THE DUCATI STORY. Below: Paul Smart s Imola racer was built out of a 750GT. Ducati Motor

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1 Below: Paul Smart s Imola racer was built out of a 750GT. Ducati Motor With the support of Fredmano Spairani, Fabio Taglioni was given the brief to make an all out assault on this important race. It was being heavily promoted, and nine different factories had entered workssupported teams. In order to assess the level of competition, Taglioni made the trip to Daytona in March 1972, and came away impressed by the well developed Japanese racers. He realized that he couldn t tackle them head-on, he didn t have the resources. Utilizing proven technology from the 350 Desmo and 500 racers, he aimed to build a balanced machine, with handling and braking matched to usable horsepower. Upon his return from Daytona, serious work began on developing the Imola bikes. Surprisingly, Taglioni started with standard 750GT street bikes. They had 750 engine numbers, indicating that bikes were just taken off the production line and into the racing department. The frames still had centre-stand mounts. They also had machined production leading axle Marzocchi forks, but there was more to these bikes than met the eye. The engines, while using standard 40 mm inlet and 36 mm exhaust valves, used desmodromic valve control enabling the engine to run to 9,200 rpm. These were the first bikes to use the Imola desmodromic camshafts with figures of inlet opening 65 before top dead centre and closing 95 after bottom dead centre, and exhaust opening 95 before bottom dead centre and closing 60 after top dead centre. Inlet valve lift was 12 mm. Power of 84 bhp at 8,800 rpm was claimed at the rear wheel, but more importantly it was the spread of power that was so advantageous. At 7,000 rpm the engine was said to make 70 bhp. Compression was up to 10:1 and these engines still used the wide, 80 included valve angle. They also used the first versions of the new 40 mm Dell Orto PHF concentric carburettor. In order to keep combustion temperatures down, an oil-cooling system was fitted that cooled the oil to the cylinder heads, and dual plug ignition installed with an additional 10 mm Lodge spark-plug. This enabled ignition advance to be cut back to 34 before top dead centre. With the alternator removed from the right side of the crankshaft, total loss battery and coil ignition, still by dual points, was employed. Since his experience 70

2 THE ISLE OF MAN AND THE MIKE HAILWOOD REPLICA Below: During the early 1980s, the Mike Hailwood Replica was one of the most popular Ducatis. It was restyled for aluminium. With the release of the revised 900SS in 1981, the MHR also came in for an update, with a two-piece fairing, and side-covers (now covering the battery and rear carburettor). The two-piece fairing made maintenance tasks, like oil changes, much simpler, but the MHR was even closer to the standard 900SS with black-painted forks, regular Brembo brake calipers, and Silentium mufflers. The MHR featured the same engine specifications as the 900SS, but with only 40 mm PHM Dell Ortos. Still with 9.3:1 compression, power was a claimed to be 63 bhp at 7,400 rpm, whereas the 900SS with 32 mm carburettors produced a claimed 57 bhp at the same rpm, both with Silentium silencers. The MHR had higher final drive gearing with 15/33 teeth sprockets giving 2.2:1 (900SSs at this time had 16/38, or 2.375:1). Weight was up again to 463 lb (210 kg) dry. Instruments were still Nippon Denso, whereas the 900SS had Veglia. An important modification that occurred in 1982, from engine 2919 (and to all 900 SS and S2 engines), was the replacement of the six-dog gearbox with one using only three dogs, as used on the original Hailwood bike of This dramatically improved the reliability of the gearbox and reduced any tendency to jump out of gear. During 1983 the Mike Hailwood Replica went through a major redesign, coinciding with the end of the 900SS and its replacement with the 900S2. The Replica now used the inferior S2 frame to accommodate an electric start, and this caused some problems, as mentioned in the previous chapter. Wheels were Oscam type to enable the use of tubeless tyres, there was a new, narrower two-piece fairing, and a new instrument panel with revised warning lights. Other styling changes included different, slotted side-covers, and new graphics. The Brembo brake calipers were mounted behind the 38 mm Marzocchi fork legs and the clip-on bars offset, as with the S2. A first for Ducati were electromagnetic fuel taps, and air caps on the fork legs. Some of these MHRs came with a Conti two-intoone exhaust system; however, most had the usual Silentiums and air cleaners. New Marzocchi gas rear shock absorbers, indicators and tail-light, and a larger 120/90V18 rear Michelin M48 tyre completed the specifications. While some of the 1983 MHR 900s retained the old square-case engine, this year also saw a new engine introduced, which incorporated the first major revisions since the Darmah of The engine-case was completely restyled to accommodate a much more compact Nippon Denso starter motor, a new alternator, and a hydraulically operated, dry clutch. A spin-on oil filter replaced the previous cartridge type, and now an oil-level sight glass appeared in the left-side crankcase. The kickstart had completely disappeared and couldn t even be retro-fitted, but fortunately the new electric start was very reliable at least on the 900. Within the engine, everything was as before, except for Cermetal the Italian equivalent of Nikasil lined bores. The crankshaft was still the pressed-up roller bearing type and all internal gear ratios were as before. There was a slight reduction in ignition advance from the Bosch W7B electronic ignition system, now a maximum 28, from 32 the previous year. (Ignition advance had gradually been reduced over the years from the 38 of the original 750GT.) While not the final development of the bevel-gear engine, in some ways these MHR900 engines were the best of all. Smoothness approached 750 levels, and they were very tractable over a wide power band, 109

3 The line-up of factory racing Pantahs in Ducati Motor 18-litre fibreglass petrol tank was encased by this frame. Fitted with 35 mm Marzocchi racing forks with magnesium sliders and 280 mm Brembo front discs, the racer weighed in at a mere 270 lb (122 kg). It was also extremely compact, with only a 55-inch (1,395 mm) wheelbase. The 18-inch Campagnolo wheels were 2.15 inches wide on the front, and 3.00 inches on the rear. In the engine department, the TT2 was pure factory racer. The 81 mm Borgo pistons only had moderate compression of 10:1, but valves were larger at 41 mm inlet and 35 mm exhaust. These valves were operated by desmodromic camshafts giving 12 mm of intake lift and 10 mm of exhaust. Italian regulations permitted the use of 40 mm Dell Orto carburettors, but for the TT World Championship, standard 36 mm carburettors needed to be retained. Claimed power was 76 bhp at 10,750 rpm. There was much evidence of weight saving exposed camshaft drive belts, a magnesium primary drive cover, and hydraulically operated dry clutch. A lightweight two-into-one exhaust system was also used. Internally most gears were drilled for lightness and ignition was still by electronic Bosch BTZ, with the small battery mounted in the rear tailpiece. Because Italian regulations required an electric starter, both this and the 200 watt alternator were retained. The TT2 was a very effective racing machine, in the best Taglioni tradition of achieving maximum results through a balance of power and weight. It was light, athletic, slim, had a wide power-band, and Taglioni was especially proud of the specific fuel consumption figures of 187 gr/hp/hr less than a diesel! Just how effective it was as a racer was displayed by Massimo Broccoli in October 1981 at the final round of the Italian 500 series at Mugello. On a TT2 sleeved down to 500 cc, he finished seventh in a field of 500GP Suzukis and Yamahas. Broccoli had already secured the Italian TT2 championship ahead of the Kawasakipowered Bimota KB2s. In its first full year the TT2 had won the two championship series that it had contested. 122

4 lighter than the 696 unit. The stroke was increased from 57.2 mm to 66 mm, and a light, 848-type flywheel fitted. Displacing 803 cc, the compression ratio was 11:1, and, with Siemens electronics and a catalytic exhaust system with twin lambda probes and regulating valve, the power was 87 horsepower at 8,250 rpm. The clutch was the wet APTC slipper type of the 696, while the 796 received an oil cooler, and the clutch and alternator outer casings were finished in carbon grey. The Monster 796 s style was slightly different from both the larger 1100 and smaller 696. A black singlesided swingarm came from the 1100, but the riding position was revised with a lower seat height (800 mm) and 20 mm higher tapered section aluminium handlebars. Suspension was by a 43 mm Showa fork and single Sachs shock absorber. The front brakes were twin 320 mm semi-floating discs gripped by radially mounted four-piston Brembo calipers, and ABS was optional. The five Y-spoke 17-inch wheels were differentiated by a pin stripe for 60 degrees of the circumference of the rim which created a full circle of red when in motion. The tyres sizes (180/55 rear and 120/70 front) were the same as the 1100, and the weight was only 167 kg. Although the 796 was already released as an early 2011 model, after six months it received an updated 43 mm Marzocchi front fork, replacing the Showa. The 696 also received the Marzocchi fork, along with the new rear subframe, a 20 mm handlebar-riser, optional ABS, and new Dark Stealth and stone white colour schemes. Also available this year was the Monster 696+, a factory custom featuring a single seat cover and micro-bikini fairing. STREETFIGHTER, MULTISTRADA AND HYPERMOTARD Still relatively new, the Streetfighter received only cosmetic updates for Colours included arctic white for the Streetfighter, the S receiving a matching 286

5 Chasing younger riders, the 899 Panigale was offered in white, alongside the traditional red. increased by 8 horsepower, to 148 horsepower at 10,750 rpm. Also contributing to the power increase was a 62 mm throttle, up from the 848 s 60 mm. Under Project Director Sportsbikes Cristian Gasparri, the chassis was redesigned to include a double-sided aluminium swingarm. This was slightly heavier (6 kg versus 5.1 kg) but allowed for a shorter (1,426 mm) wheelbase. To improve steering and stability, the rake and trail were reduced slightly to 24 degrees and 95 mm. The rear wheel was smaller, at 5.50 x 17-inches, the smaller 180/60-rear tyre also aiding agility. The fuel tank capacity was increased three litres, and rider-friendly features included a more comfortable seat. The suspension featured a lighter 43 mm Showa Big Piston Fork, this offering improved low-speed damping. Front braking was by a pair of smaller 320 mm semi-floating discs with Brembo monobloc M4-32 calipers, and the 899 included the usual Bosch ABS and electronic riding modes. With a wet weight of 193 kg, the 899 was arguably the finest street version in the Panigale range, but would surprisingly be replaced within two years. MONSTER 1200, 1200 S Twenty-one years after the unveiling of the first Monster, Ducati released a new generation. Derived from the Diavel power cruiser, this continued the style of the earlier S4R and S4RS, and was available in two versions: the Monster 1200 and 1200S. Powered by an evolutionary development of the Superbikederived, liquid-cooled Testastretta engine, the frame was completely new. Emphasising torque, the secondgeneration 1198 cc Testastretta 11-degree DS motor was still the most powerful Monster yet. With a 106 x 67.9 mm bore and stroke, the 1200 delivered 135 horsepower at 8,750 rpm, with the Monster 1200 S producing an extra 10 horsepower (145 horsepower at 8,750 rpm). As on the Diavel, the Testastretta 11-degree engine was ostensibly that of the 1198 Superbike re-engineered for increased user-friendliness. This was achieved by reducing the valve overlap from around 41-degrees, as in high rpm performance engines, to only 11-degrees. Breathing through circular Mikuni ride-by-wire throttle 306