my real Ducati :)

It's a 749 instead of a Panigale, but close enough imo :)

@vliet I noticed the same thing with the axle/pin-connectors. I thought it was just general crap qualitycontrol on colours these days, but you actually got new ones? Maybe I should report mine as well then...

Nice bike! And I also like the ABS model ...

 

On 6/6/2020 at 10:37 AM, agrof said:

Remove the panels, swap some colors, and you got a Streetfighter V4 track racer. 

Here is my try for a Streetfighter in white

Obviously I need another copy of the set to finish it and I still don't know exactly how to build the face. Maybe I will use the original one ...

To Bad Lego missed the chance to add an additional axle hole to the bottom of the new shock.

[agrof]

It looks nice in white. I just found a decent 25% discount at one of the local webshop, so let's dig into it! 

I will post pictures about my Streetfighter version later on.

Edited June 10, 2020 by agrof

[Vectormatic]

So has anyone thought of a way to eliminate the rubber band in the drivetrain? I can understand using one for the 90 degree stepper for the gearbox, but rubber band drive straight off the crank?

 

Im now halfway through the build, and i love the single sided swingarm, i think the gearbox and its operation is quite cool, but the building techniques worry me, the whole "slew of connectors on a few axles" thing give enough flex and impreciseness that i can easily see some gearboxes ending up with enough stress that drive will be less then smooth. To test the gearbox i had to already flex the frame a bit since there was enough friction on the crank that the rubber band drive was slipping...

Im loving the new parts though, im definitely ordering a set of shocks, discs and that rear tyre for my Desmosedici-fied 42036, although the swingarm needs a serious adjustment to fit that fat tyre.

[pleegwat]

The gearbox works fine for me, though testing was tricky because of a lack of axle length to turn manually with. I did swap the 20z for a proper fit from the collection.

By axle distance, the band can just be swapped with 2x16z.That won't fit on the side the elastic band is on in stock, because of the stepper, but there's plenty of space on the other side.

[agrof]

I really enjoy this build, love, how feature packed with the gearbox! I immadiately turned it to my "B-model", with some color swap. The new forks are almost good, but it is so stupid, that there is no attachment point on the bottom. It should be 1 stud longer, with an axle hole perpendicular to the current one in "horizontal" direction. I am trying to add some floating fake brakes on it, but it just looks unbaked...

Edit: maybe wiith some recolor... compression (blue) and rebound (red) adjust knobs... I don't know, at least the wheel rotates just like before.

Edit 2: I actually start to accept this, from a distance it looks quite ok.

Edited June 10, 2020 by agrof

[Bartybum]

@agrof That looks really good. Do you reckon you could do a mudguard for the front wheel too?

[agrof]

Yepp, I was thinking about this too. Maybe using the windshield piece... there is not much space left above the tire, when the forks are fully compressed. Still, I am afraid, there is no sleek and elegant solution can be found.

For the gearbox: you can change the driving ring connector. It comes with the red one as standard, so by using this part (below), in theory You can get rid of the silicon band and the positioning mechanism. I need to disassemble and test it first though, I assume, it will work with significantly higher force. I must admit, as out of the box, it is very satisfying to flick the shifting lever up and down. 

Edited June 11, 2020 by agrof

[Vectormatic]

@agrof that sounds like an interesting idea. I think the gearchange is excellent as it is, but i dont agree with the use of rubber bands in technic sets, they deteriorate over the years, and while i can reassemble and play with my 20 year old technic, im pretty sure the same cant be said for anything that uses a rubber band.

 

I just finished building it, so i figured id give my first impressions:

The good: Im amazed they managed to put a gearbox in what is essentially the same dimensions as 42036, the bike feels a lot bulkier, but the width is the same, the wheelbase just a tad longer, the height just a tad more. The gearchange is excellent, the effect of the gearbox is easily seen. I also love the new parts, the fatter rear tyre, the brake discs, the use of the Chiron brake hub, it all brings so much more realism to the bike. my modded 42036 still looks like lego, this ducati could from a distance pass as a scale model. I will absolutely buy extra pieces of the new parts to pimp up my other bikes. The stand is a nice inclusion, but i wouldve liked a normal kickstand on the bike itself, i understand these racing bikes tend to not have those, but it wouldve made moving it around a little less cumbersome.

The bad: as i wrote before, im not terribly impressed with the "build a plate with arbitrary holes from axles and connectors" method used to hold the sides of the gearbox/engine. I think they introduce to much flex, and especially in drivetrains this leads to extra friction and defects. I also think the use of a rubber band to drive the engine is completely inexcusable, especially considering these bands are easy to get lost, and will probably break over time. From what i can tell one can easily swap in two 16t gears on the opposite side, which will be my first mod to this bike. Im also not a big fan of how the "head" is attached, this is always going to be an issue on bike with fixed headlights, but i wouldve prefered some liftarms over axles.

Conclusion: Im quite happy with the ducati, it does have its issues, but those seem fixable, and it really lifts technic motorcycles to a whole new level.

[agrof]

@vectormatic Totally agree with above written (I am also not a fan of the silicon bands).

So, I think my modding journey is ended for now, I will disassemble to check the gearbox idea soon. Here are couple of pictures, there is on purpose no lights, etc - I wanted to have a pure race machine.

Small details like fuel cap and brake/clutch levers added (all parts from the set).

Front brakes with khm... "fender", and added 2 panels to the belly, and of course the small wings shall not be missing.

I took away 1 chain link, and with this orientation of the links, it runs smooth for me (very slight tension). If You put other way around, it will click when the bike is pushed forward, so if you hear that, just turn the chain around. Also make sure, that the chain runs as straight as possible.

Approx so many pieces left (I took away the color swapped ones), and maybe 20 pieces added extra.

Oh boy, my 8051 looks really outdated now... 

 

Edited June 11, 2020 by agrof

[Vectormatic]

haha, that 8051 does indeed look likje something out of the 90s now :P My 42036 now looks rather scrawny and toy-like as well, will you be giving the 8051 some upgrades?

 

I just cant get over how good the new shocks and brake discs make the thing look, completely next level

[amorti]

@agrof looking good!

Of course, now you've done the front fender like that, it needs to become a HyperMotard...

 

[agrof]

The 8051 will be turned into it's B-model, which has an awesome V engine btw. Ah, and as Lego's Pick-a-Brick is available, I ordered the new rear tire for it too. 

The hypermotard looks good too, but it needs a complete overhaul as it has a V2 heart.

[amorti]

True, although Ducati is well known for engine sharing across platforms. I'd be surprised if a V4 hypermotard never happened.

[Vectormatic]

54 minutes ago, amorti said:

True, although Ducati is well known for engine sharing across platforms. I'd be surprised if a V4 hypermotard never happened. 

Depends entirely on why they have the V4 in the panigale, from what wikipedia tells me, the V4 was introduced because the superbikes regs specify a 3 or 4 cyl engine, so think of it as a homologation special, but in larger numbers. The baby panigale still uses a V2, rather then a lower capacity V4.

Ducati has had a V4 for ages, with the desmosedici, but they still stuck with the V2 for their road bikes.

[agrof]

Found a nice transparent CADA piece, what do You think about? Even some LED light imitations can be packed behind, or use in solid black/red.

Or Husquarnafied (I prefer this one)

The new spring lower mounting point should be like this, I still can not believe they didn't implemented it...

Edited June 11, 2020 by agrof

[BrickMonkeyMOCs]

15 hours ago, vectormatic said:

So has anyone thought of a way to eliminate the rubber band in the drivetrain? I can understand using one for the 90 degree stepper for the gearbox, but rubber band drive straight off the crank?

There may be better ways involving significantly redesigning the model, but here's a quick and easy fix that uses only 4 added parts (the two gears, a ball joint pin, and a 4L axle). The 4L axle is attached to the added tan gear, while the black ball joint pin is the new lower attachment point for the remaining rubber band. Because the two added gears are not equal in size the engine will run at a lower RPM than before, but it's a very simple and effective way of getting rid of the rubber band in the drive mechanism.

[steph77]

This could be even simplyer.

The Driving ring is mounted on a non-friction sliding connector, true?

Why not replace this connector by the friction one?. The selector is manualy operated so it will need a little extra force to lock the Driving ring into the worm gear, but on the other hand the wole 90° lock system could be taken off the model wich results in a better design.

[agrof]

@steph77 This is what I described above, and will just start to test. This eliminates 1 silicon rubber band. @BrickMonkeyMOCs wrote about the second one. I will check this too.

I am on holiday, it is raining, what better occupation, than build! 

EDIT:

So, I replaced, and as assumed - the designers are not plane stupid at Lego.  Now at least we know why:

1. the shifting force is significantly higher, almost feels and hears, like something is going to break
2. there is a lot (see: a LOT) play of the lever. Almost 90°...

End of test, the original design is valid.

Edited June 11, 2020 by agrof

[Vectormatic]

@BrickMonkeyMOCs @agrof

I was thinking of swapping the drive to the other side of the engine, and using the 20z/10z gear combo, with the 20z on the bottom axle. This will put another big tan disc in place of the half thickness gear, preserving that detail, and it will make the engine run at higher RPM, hopefully this wont cause too much friction, but it should look cooler, and will make the engine run at a significant RPM even in second gear.

The gear change fix would be interesting too, i wonder how it would affect the feel of the lever.

Im also contemplating some aesthetic mods, looking at the side profile it should kinda have the long wide panel rather then the short one (the one with the ducati corse sticker). This might fix on the left flank, although the gearshift lever might interfere, on the right the current stepper mechanism blocks it. Im also thinking the exhaust curl and rear mudflap require some changes, and the rear shock could do with a bit more mechanical advantage, i feel like pushing down on the bike in the middle shows a soft rear.

[BrickMonkeyMOCs]

6 minutes ago, agrof said:

@steph77 This is what I described above, and will just start to test. This eliminates 1 silicon rubber band. @BrickMonkeyMOCs wrote about the second one. I will check this too.

I am on holiday, it is raining, what better occupation, than build! 

Let us know how it goes. My guess is that the shifting foot-peg on the outside won't lock as cleanly into 90deg positions when relying on the friction driving ring connector in place of the rubber band and 90deg mechanism on the other side. Personally, I don't mind the rubber band on the selector, but I am interested in finding out if it can be eliminated too.

[steph77]

24 minutes ago, agrof said:

@steph77 This is what I described above, and will just start to test. This eliminates 1 silicon rubber band. @BrickMonkeyMOCs wrote about the second one. I will check this too.

I am on holiday, it is raining, what better occupation, than build! 

EDIT:

So, I replaced, and as assumed - the designers are not plane stupid at Lego.  Now at least we know why:

1. the shifting force is significantly higher, almost feels and hears, like something is going to break
2. there is a lot (see: a LOT) play of the lever. Almost 90°...

End of test, the original design is valid.

OK !