Beschreibung:

• Landmark model • Built to commemorate 1978 Isle of Man TT win 'Modern Ducati' can be traced back to April 1972 when a factory-prepared and entered Ducati won the Imola 200 (the European equivalent of the Daytona 200) with a for-production based 750cc, desmodromic valve, v-twin motor developed by Fabio Taglioni. Imola was a traditionally fast circuit that placed a premium on high-speed handling rather than brute horsepower. The Super Sport prototypes used for the inaugural race were developed using a 750GT based engine and frame and earned instant fame when legendary racer Paul Smart and Bruno Spaggiari finished first and second, respectively, immediately elevating Ducati from a company known for "quaintly individual" motorcycles and into the superbike market.' That all happened in the 1970s. A landmark model that kept Ducati afloat during the 1980s, the Mike Hailwood Replica (MHR) owes its existence to Mike's legendary Isle of Man TT comeback victory in the 1978 Production Race riding an ex-works NCR bike entered and prepared by Manchester-based Ducati dealer, Sports Motor Cycles. Out of top-flight bike racing for seven years and away from the Island for eleven, Mike took on and beat the might of the Honda works team to win the Formula 1 TT at record speed. Ducati lost little time in capitalizing on this outstanding success, launching a road-going replica the following year. Like the race-bike, the MHR was based on the production 900SS, but - inevitably - had much more in common with the latter than the former. Most obvious difference was the full fairing finished in red, green and white, complemented by a fiberglass tank and racing seat. In fact, on the very earliest examples the 'tank' hid a steel fuel reservoir. Mechanical changes were confined to lighter wheels, usually by Campagnolo, and improved Brembo brakes, while the MHR's performance was pretty much the same as that of the 900SS: around 135mph flat-out. The first 200 MHRs came with two separate seats: one solo, the other a dual seat, whereas later versions had a single 'convertible' solo/dual seat. The lack of any side covers is another distinctive feature of very early MHRs. This example has the more practical two-piece fairing introduced for 1981 and the larger side panels designed to hide the battery (the mirrors are after-market accessories). This is a magnificent example, used but not abused, that demands close inspection. It comes from a private sportbike collection in New Zealand where it was both ridden and carefully tended to. Any bidder should inspect this motorcycle carefully to satisfy themselves as to its condition. With the usual safety checks it should start and run very well.