Dulcet Ducati Racer

Before Ducati was known for 90-degree twins with desmodromic valves, they were noteworthy for the jewel-like singles they built. The ’60s era 250-cc Mach 1, resplendent here in full bodywork was for a time the World’s fastest 250. As you can tell from the video after the jump, part of that may have been due to its loud and proud exhaust.

[vimeo width=”640″ height=”480″]http://vimeo.com/25695949[/vimeo]
My crappy little point and shoot fails to fully capture the physicality of this little motor’s explosive exhaust. You can, however get a sense from Mr. Ponytail’s clapping a hand over his ear once it gets spinning its tach. Seriously, you could feel each and every pop in both the ground and your chest as the diminutive bike sprang to life.  The 250-cc engine was one of Ducati’s narrow crankcase derivatives, and its 28-bhp was made possible by the combination of an 8,500-RPM redline, fat 29-mm Del Orto carb, and open exhaust. A five-speed gearbox helped the stock Mach 1 reach a top speed of over 105 miles per hour- fastest of any 250 of the era. The more aerodynamic bodywork on this sweet racing special is likely a contributor to an additional 5 to 10 mph on top of that.

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  1. waltgator Avatar

    gotta admit, that bike is pretty sweet!