It may have taken three months and multiple emails, but the Rizoma oil filler plug finally arrived yesterday for my Ducati Monster 696+. Over the past two seasons I have been replacing and adding upgrades to the motorcycle. My main rules are that any part I replace needs to be of high grade materials [carbon fibre or billet aluminium] and will preferably have been made in Italy, or at least Europe. As previous posts have outlined, I have replaced the mirrors, front fender, rear fender, rear tail lights, tank strip, rear brake reservoir and sprocket cover, and added handlebar ends. Ironically, the easiest upgrade to make has been the hardest for me to accomplish: the oil filler plug.
When I was in Rome I bought one of these at the Ducatti Caffe – it did not fit. I ordered a proper one from ProItalia, and I was sent the wrong thread size. Now after a year of searching, I was able to get the Rizoma Engine Oil Filler Cap delivered from ProItalia in California. It arrived in a nice box and came with a bracket to tie a safety wire on the cap – I doubt that I will do this, but if I get bored some night, then I may go down and cut aircraft cable to make that happen.
In the end, I like the product. Like a lot of the parts on a Monster, you can make a real difference in the feel and look of the motorcycle by merely replacing the cheap plastics and alloy screws used on the factory bikes. As far as a look…I have decided to mix n’ match the colours of the aluminium parts and to keep replacing the plastic with carbon fibre as it wears down. Next on the possible additions will be looking at a set of carbon slip-ons from Termignoni, a Rizoma handlerbar replacement, and a carbon top for the tank to match the strip, but that will have to wait until Spring.
If Not Now, When? 