Anodize it Red
Carbon fiber, titanium and premium aluminum alloys are the materials we are incorporating into our Ducati Monster project bike. For the final drive we found a red-anodized aluminum-alloy rear sprocket flange in the Ducati Performance Accessories catalog. Aluminum alloy is a blend that may also include copper, zinc, manganese, silicon, or magnesium. In general these type of alloys are much lighter and more corrosion resistant than steel, but not as corrosion resistant as pure aluminum.
The Ducati Monster stock rear sprocket flange is made of bare aluminum alloy, which keeps its surface shine via a clear protective oxide layer. Our upgraded Ducati Performance Red Flange has increased corrosion resistance and surface hardness due to the anodizing process. The more notably quality of this upgrade is that the Red Flange adds a more distinct and enhanced look (pictured above).
We compared the parts side-by-side and it appears that they are made with the same process and material, as they are actually both marked with the same part number. This leads us to believe that the parts start from the same mold and with the same material type but that the red (also available in gold) part gets the additional durability and aesthetic benefits of the anodizing process.
Out of curiosity, we decided to weight the parts. Surprisingly the Red Flange is a few ticks lighter than the original. The weight difference is negligible and not enough to report on in terms of any performance gain. But the new part is more hardwearing and it did register our Ducati Monster higher on the "bling" meter.
Ducati Accessories Part: #96778209B
Application: Monster 696/1100 Rear Sprocket Flange (Red or Gold)
MSRP: $195.50
