A Closer look

www.london-motorcycle-museum.org

Ducati Close up.

Peter who does “Tales from the Tarmac”, a long term Ducati fan, rider and racer has added his knowledge about the Ducati's I photoed at the bike shop in Winnipeg as follows:

“…..... from the picture I could identify only 2 with any certainty.

Nearest the camera is a Mach 1 250cc. It is the model my cousin rode to success in the T.T. I raced one myself and collected a few trophies.

The next one seems to be a bit of a mongrel. The engine is Ducati (possibly 350cc.) It has an early GT tank held on with bungees and Ceriani style front forks and off road tyres.

The third is a Diana Mark 3 250cc. similar to the Mach 1 but with a black frame and fork shrouds.

These were made for American export but are not that common. In the 60s American Ducati imports were being handled by The Berliner Corp. They also sold Norton motorcycles.

Norton wanted to sell the new Commando to the Americans but Berliner had a consignment of Ducati Mark 3s coming from Italy and hadn’t room for the Commandos. Bill Hanna a dealer in Liverpool was persuaded by Norton to accept the Berliner Mark 3s so that Commandos could be bought by Berliner.

So a consignment of Ducatis' went from Italy to the U.S.A. where they were stuck in the docks for about a year and then sent to Liverpool.

Hanna distributed his consignment among several dealers with no pre sale checks or instructions. Many of the bikes were run with insufficient oil in the sump which produced a number of big end and camshaft failures.

Vic Camp the Ducati concessionaire in London was really mad. Not only had they damaged the reliable reputation of the Ducatis he was responsible for but he had to find the resources to do the repairs.

Next on the shelf looks like it may be an early 150cc. Monza Junior. I always thought the Junior would make a nice pre-65 trials bike.

The last one seems to have a black GT style tank. From there on your guess is as good as mine.( The label says its a scrambler).

So, Ducatis from the 60s. By 1968 a new range of singles with wider crankcases were introduced and they became the Desmo’s.

Picture shows cousin Mike on my Mach 1, his own having crashed at Brands Hatch 2 weeks earlier.”

Latest Ducati Scrambler

Sadly I didn't get to Croxley Green this year on account of the rain however the Sunday of the16^th August waste Brackley Festival of Bikes with thousands turning out to fill the town. Geoff was there to see what it was like with representatives from the main manufacturers, bike clubs and trade stands and stunt bikes for entertainment. I will have to put that on the calendar for next year. Up and coming event that the Museum will be at is Kop Hill. We will have something to show and perhaps something taking part. It should be a good event to attend.