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I was out in my garage a few days ago working on my project bike. I had to move my 996 out to give myself a little extra room. Later in the day, after I cleaned up and put all my tools away, I rolled the 996 back inside. When I did, I happened to notice that I was missing a windscreen bolt.
Now, I was already missing 2 when I got the bike but I didn't really care all that much at that point. Seemed so trivial. I've ridden the bike now for 3 years as I got it in January of 2017. In that time, I've done a bunch of work to it to make it mechanically sound. Never once did I give thought to the missing windscreen hardware.
The 996, like many things Ducati is never as simple as "just buy new ones" and move on. The windscreen screws are tiny. 4mm fine thread. If you still have the stainless steel OEM ones anyway. (Davenay?) Not only that but they're Torx head fasteners, tiny Torx too. Like T8 or T10 maybe. I dunno, I haven't messed with them as yet.
After noting that one was missing, I also noted that another was horribly loose. Again, Ducati is never as simple as "just tighten it up" and move on. It turns out all the rubber well nuts are old, dry rotted and cracked to the point they are falling apart. At that point I knew I needed to, as a minimum replace all the rubber well nuts. However, I also needed the 3 missing screws too.
Once again, proving what I stated already, it wasn't as simple as "just order new ones" and move on. Finding the proper fasteners proved a timely endeavor, even after posting for assistance on Ducati MS. I searched everywhere I could think of, before discovering that if you want the OEM fasteners you have to go direct to Ducati at $10+ per kit. A kit being one screw and one well nut. There are 9 total. No one makes a reproduction anymore. (I'm sure they did before, as I've seen them) Also, there was no P/N for just the screw or just the well nut. IOW, I couldn't just order what I need. You know. Like the Liberty Insurance commercial? 😁
The only aftermarket ones I could find were from Pro-Bolt. Now, I've used Pro-Bolt before, and they make a great product. However, when I looked at what they had to offer, it didn't look much different to what I could find on eBay really. I pondered ordering a Ti kit from them in gold or black but that really wasn't what I wanted. Then finally, someone on Ducati MS posted a link to an eBay ad.
I followed the link, and found the ad was associated with an eBay storefront. So off I went to the storefront to see what else they offered besides the OEM well nuts. That's when I discovered Podium Racing. They, like Pro-Bolt offer a Ti, Aluminum and a Stainless Steel windscreen kit for the 916/996/998/748. I looked over what they had on offer and changed my mind about the OEM fasteners. The ones from Podium definitely look like they belong on the 996 without being gaudy or too plain.
So, I ordered a Ti kit in black right then and there. $68 before shipping and taxes. Still, better than what I was looking at paying for OEM.
The kit bolts look similar to this one, with the small divots machined out around the wide pan head. Comes complete with the OEM well nuts as well as plastic washers to protect the paint when installing the kit on the windscreen. Pretty happy with the choice, and to have found another supplier of Ducati parts. Now, its just the waiting game to see how long it takes for them to get here from Scottsdale, AZ. One would think that it wouldn't be long but with this Mexican beer virus thing.....who knows.......sean
Now, I was already missing 2 when I got the bike but I didn't really care all that much at that point. Seemed so trivial. I've ridden the bike now for 3 years as I got it in January of 2017. In that time, I've done a bunch of work to it to make it mechanically sound. Never once did I give thought to the missing windscreen hardware.
The 996, like many things Ducati is never as simple as "just buy new ones" and move on. The windscreen screws are tiny. 4mm fine thread. If you still have the stainless steel OEM ones anyway. (Davenay?) Not only that but they're Torx head fasteners, tiny Torx too. Like T8 or T10 maybe. I dunno, I haven't messed with them as yet.
After noting that one was missing, I also noted that another was horribly loose. Again, Ducati is never as simple as "just tighten it up" and move on. It turns out all the rubber well nuts are old, dry rotted and cracked to the point they are falling apart. At that point I knew I needed to, as a minimum replace all the rubber well nuts. However, I also needed the 3 missing screws too.
Once again, proving what I stated already, it wasn't as simple as "just order new ones" and move on. Finding the proper fasteners proved a timely endeavor, even after posting for assistance on Ducati MS. I searched everywhere I could think of, before discovering that if you want the OEM fasteners you have to go direct to Ducati at $10+ per kit. A kit being one screw and one well nut. There are 9 total. No one makes a reproduction anymore. (I'm sure they did before, as I've seen them) Also, there was no P/N for just the screw or just the well nut. IOW, I couldn't just order what I need. You know. Like the Liberty Insurance commercial? 😁
The only aftermarket ones I could find were from Pro-Bolt. Now, I've used Pro-Bolt before, and they make a great product. However, when I looked at what they had to offer, it didn't look much different to what I could find on eBay really. I pondered ordering a Ti kit from them in gold or black but that really wasn't what I wanted. Then finally, someone on Ducati MS posted a link to an eBay ad.
I followed the link, and found the ad was associated with an eBay storefront. So off I went to the storefront to see what else they offered besides the OEM well nuts. That's when I discovered Podium Racing. They, like Pro-Bolt offer a Ti, Aluminum and a Stainless Steel windscreen kit for the 916/996/998/748. I looked over what they had on offer and changed my mind about the OEM fasteners. The ones from Podium definitely look like they belong on the 996 without being gaudy or too plain.
So, I ordered a Ti kit in black right then and there. $68 before shipping and taxes. Still, better than what I was looking at paying for OEM.

The kit bolts look similar to this one, with the small divots machined out around the wide pan head. Comes complete with the OEM well nuts as well as plastic washers to protect the paint when installing the kit on the windscreen. Pretty happy with the choice, and to have found another supplier of Ducati parts. Now, its just the waiting game to see how long it takes for them to get here from Scottsdale, AZ. One would think that it wouldn't be long but with this Mexican beer virus thing.....who knows.......sean