Description
H&H Classic Auction @ National Motorcycle Museum | Solihull, West Midlands
30th Oct, 2024 13:00
1981 Ducati Mike Hailwood Replica
Estimate
£6, 000 - £8, 000
Registration No: UNM 768W
Frame No: 901076
MOT: Exempt
An iconic Ducati of its time
In good order for its age
Said to have been well-maintained
Current V5c on file
Ducati was established in 1926 by Antonio Ducati and his sons, initially producing electrical components. After WW2 they moved into motorcycles with the Cucciola, essentially a pushbike with a clip-on engine but by the 1960s had become associated with performance bikes selling a range of sporty 250 and 350 singles. In response to the demand for larger capacity bikes, chief engineer Fabio Taglioni designed the classic vee-twin bevel drive engine first used in the 1971 GT750. This proved to be an immediate success, helped considerably by Paul Smarts win in the 1972 Imola 200 race. This started a long tradition of race-winning vee-twins that have gone on to dominate World Superbike racing over the years. In spite of Ducatis continued success in World Superbike and Moto GP, their most famous victory was Mike Hailwood's amazing victory in the 1978 IOM TT Formula 1 race. After retiring from bike racing in the late 1960s and carrying injuries from his Formula 1 car racing career, he won his comeback race adding to his already legendary status. After Mike's spectacular victory on the NCR Sports Motorcycles Ducati, the factory commemorated his win with the introduction of a race replica based on the 900SS. Originally titled the ‘900 Replica’, the early model was only produced in a limited run of 200 and had a fiberglass cover over a regular 900 Super Sport fuel tank. By later 1980 the next production run had a steel fuel tank but the bike was essentially the same as the 1979 version including the Brembo Goldline brake calipers and 40mm Dell’Orto carburettors.
This 1981 Ducati Mike Hailwood Replica has been with the current Vendor since 2015 when he purchased the Ducati from his friend who subsequently had owned it for over 30 years. The current vendor knew that the original fairing got damaged very early on in its life and it was replaced with a half fairing which it still has fitted today. It is reported that the machine is mostly original and has been maintained all its life. We have been advised that the machine is running as it should and that it has a current V5c.
