Ducati - is it a trail bike or what?

[Wombat]

This little beastie was parked where I work so I snapped a quick shot - as ya do.
I know a little about the big Dukes but not the Tiddlers.
Can anyone identify?

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[Wombat]

And here's similar; this one taken at the BMCC Nudgee meet Jul 07.

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[Maico31]

Looks like one of those RT450 scramblers. I reckon it would make a good fun pre '75 4 stroke.. but maybe a bit heavy.

[Tim754]

My first trail bike on L plates (along with a Duke 750SS for road use... ) An RT450 Desmodromic single. Big, beautiful. heavy, bloody fast for a "trail bike",  superb booming sound with the Conti megaphone ) and absolutely the worst leg breaking kick back bike to start!!!! Tim
The top yellow bike is just about as sold new ,very very nice. I am so jealous......

[Snowy 76]

Got some pics of one in the Nabiac Motor cycle museum,will try and post.

[jimson]

I think Firko is using the motor out of one of those things to make a VMX bike I'm sure he will show up soon and tell us all the  beauty of these beasts.jimson

[firko]

Right you are Jimson! Both of those photos Wombat posted are 450 Ducatis from the early 70s. They're a heavy old bus and not all that great in stock trim. I'm currently building a Harry Hindall framed narrow case 350 Ducati. The Ducati single changed in 1968 from what is called the narrow case engine (160, 250, 350) to the wide case engine (250, 350, 450). Ducati racers tend to favour the 5 speed narrow case engine because it is much lighter than the wide case version and no less reliable or slower. My bike features, Ceriani forks, Rickman hubs/Borrani rims, Maico seat, Hi Point Lyta tank and period Arnaco shocks rebuilt by our own Walter at YSS. The bike has a very modified engine with a head by Mike green in California and other work by Brian O' Connor in Massachusetts with a few ideas of our own including YZ80 ignition and a trick 32 Mikuni flange mount carby. The bike will debut at CD5 along with my new Cheney Yamaha and the restored Maico trials bike. Add the Maico square barrel,my DT1 and my TM/TS 250 Suzuki and the trailer will be a bit overfull.

The bike will have a shitload of bling

Brian O'Connors almost identical bike to mine. His uses a Yetman frame and mine a Nickel Hindall. The engine shown in this bike is my very engine.
http://amsracing.com/featured_bike.html?bike=ducati_350

[Oldrodder]

The mate that lives a few houses away is currently restoring one of those Ducati 450 I will have to get some pics and show you guys.

[jimson]

Looks real nice Firko your work shop is very clean how do you do that  I've scene one of those bikes on the road&race website looks real good.jimson

[YSS]

Would that be the same engine that the swiss army has used and is still using  as the Condor ?
I have seen one in Just Bikes only a couple issues ago from Queensland .

[firko]

Same engine Walter. There was one on eBay Australia recently.

[Lozza]

Desmo? Needs a good reverse cone mega on there.

[YSS]

I thought about buying , remembering the compulsury Swiss Army days , but then again , I have more than enough  bikes to keep going .If you need any they getting sold off by the dozen every year at the army auction.
They also have nice Centurions and Lepards every year.

[LWC82PE]

im finishing off a restoration on one of these 450 ducatis. it was a project that become too much for the owner so we ended up with it. its just being done up as a road/trail version and is a bit of a bitsa though.. its got new fibre glass tank and new fibre glass side number plates. since its for on road its getting lights. its got a twin leading shoe yamaha R3? front wheel. new morad mud catcher rims, red frame, will have white fenders and has marzochhi piggy back shocks.

[Tony T]

You get some cool stuff down there Leith.
I might have to hang around your place a bit more.