c.1965/66 Ducati 350 narrowcase race bike. Registration numb...

Estimate

£6,000 - £7,000

c.1965/66 Ducati 350 narrowcase race bike. Registration number, not registered for the road but BHR (V7/97)and CRMC (222339) 2009 registered. Frame number MH65.
Engine number DM350 04052.

Long before Ducati became known for ultra-fast and ultra-stylish desmodromic v-twins, the mainstay of their production was small and medium capacity single-cylinder motorcycles, with which they cemented their reputation as makers of reliable, fast, and beautiful motorcycles.

Post-war, the Italian government had set up a fund to help out large employers back on their feet, and in concert with the Vatican Bank, Ducati joined forces with Siata in late 1945 to produce a small clip-on engine for bicycles, called the Cucciolo (puppy). New designs with increased capacity soon arrived, using pushrod single-cylinder engines of 60cc to 125cc, some of which sold in great numbers.

Realizing that an experienced and talented engineer was needed to produce a winning motorcycle design, the firm hired Fabio Taglioni in 1954, with a free hand to design a new machine. His first effort, the 100 Gran Sport, was an immediate technical success, and set the foundation for every Ducati single and v-twin motorcycle until 1979. His famous overhead-cam driven by driveshaft and bevel gears has since become an icon of good and sound design, and the single-cylinder models, especially those with racing history or pretensions, have become extremely collectible.

This example was built over a period of years by Mark Huggins of Wendover from 2008-14, with later updates. Built to race/parade, Lacey Engineering provided the crank, rod and 77mm piston for a cost of £897,the standard cylinder head has had the Lacey coil spring conversion, MG Motorcycles of Tonbridge built the engine in 2012 for £1,126, a bill from Disco Volante Moto in 2008 for £2,070 included a Grimeca 230 4LS front brake and Ceriani 35mm GP front forks, new alloy wheels with stainless spokes cost £464, recently in 2017 an Electrex World Ltd ignition was bought for £411.60 and then fitted....there are many pages of parts used in the build. It is believed he only rode it in one parade before it went into storage.

Recently resurrected by our vendor, a Classic Ducati racer, it is now running well but he has other machines to race this year so it is being offered ready to parade/race, subject to final testing and setting up.

Sold with the extensive built history folder.