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Rowdiness has been confirmed!  Got a few shakedown runs in and this thing is a blast, yes it wants to pull the front wheel up all the time but I was rather surprised that the suspension is actually pretty decent. The stock shocks are KYB and hold up pretty well.  Had to run a second lever on the left to hook up the rear brake, a bit weird to get used to as I'm not a stunt guy

I have to agree with the above, I love these little bikes and they are way more fun when they make a little noise..

This is about what I remember as well.  I ran a 1st gen SV track bike for a while about 10 years ago and it was mostly suspension and brakes that were focused on.  in the end I moved to an R6 as I was tired of having new track riders blowing by me on the straight and then grabbing a ton of brakes way before I was even thinking about braking

I will have to check them out, my brother just bought land in Wyoming and I already have plans to get a bike and stash it there to visit.  DT is now high on that list. 
Those guys are often on the Revzilla podcast and it is a decent listen.  There are a few that I rank higher but it is pretty good.

Thats a good question, I dont know but may be a test dummy as Ive been thinking about buying one for my kid.

Ok, little progress update.  In speaking with a local contact at Tbolt USA, (pitbike supply site for those that want to go down a wormhole) I landed on a Piranha 140 engine with a 22MM Mikuni.  I will see how it goes as some recommend jumping up to a VM26 but my guess is this should be enough to start with.

I am in the process of making the engine mount brackets, the top engine mount I was able to modify to fit on the Piranha and it bolts onto the frame from the top down.  For the lower I made out cardboard templates to see if I could get the 2 frame mounts with the engine mount in the middle.  First pass with Steel last night and I have it pretty close, need to shim it out in the middle and test out how the chain lines up. 

The K6 in particular I highly recommend for a good mid range helmet.  It fits very similar to my RF1200 at least for me, I have a small round shape head and it is the best the SM/MD is the best fit I have found plus it is a good amount lighter.

How does the K6 compare with the RF-1200 on quietness?

I would say overall the RF-1200 is a little quieter but not by much, the K6 has a latch feature on the visor that when closed makes it pretty comparable, with it open it increases the noise but it great for ventilation.  The weight is the biggest difference to me I was very surprised by how light it is in comparison, I guess the carbon based shell is the difference but its something I notice in my neck.  On the track I still go with the Shoei but I like the AGV for every day riding.

The K6 in particular I highly recommend for a good mid range helmet.  It fits very similar to my RF1200 at least for me, I have a small round shape head and it is the best the SM/MD is the best fit I have found plus it is a good amount lighter. 

I have never seen an issue with the motor/trans and hear they can go basically forever.  The downside is the carbs are a real PIA to get in and out.

Interesting idea on going direct to Japan. 

I have been a long time Shoei supporter with at least 4 of the RF models.  One thing I have learned recently is AGV has a very similar shape and fit to Shoei as my last few newer helmets have been AGV.

Also Im a helmet nerd

If you need any confirmation I have an 05 R6 that I can measure if needed.

I would also join one of the Ducati forums or FB groups to see if this is a more common failure of these engines.  If you can point to that then it would be up to them to prove it wasn't their engine failure.  I do agree trying to cut a deal to pay for parts and they the labor or something is probably your best bet. 

Interesting, I am not sure on the model history but mine is chain driven. 

It also turns out the guy that sold it to me was incorrect, it is in fact a 49cc version.  I suspected that as it had a petal start option. 
It make my decision easier though, fixing up that little motor is not worth it, 140cc Piranha motor it is.

I'll take some pics as the project kicks off over the holidays. 

Thanks, that's pretty much what I was thinking! Although I have heard those 190s are pretty wild. 

Ok, sometimes things just jump into your truck unplanned.  The price was right but now need to figure out what I am going to do with it.  I was told it was an Lb80 but need to go through and find the marks on the engine to confirm. 

My question is does anyone know anything about these, if it is the 72cc engine is it really worth salvaging it?  It is missing both engine covers and some other odds and ends, the problem is it seems some of these parts are pretty expensive.

My thought is it may be a better route to just go with a Piranha engine for now, I know its moving to a 4t but it would be a big increase over the original engine and could make this a fun little bike that could at least keep up with local traffic. 

Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Dave