Hi. I've just joined the forum as I'm looking to add a Ducati to my garage I was looking at a 600 pantah and noticed it had a cable clutch. I thought (with my limited knowledge) that the 600's had hydronic clutches. The frame No is 702400 and engine No DM600L702404. Just wondering if it's a genuine bike or not ?
Hello Conrad and welcome. I'm interested in Pantahs and perhaps may be able to help if you have queries. The original Pantah 500SL had cable clutch operation in 1979-1980. When the 600SL was introduced in 1981 it had hydraulic clutch operation built into the clutch side cover (this is completely different from later Ducati models with a hydraulic clutch slave cylinder on the left side of the engine). The various models of 350, 400, 500, 600, and 650 Pantahs had either cable or hydraulic clutches and it is fairly easy to swap from one to the other - they are virtually interchangeable. Even if a bike came with hydraulic originally the hydraulics may have given trouble after a few years, and a swap to cable was a practical option. Not sure what you mean by genuine. As opposed to what?
P.S. The 2015 Scrambler has now gone back to a cable clutch again, rather like the original Pantah. Funny isn't it!
So ... a genuine Pantah as opposed to a Honda with a Ducati sticker on the tank? As opposed to a Cagiva Alazzura retrofitted with Pantah parts? A genuine 600 as opposed to a 500 which has been converted to 600? There are many possible ways something might be "not genuine".
Welcome check the engine and frame numbers with Ducati in Italy, they are really helpful with most people...
Indeed, my thoughts exactly. Many ways not to be genuine. It was the 500 masquerading as a 600 one I was concerned about.
1979-1980 500SL Pantah engine numbers run from DM500L.1*600001 and frame numbers start at DM500SL*660001. In 1980 after engine number 601654 the crankcases for 500 and 600 engines were the same with larger barrel registers (except that 602238 to 602528 were 500 type). The last 500s were made in 1983. The 600 was introduced in 1981 with hydraulic clutch, with engine numbers starting DM600L*700001 and frame numbers from DM600SL*700001. [The engine and frame numbers do not correspond on individual bikes; they were mixed at the factory]. 600s after engine number 701650 mainly reverted to the cable clutch operation and the clutch itself is larger and stronger. The 1984 650 Pantah had engine numbers starting DM650L*610001 and frames starting DGM650SL*065001. There were also in 1982 600TLs, engines starting DM600L*650001 and frames DM600TL*060001. @Conrad Dennison 's post #1 said "The frame No is 702400 and engine No DM600L702404." That implies probably a 1982 600SL with the cable clutch as standard. Original paintwork would have been either red with green decals and red frame; or silver with red/orange decals and black frame. Hope this helps.
The red and green colour scheme is the one most people like. Personally I like the more subtle metallic ice blue paint with red and blue decals best.
thank you for explanation about frame and engines numbers, great !! Stefano Ducati Pantah 500SL 1981 - Cagiva Alazzurra anno 1986
@Conrad Dennison Since you are a new member, may I mention that on this forum there are options to Like/Dislike or Agree/Disagree with posts, for those who choose to use them. However the option to "Nuke" means that you regard that post as so disgraceful or unacceptable that it ought to be deleted. Did you really mean to Nuke post #14?
