Something for Blakamin and other Ducatisti...

[Blackbird]

I was just having a clean-out at work and came across this...

Geoff

[Skunk]

Humph!

ferkin 10 characters...

[Big Dave]

I was just having a clean-out at work and came across this...

Geoff

On the eighth day he called the AA cause the bloody thing had broken down again.

[Lias]

On the eighth day he called the AA cause the bloody thing had broken down again.

Or called the fire brigade cos the bastard blew up on the side of the road....

[LB]

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Couldn't get the .pdf to open (old, slow 'puter)

Not sure if I really want to know what's in it anyway.......
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[Eddieb]

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Couldn't get the .pdf to open (old, slow 'puter)

Not sure if I really want to know what's in it anyway.......
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Actually you would appreciate it, I did.

[Blackbird]

Yep, no intention to wind up Ducati owners, have a real soft spot for the make. I was telling Lynda that I sort of owned one many moons ago. It was a Ducati 200cc Elite with a stuffed motor. I'd just finished drag racing and had shoe-horned a detuned version of my short-stroke Triumph race engine in it. Quite a lot of engineering involved but it looked great. It wasn't quite finished and in a moment of monumental stupidity before we emigrated to NZ 30 years ago, I sold it

Here's a pic of a fully restored Elite if anyone hasn't seen one. Absolutely beautiful and the tank is a piece of sculpture.

Geoff

[Skunk]

Here's a pic of a fully restored Elite if anyone hasn't seen one. Absolutely beautiful and the tank is a piece of sculpture.

Very nice. What era was that (I'm ignorant...)

[Blackbird]

I'm not sure when the Elite was first made but I think it was the early 60's. A really clever piece of engineering and stunning aesthetics when you consider much of the machinery around at that time (and decades following come to that) was ugly and crude by comparison. Even the Aerial Golden Arrow doesn't come close and that was quite revolutionary with its monocoque chassis.

[LB]

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Thanks BB for emailing the .pdf to me - I think it's WONDERFUL!!!!!

I am going to put it up on my wall at work (they won't understand, but then they don't understand bike stuff anyway!!)

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[Eddieb]

It was a Ducati 200cc Elite with a stuffed motor.
Here's a pic of a fully restored Elite if anyone hasn't seen one. Absolutely beautiful and the tank is a piece of sculpture.

Geoff

My 250 I've got in the garage is the same frame and running gear except the handlebars are a flat bar style on risers rather than clip ons.

I thought of trying to get a tank like that but might go for a 'Diana' styled one instead as it suits the bars etc more, something like the pic attached. At the moment it has a BSA bantam tank in British Racing green and the seat is unknown but not Ducati.

[Eurodave]

Actually you would appreciate it, I did.

Although there seems to be a spelling mistake, shouldnt it say MOTO GUZZI??!!

[Blackbird]

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Thanks BB for emailing the .pdf to me - I think it's WONDERFUL!!!!!

I am going to put it up on my wall at work (they won't understand, but then they don't understand bike stuff anyway!!)

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No prob Lynda. The one thing the photo didn't show was the silencer. People think that the new Kawasaki Z1000 is revolutionary with twin split mufflers on either side, but the Elite had them too, albeit on one side and running parallel with the ground.

[Kiwi]

I like it!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TonyB]

and he could maintain it himself

Hmm, maybe a bevel drive, but don't the heads need to come off to set up the desmo valves on the 916 etc etc?

Lets see, how would it go.....?

And lo- Ducati invented the 8 valve. And alas, the 8 valve Ducati became too expensive for Him to buy, He had to take out a second mortgage on the Universe to have it serviced, and He had to sell his first born to insure it, so God waited for a few years and enjoyed his bevel drive.
And Behold! The Japanese did create the (insert GSXR/ R1/ CBR-RR/ ZX10R etc here) a bike with more power than God himself, near perfect reliability, superb handling, incredible brakes, sensible servicing intervals and servicing costs. And all for $22k. God was pleased.
Amen.