A few projects

[DezmoDog]

There was a bit of machining involved in all of these at some point, but nothing really worth documentiing? I'll post a few of my past projects up though, probably as much as a secondary intro as anything.

I became interested in Ducatis back in the '80s. I didn't actually buy one until 1991, then another in 1995, and that sent me down a bit of rabbit hole.

My first real Ducati project was a 1966 Ducati Monza. When I went to look at it, the seller also had a 160 Monza Jr. I offered him all the cash I ahd on me for both and he took it.

The 250 looked like this when I got it.

It was going to be my main project but that was 20 years ago and it's still not done. This is about as far as I got, but it's gone backwards since. I have recently dragged it back out and have started working on it again though.

Here's the 160 Monza Jr I got with the 250. I didn't have definite plans for it and intended it to be a back up, future project.

While working on the 250 I kept getting distracted by it, and somehow it became the main project at some point. It ended up looking like this.

Later a co-worker told me about a 1974 Ducati 750GT he had. It took a few years but he finally sold it to me. Before and after pics.

Contrary to my username, none of these are Desmos. There are other project bikes I've done but those were the most involved. I seem to have a soft spot for older neglected Ducatis and have put a few back on the road after long slumbers but those three have been the biggest projects.

 

[markba633csi]

Very nice- hard to believe the 250 is the same bike
The 750 looks seriously cool- although I would have gone for yellow

 

[wachuko]

That is some beautiful work. Thank you for sharing

 

[Eddyde]

Awesome restorations! Thanks for posting them here.

 

[DezmoDog]

Very nice- hard to believe the 250 is the same bike
The 750 looks seriously cool- although I would have gone for yellow

When I got the 750 I thought of turning it into a Sport clone but decided I already had enough uncomfortable bikes. It would have been yellow had I gone that direction.

I have had a couple yellow Ducatis though. The 996 is the only bike I regret selling (sometimes). I bought this one new so it was never a project. Worst streetbike I've ever owned, I only kept it for 17 years.

The Super Light was a bike I tried not to get but couldn't say no when it was offered to me. Seriously, it was offered to me in a trade and I started writing a rejection letter but ended up asking for more info. Long story. It had sat in a garage for 20 years before I got it so it was a bit of a project to get back on the road. It took more time and money than I was expecting but that's no shock.

I'd post a before picture of that one but it looks a lot like the finished picture, just dirtier. The time/money went into things you can't see.

 

[wachuko]

My dream sport motorcycle is a Ducati Panigale in sexy red... almost came close to buying a new 1299. Even got a few carbon fiber accessories for it. But never did... still have the accessories that I get to look at every day, lol. I have them on a shelf in my home office.

Here I am just sitting on a 899... What beautiful bikes.

Oh, and I do not ride like that, lol. I wear full gear, including full face helmet, no matter where I am going.



I try to avoid dealers... but having move to Ocala, there is one very closed to me that I have been meaning to stop by again (last time I was there it was 8 years ago...). EDIT: Sebastian (owner of local place) is no longer selling new bikes. He is only doing service... looks like I am safe, lol.

The new Panigale V2 is so beautiful in my eyes...

 

[DezmoDog]

Well, with that post I'll add more of the story on the Super Light.

I am also a fan of the V2 Panigale. Years ago I demo'd a V2 back to back with a V4S Panigale at a track day. According to the instructor, I was faster everywhere on the track with the V2... except the front straight. That didn't surprise me. I loved the V2 but I have given up buying new superbikes, there are too many negatives for street riding. Then Ducati introduced the V2 Streetfighter, which is essentially the V2 Panigale with taller bars and less bodywork.

Sold. I put money down on one and put another bike I had up for sale. That's where the Super Light comes in. The bike I was trying to sell to help fund the Street Fighter was the one I ended up trading for the Super Light. So I had to sell another bike. I put my 1991 851 (another Ducati I had pulled out of someone's long term storage) on the market hoping it wouldn't take more than a few weeks to sell. I put an ad up a little before midnight on a Thursday. It sold in under an hour with two more guys saying they'd take it if the first buyer backed out. Apparently I didn't ask enough for it.

The Super Light became mine on a Friday and I picked up the Street Fighter the next day. When my wife first saw the Super Light she said "Let me get this straight, you traded a basically brand new bike for a 20 year old Ducati?" I said "No! I traded it for a 30 year old Ducati!" She didn't think that was as funny as I did.

Here's the Street Fighter. A much better street bike than a Panigale IMHO. Though I have yet to ride it on the street this season. Another project I've been working on is a 900ss trackbike. The SF has been filling in for track day duty until the 900 is ready... and yes, a Panigale makes a much better track bike than a Street Fighter but it's what I had.

And as long as I'm rambling, here's the 851 that I had to sell once the Super Light entered the picture. I'd show a before picture but like the SL, it would look very much the same only dirtier. This thing was a huge problem child it's first season, coming home on a trailer as often as not... but then it straightend up after unsuccesfully trying to burn itself to the ground with a bad regulator...

The 851 also had it's shift as a trackbike, filling in for yet another project that wasn't finished in time.

Wet track, 30 year old bike, first time back in years... what could possibly go wrong? I retired classic bikes from track days after this - someone behind me on an all red bike crashed, causing a red flag. When I pulled into the paddock a guy came running up to see if I was ok. I had no idea what he was talking about but slowly realized the red flag had been caused by the other all red bike... and this guy was more concerned that the 851 was ok than he was about me being ok! Which, to be fair, I get.

 

[DavidR8]

Beautiful bikes. Major envy here!

 

[wachuko]

@DezmoDog , you are living the dream man! Wow!! I had put to rest the thought of owning a Ducati... and now you have me looking at them again... I am too old and too short to own the newer bikes... looks like seat height has now increased from around 32" to 33". That does not help me one bit.

I was done buying bikes... sold all I had and could not stay away. Rather than going back to buying expensive rides, I got a couple of Royal Enfields to fill my need for riding on two wheels... but the itch keeps coming back to two bikes: a Ducati Panigale V2 and a Honda Gold Wing Tour DCT to just cruise all the USA...

Thank you for sharing all this man... way too cool, way too cool . Ride safe!