This is my first Ducati. This monoposto model is part of Ducati's "Sport Classics" range, which also included the Paul Smart 1000 Limited Edition, and later was joined by the GT 1000, a biposto regular street/ touring model. Then in 2007 the Sport 1000 was changed to a biposto convertible, with pipes, shocks, and passenger footpegs on both sides, so it turned out that the monoposto model was only sold (at least in the US) for one season. The Sport Classic models are intended to be modern retro interpretations looking back to the early 70s when Ducati first came out with desmodromic valve motors and started to win races with them. In one of the first outings, Paul Smart won the 200 miles of Imola. So these retro models were made to look somewhat old fashioned, with colors and striping appropriate, and were the first Ducatis to have wire spoke wheels in about 30 years. The performance and construction, however, is all modern. It's a nice combination.

Click here to see the Ducati Sport Classic Range of Motorcycles

I originally saw the monoposto model in the dealer in San Francisco (Munroe Motors) when it first came out, and drooled over the brochure for months and months. Of course, for me it was really not affordable new. I thought about buying a wrecked one I found, but they really wanted too much money for even that, and not only that, it was a salvage title, needed repairs, and was the wrong color. I kept on looking. Another thing that happened along the way was that I met a guy who already had one, after seeing his bike parked in downtown Santa Cruz. This guy let me try riding his, which was important, because typically dealers won't allow test rides. This served only to get me more interested- in fact I really had to kind of force myself to turn back and return the bike, and the test ride put a huge smile on my face. After searching for so long and having pretty well given up, one day luck struck. On Craigslist what looked like the perfect machine was offered for a relatively low price. This example, located in San Francisco, was sold new by Munroe, had 1892 miles, was in perfect condition, and was still under warranty. I could not believe it but I went to look and made a deal. Apparently the owner wanted to buy a classic British bike he had found. My new Ducati came home in the back of my pickup.

People are constantly wondering what year this machine was made. I got an accessory tank cover and tank bag, which only adds to the retro effect (see top photo). But what really makes this bike fabulous is the performance. I guess it could be said that I'm not personally accustomed to much performance, so perhaps it's not that great, but it feels great. In fact the performance of this machine feels like it's really way too much, and I have to keep careful control to avoid overshooting my limits of riding ability. It's a good thing I'm an experienced rider. I'm really hoping that some careful pushing of my limits will gradually make me a better rider. So far I'm already up to nearly 4000 miles, and I'm really enjoying riding and maintaining this new bike.

Being accustomed to Moto Guzzis for several years has probably also affected my perception of performance, not to mention maintenance. This new bike needs more care and attention than Guzzis do. For starters, it has a chain, something I have not had to worry about for years now. I have managed to obtain the factory shop manual as a pdf file, and one interesting aspect of it is fine color pictures, another is the extensive list of torque specifications they provide. As a result of this information I obtained a 1/4" drive, low reading torque wrench, to handle all the small values listed.

This machine has some relatively fancy electronics, which I am hoping prove reliable. This is mainly evident during startup, when the dash lamps and gauges go through a little lightshow routine. In addition, starting requires just a touch of the button, as the rest of the process is taken care of automatically. These sorts of features are somewhat unsettling for an old school guy like me, as I envision the expense of obtaining the diagnostic equipment to sort out problems that might arise. The alternative of being in a position to need the dealer's services, is equally or even more unattractive. As my other modern machine, the Guzzi V-11 Sport, is beginning to have some problems in this area, there are many doubts on the horizon.

What then is so special about Ducati motorcycles to create such interest among enthusiasts? One clue can be found on the tachometers of Ducatis-- whereas your average tach shows a redline, Ducati tachs lack this feature. Why no redline for these motors? Aside from the development of their designs in so far as handling and so on are concerned, there is one supreme factor, which is the use of the desmodromic valve control system. No other company has made use of this system, making Ducati unique in this respect. This is often dubbed "desmo" and in fact my friend Westley used to have a cat named Desmo as well. The matter of a redline is related to the danger of valve float, which can occur in motors employing conventional valve control with valve springs. At some speed, the springs simply cannot return the valve fast enough and valves can thereby "float" and the results are often disastrous. With Ducati desmo motors there are no valve springs at all, the valves being controlled by rocker-like levers that serve to both open and close the valves in a positive manner. This requires careful maintenance of valve lash clearances, two for each valve.

The Ducati L- twin 1000 DS desmo motor, as used in the sport classic range, is a modern development of the motors introduced in the early 70s that were so revolutionary at the time. The front cylinder points forward, and has cooling fins more or less horizontal to the ground, and the rear cylinder is just slightly angled back with it's fins also horizontal. The rear cylinder can serve to warm (in cold weather) or perhaps to overheat (in hot weather) the operator under certain conditions. Each cylinder has a single belt driven overhead cam operating the desmodromic valving system.This motor is built to use synthetic oil right from the start, and the oil does not have to be changed very often compared to conventional engines. This is a good thing as the particular version of this oil specified is punishingly expensive. The clutch is somewhat noisy, and I have been informed that this is normal for Ducatis.