Hi all, I hope this is the correct sub-forum for my inquiry. Best I start by admitting right away that I know NOTHING about motorcycles or cars or anything that has to do with engine powered locomotion. Never did, so naturally, fate decided that I was a perfect candidate to come into a possession of this red motorcycle that I believe to be a Ducati - mainly because that's what the stickers say. I tried researching on my own to the best of my abilities, which didn't go beyond visual comparison, so needless to say that got me pretty much nowhere at all. Long story short, I need help. So, what motorcycle is this? Best I can do is post some pictures of the bike and tell you that it was made in 1979, I believe. Here are the images... ...so, if ANYONE could shed some light on the matter, I would be infinitely grateful. Again, please do forgive my utter lack of knowledge regarding, well, any of this. Thank you kindly.
That's very nice, but someone with better knowledge than me will probably be along shortly to identify it!
as above - it looks like a special of that period quite similar to :- Ducati NCR 900ss factory racer | Rare SportBikes For Sale
I apologise unreservedly if the post is genuine but this has the faint whiff of potential scam about it. Call me cynical if you like.
It looks incredibly like this one for sale in Croatia... Ducati Desmo 900SS / SuperSport 904 cm3, 1979 god.
Hmm, looks a lot like a Steve Wynne job ... It's been a while but if I remember correctly Mr Wynne had a big part in the Hailwood / Ducati TT campain many years ago. The logo's certainly look like it. The motor looks be be a 900ss Steve Wynne Nice guy, he did the valves on my 900 Darmah in the early 80's. Just my thruppence worth................
No, no - no scam. I can see how it may look, but you can rest assured that I am not trying to pull of anything of the sort, and if there is something, anything I can do to prove it, I will more than gladly do so. I have quite suddenly inherited this bike out of the blue and I honestly know nothing about it - other than that it is a Ducati and some general info that was in the inheritance documents, namely the year of manufacture, colour and the engine number. So I genuinely am in a need of assistance regarding the thing. I can tell it is a racing vehicle (though I never knew my father did race) since it has neither the registration plates nor signalization of any sort, and this leads me to believe that it has been modified from whatever it originally was, but that part I am just guessing on. With the motorcycle came those black... How do you call them? Frame parts? I don't know. Anyway, whether or not these parts belong to this particular vehicle, I do not know. Well, I don't know what else to say. I really would appreciate any help at all. Best I can do is provide you with more photos and should there be a need, I will be more than happy to do so. And seriously, I'm not trying to scam anyone. EDIT: The info written in the stupid ad above was based on what I was told by people who knew my father, and others who were interested in a bike, but I honestly don't know if any of it stands. Every person I have spoken to gave me different information (it has been identified as Darmah, then as Desmo, which is when I put the ad up, and lastly as Mike Hailwood replica). You can translate the ad through Google Translate, and see that it contains nothing of use.
Yep , i would recognise that cardboard box anywhere ! not sure if same bike but defo same box !! WTF is this all about ?????
If it helps, here's the google translation (from Croatian) of the text taken from the advert. Methinks someone knows a little more than they are letting on ? Ducati 900 Supersport desmo, Mike Hailwood replica. Replica engines on which Mike Hailwood 1978 years took his legendary victory in the race on the Isle of Man. Replica is not industrially produced because the series adapted road driving, but it was purchased new Ducati 900 SS who then immediately modified the replica. To improve engine as Hailwoodov, all necessary parts were ordered directly from the Ducati factory, so that in addition to the armor, there is no difference. I guess. It is precisely for this reason that the engine can not be used for road use, but only for racing, where exclusively driven. Perhaps to clarify - among other things, for racing engines have no signs, so as far out front grille nor the space for installation of the same, as seen in the pictures. Not to mention that the engine is in perfect condition. Although for a long time is not driven - about ten years - the engine has been cleaned, garaged, covered, etc. The buyer gets the motor and the original black masks. After all, the picture speaks for themselves. Removed some parts of the mask for better viewing machines, or even with both sides come to care that covers the engine. Registration has expired some '93. That would be on my bike, in short, was that, while the model itself is concerned, there is all already known. For additional information and photos, call and write, and I'll be glad to answer all your questions, either by phone or by mail. Can a text but in such a case is a bit frivolous. On request I send multiple images of higher resolution. Only, if at all possible, I would ask that if you do not have any, but it is absolutely one hundred percent no intention to buy a motorcycle, but you are interested purely what it is about, that their curiosity towards the Google, where you will find a lot of more information about everything related to the engine model, but what I can do to offer. Thank you. Desmo Ducati 900SS / Supersport 904 cm3 Enlarge image Contact Rodogon
Like I said, all this info was based on what different people told me about the bike, price included, but each person told me different things. I decided to go with Desmo when I put up an ad, so I took the engine specs. verbatim from Wikipedia, and the rest was my best guess - price included - plus what I heard from the people who knew my dad. But then someone told me it's Darmah and I don't know anymore. I am simply trying to sell the bike, but when people ask me about parts, etc., I don't know what to tell them. I cannot stress enough how little I know about this thing! When I asked here, I deliberately didn't want to let on any of my guesses because that's all I got - a whole bunch of guesses. I only want to find out what that bike is, that's all.
Huh, the thought crossed my mind but I never figured they'd bother replying. I'll give it a go. Thanks, antonye. JRW, when you say Steve Wynee job, what exactly is it that you mean? The bike was modified by Steve Wynee? Or..?
Steve Wynne was the owner of Sports Motorcycles Racing of Manchester, or Bollington. He prepared Mike Hailwood's bike when he won the TT in er... the late 70s (can't be bothered to look up the year) on a Ducati (spawning the later Mike Hailwood Replica Ducati). The forks have got his name on. The bike is clearly a special: i.e. not a standard model but one where the original bodywork has been taken off and replaced with what you now have. Umpteen other modifications have perhaps also been made (almost certainly if it really is a Sports Motorcycles Racing job). The black piece of fairing you have is perhaps (quite likely) a part of the original bodywork. If anyone knows Steve's New Zealand whereabouts (he is still alive, isn't he?), you could send him the link to the photos and he would no doubt reveal all.
