Yup, we decided to start with the older Ducati Monster Gen 1 trellis frame because:
a) it's widely accessible (used on Ducati bikes made from 1993-2007). Our team is based in SF, which is a distribution point for Ducati, meaning there's a glut of old generations available to tear apart, but they're easily accessible everywhere.
b) the mounting points on the engine mean that you can swap out for multiple types of engines, depending on your preference (620, 800, and you could possibly wedge a 748 in there if you really wanted to...)
c) the frame allows easy customization of the CAD files, based on style preference - you can make it shorter for a Bobber, longer for a Cafe Racer, change the rake and trail angles, etc. to fit your needs.
One of the women on the team who inspired this project is a track racer and finds it difficult to find bikes that work for her shorter stature, so this was a great use case for the customization.
a) it's widely accessible (used on Ducati bikes made from 1993-2007). Our team is based in SF, which is a distribution point for Ducati, meaning there's a glut of old generations available to tear apart, but they're easily accessible everywhere.
b) the mounting points on the engine mean that you can swap out for multiple types of engines, depending on your preference (620, 800, and you could possibly wedge a 748 in there if you really wanted to...)
c) the frame allows easy customization of the CAD files, based on style preference - you can make it shorter for a Bobber, longer for a Cafe Racer, change the rake and trail angles, etc. to fit your needs.
One of the women on the team who inspired this project is a track racer and finds it difficult to find bikes that work for her shorter stature, so this was a great use case for the customization.