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Thought I'd get this guy ready to roll when permitted to partake of the roads again . . .

In this time of lockdown, picture and video threads seem to be on the up and enjoyed by all.

I thought about a thread for all the Ducatis that have been and gone in your life. Now this isn't a c**k waving thread, but many of us had bikes theat preceed this Forum by quite some time.

So I'll start. Ducati's you have owned till present day.

1st - 1998 916 BP. Minter that I bought from a mate who had hardly ridden it from new. My 1st Ducati after a Fireblade & GSXR.
2nd - 2000 996 BP. A little ropey around the edges, but that I was going to restore. I never got round to it. Sold it after riding it once and I should have just kept it. It showed up on here a while back.
A bit of a gap here where I had an MV Agusta and Aprilia Tuono Factory.

3rd - 2007 1098S. Bought from Lowestoft. Another minter and I was convinced the guy had won the Lottery. A garage full of nice bikes and a power boat on his private mooring at the end of the garden.
4th - 2010 Desmosedici RR. Pushed...

Hi I’ve seen one on the panigale section but not one here (I apologise if there is one and I’ve missed it) but how about a thread of our favourite pictures etc of our 748’s/9**’s.

After several years at the top of his game, my mate Tom Swales is retiring from competition.
Competing in the sport of 1km long speed wheelie competitions with little funds and achieving what he has is quite a feat. Quite likely the best in the world, even though his results have left him behind the top 2 or 3 competitors with huge budgets, Tom has always scrimped and done magnificently well - with exceptional skill and sublime throttle control.

He has been known to wheelie past mates while touring Europe with full soft luggage flapping in the wind at well over 130mph with one hand off the bars steading the load.

Here are his milestones, finally cracking +200mph on a bike Jarrod Frost lent him

It's time..

I feel I haven't p*ssed off enough people yet with my 999 project , So its time for another crack!
Unfortunately this one isn't already built, and won't be for many years, So you fellas will be able to warn me before I do something extra stupid!

But so far, heres the idea... I plan to use this as the dissertation project for my degree in motorsports engineering, to design and hopefully build a chassis for a 1299s engine I have.

Why a pani?

A few reasons;
1) They're mental
2) 116mm bore!
3) The university has one. A really really fancy one
4) it has a very simple chassis
Above ridden by Micheal Neeves for a MCN article, This particular bike is the brainchild of a friend of mine for his dissertation project based around measuring steering (torque) input for a bike.

So I have quite alot of data on the bike and what a Panigale does around a racetrack, not just dynamically but also electronically. Which leads me onto the next part of the project, I'd really like to have...

Thought that the old rat bike needed a bit of TLC after its hard life, so scored a very cheap DP racing swing arm cover from eBay which, after a bit of work, has come up very nicely indeed (I think it might actually be a cover for the mag arm as it has previously been cut to fit the chainguard?). Will look nice and spangly once I get the back end all reassembled again with the CF hugger.

Also, and much more importantly, fitted a new shock in anticipation of getting the bike on the track sometime this year (hopefully).

Its a Nitron R3 which I ordered direct from Nitorn just over three weeks ago. Good to know that British industry is still functioning in these surreal times.

Be very interested to hear from anyone who has fitted one of these before as I am considering mounting the remote reservoir under the seat? It is currently mounted where Nitron recommend.

Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds have a bouncing baby boy.

Well done Prime Minister and Carrie.

BBC News

Hay everyone. I am new to Ducati and don't currently own one but am just finishing restoring a 1977 900SS for a customer. I have a question for the group. The bike has about 7,000 miles from new, one owner. Last started about 25 years ago. I have gone through and done a cosmetic restoration -- new frame and body paint, new plating, chrome and zinc, wheels rebuils and polished, ss spokes, gauges rebuilt everything tidied up. I used as much of the original chrome as possible. Only the motor side covers were removed to polish. Carbs and breaks completely rebuilt. Ran when last parked. Now the problem: I won't start. I have spark, fuel looks good at carbs. Electronic ignition. Do the spark plug wired have to from a dedicated coil or could the wires go to either plug?

Help, Thank you.

After much searching I have found the lady I have been looking for. An early white framed 1991 900ss bought from forum member wolfram. 99% complete and in need of some TLC. She looked better fully dressed :-(. Ive spent the weekend taking it to bits, I intend to strip back to the frame and powder coat as a starting point.Carbs need a refresh but not sure whether to rebuild the top end, replace engine studs while the engine is out. The wiring is pretty poor and has a lot of bodged repairs. Looking forward to this

On Monday 27 April production will gradually start again at the Ducati factory in Borgo Panigale
Employees called to work will be the minimum necessary to carry out production and research activities and must comply with a rigid safety protocol developed together with the RSU and subject to a specific agreement. Masks will be mandatory for everyone, regardless of distancing
Claudio Domenicali: "It is absolutely essential to pay close attention to strict compliance with safety procedures: the virus has not disappeared. The work done jointly with the Emilia-Romagna Region has been important. It will be an extremely difficult year but starting up again is still a beginning; we have a lot of orders for the Streetfighter V4, for the Multistrada GT and for the Panigale V2. The motorbike is a perfect vehicle for ‘phase two’: no parking problems and distancing guaranteed; safety and fun at the same time."

Borgo Panigale (Bologna, Italy), 26 April 2020 - Ducati is set to gradually return...

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Project completed. 900ss + some 851 and 748 DNA.

Hi its Richard from Huntingdon Cambs owner of a 888 superbike

evening chums!
as many know, i was laid off a lil while back, shortly before cv19 fucked things up, i was a lil worried but did a bit of cold calling on companies i liked the look of and landed myself what seemed to be a fantastic opportunity.
unfortunately then cv got "real" and messed it up! we were allowed to work but the client on the project we were going to start on didn't want people on site... the job is making granny annexes and although we are working away from the main house and have all our own amenities, they didn't like the idea . fair enough, probably as much about them now being home all day and having their peace disturbed as it was about safety.
i thought all was lost but 2 weeks back, my now boss got in touch and asked if id like to do a different project.
anyhu, i thought id share the project as i know some of ya are into this sort of thing and also i like to talk! and share pics. on that front, i dont have many pics to share just yet as my phone is shit.....

Happy st George's day everyone, I will be having a few beers and fish and chips tonight to celebrate.

The Borgo Panigale motorcycle manufacturer launches "Ducati Cares", a Program allowing its fans and Customers to safely return to Ducati Dealerships when government restrictions allow
Thanks to the digitalization process initiated by the Company in recent years, Ducati is able to offer new ways of remote interaction between Customers and Dealers
Francesco Milicia: "We are further developing support for our global Dealer network in order to serve our Customers in the safest and most practical way."

Borgo Panigale (Bologna, Italy), 22 April 2020 – Ducati looks ahead by launching the "Ducati Cares" program, which allows Ducati Dealers to welcome their Customers and Fans again. The program is mainly focused on Safety, but will also answer to the desire to resume everyday life and being able to experience the emotions and freedom that riding a motorcycle offers.

The "Ducati Cares" program has been created for the worldwide Ducati Dealer network, providing guidelines to be adopted so...

I would like to pay tribute to the people who gave us the love of all things motorcycle, whether it be your dad, brother, uncle, grand dad, whoever gave you the love and interest that you still have today.
I have often wondered why my brother and I have always ridden bikes, never been without one from the age of ten, my brother was doing 20k a year on his at one time.
We grew up with a father who rode bikes as transport, work and back stuff, nothing flash, NSU Quickly then onto a C50 then his last bike was the dizzy heights of a C90, all rebuilt a number of times, if you went anywhere it was on the back of dads bike, no helmets, a duffle coat and jeans.
The point is this was the norm, no fear, none of this nonsense you often hear about bikes being dangerous, we were actively encouraged to ride, it was cold, it was wet but it was magical.
My father passed away peacefully in his sleep last night, at 91 he thought it was time to go, so as I pay tribute to a man who passed on his love...

The thread about embarrassing old photos reminded me of some images I scanned after I found them whilst clearing out my Mothers house late last year.

We lost her earlier in the year, 23yrs after we lost my father, and I put together a time line of them with bikes starting in the 40’s.

I apologise for the self-indulgent nature of the thread, but I'm sure some of the images will be of interest to some.

We'll start with camping in the 1940s.
This has Easter 1947 written on the back, and is believed to be Friends of my Father he served with in the Navy.
On to my Fathers beloved 650 Gold Flash
Which ended up with a sports sidecar.
Note the riding gear!
Then many years later my Mother having a trip around the garden on my DT175.
I will accept everything I deserve for how I looked @1983

My father actually rode my RD350 YPVS a few times in the mid 1980s, but is just posing here.
Then lastly the pair of them on my Z1000H in the mid 1990's a short while before we lost my Father. He rode...

Well in a sudden twist of fate, my builder has contacted me to say the under the current FMB and government guidelines, as long as his sub-contractors are willing and able (which he assures me they are) and everyone observes social distancing measures, he is prepared to start the detached garage/annexe build on Monday, which was due to start in March. We have also approached all of our neighbours to ensure they are happy with the idea of work taking place in our garden and none have objected, as we will still be in compliance with distancing measures. They have known for some time of our intention to build since we lodged the planning application some months ago.

At this stage the builder is only planning to complete the groundworks/excavation and foundations. Building Control have said they can still attend on-site inspections (outdoors only) so once the initial one is out the way the builder can then pour the concrete having laid the services, electricity/ water etc and move...

Holy s**t. This thing is insane. I am yet to twist the throttle above 5.000 rpm and try it in sports mode - but man, this thing moves. I’m taking it nice and slow to getting to know her. I get the sensation of flying once the engine gets up to revs. Can only imagine how she feels in sport mode.
Any suggestion to which bar end mirrors to get?

Now it’s safely tucked away, I have some stuff to do on the car.
- fit the paddle shift wheel I did a while ago http://911uk.com/viewtopic.php?t=97582 what could go wrong?!
- bumper off to clear debris and check out state of rads
- air condensers need replacing while there
- fit GT/aero bumper
- fit aero skirts
- wipers off for a refurb
- general return of all black plastic bits that are now a bit grey..!
- battery tender wiring so I can just plug in
- run down the rust patch I have on the roof and treat it
- consider replacing eggshell cracked rear lights
- sort sticking sunroof
- replace or refurb (depending how mad) wheel nuts
- new tyres...and have the repair on the rear alloy checked...probably are them returned while I’m at it

Once all that’s done, get it in for a service with @cookster and have the aircon re-gassed

Then start on the gixer..