I just collected this Darmah from a friend who was sadly and unexpectedly bereaved. The bike is a January 80 bike so is probably a '79 model. It was last taxed in 1993 and the owner, Eelco, bought it as a project in 2003 and hasn’t touched it since. At first glance the clocks are aftermarket on a home-made alloy bracket so it might have had a crash (or two), since the brake pedal is mangled, or even have been a faired model. The side panels are missing to make way for a couple of K&N type pod filters.
The frame number is 902768 with an SS in it and the engine is 903021 on the cases.
I’d appreciate any more pointers on things to look at to find out if it is what it says on the box
I couldn’t resist a bit of further investigation so I now know that it has 40mm carbs and a full stainless system. The silencers have no markings other than LH and RH. The motor has a kickstart as well as an electric starter. The fibreglass seat unit is very thick but has been hacked a bit to get the seat to lock in so I’m not sure if it’s original or not. The shocks have a screw ride-height platform and look almost new but again have no makers name on. The headlight is Italian but is 6" across the lens so looks too small for the space between the forks.
Although the alloy is furry and there are some rusty fasteners so far everything I have tried to undo has come off very easily and there is evidence that all the threads were greased.
The handlebars are Raask adjustables and the clocks have ‘R&R’ on the dials. The back sprocket is well worn to the point of being hooked so the mileage of 3430 is probably just with the new clocks.
I tried looking at a site with a list of engine and frame numbers but couldn’t make much sense of where mine fit in to the sequence.
Cheers
Ahh, a copy of Falloon’s bible on the net has revealed that I have one of the very last '78 sd9oo’s made before they switched to wider inlet studs but it still has the big carbs. which is evidently a bit daft.
Does anybody know if the Nippon Denso clocks used on the 78 Darmah had an equivalent on a japanese bike? it might make looking for a set a bit easier…
They are ND but I’m not sure if they are interchangeable as far as ratios are concerned.
They do come up on Ebay but aren’t cheap.
Have you tried Andy at Mdina Itaila for bits?
The downpipes look like stainless Keihans as it’s the type fitted to MHR’s with the knik in the rear pipe,
Kevin.
Yes, and the centre stand has put a nice knik in the bottom of a silencer, too! I think that I will have to contact Mdina as they are so close and I think that I’ll need a load of bits one way and another.
I was interested in the clocks just to put it back more how it was supposed to be, even with the custom clocks in the proper housing - guess I’ll have to get creative with whatever I can find that has the right look.I must stop taking bits off it and concentrate on finishing something else to make room in the gargage to work.
Anybody recognise this distinctively cut-out (to clear K&Ns) side panel?
There was also a black two into one in a pile of bits that were found at the back of the garage.
Hi, I’m Dave, I’ve only just joined the forum and spotted this thread, I am well on the way to nearly finishing my Darmah 1977 one of the first to leave the factory prior to the tigers head appearing on the side panels, if you need any help please get in touch, I have just finished the speedo and Rev counter refurbishment so I may be able to help if you haven’t already sorted some out, any questions please feel free to ask.
Dave
Lol sorry, I thought the date was March last year not March 2012 
Hello Dave, I only sold the Darmah (built as a sort of endurance tribute) last year when I needed the money (Covid killed my work overnight/excluded from Government help/ lost house and partner/needed cash) I had fitted new internals to the speedo and fashioned a rev-counter from a desk lamp shell (Stylish, but stupid!) I never got it running right on both cylinders and if there were 12 ways to time one up, I tried 16 of them. It went to an engineer friend who has more short-term memory/skill. Good luck with yours. I passed on all my parts which included a pair of early small port heads, some (square) cases and about 4 side panels. Let me know if you are looking for anything and I’ll pass on his contact details. Thanks for the trip down memory lane. Martin
Ohh mate that is so sad, I have learned so much about these brilliant machines I could have helped if you didn’t have to sell, I bought mine in a right state and have probs spent 10 hrs a week over last 12months doing bits, my painter sadly passed away so I had to learn to paint, upholstery wasn’t something id done but learned, mechanicaly and electrics I’m ok and got the old girl running sweet, few more weeks and she will be finished, Try my idea, live in a shed and surround yourself with Ducatis, those relationship thingys ain’t rite good from my experience
