My Duke, 98% complete

[dav]

Here's a few pics of our Duke, very close to been ridden for the first time in 30 odd years

[Semper Gumby]

Oh Dav,

Shinny!!  Well done!

oOOooooooOOOooooogh

 [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

[montmil]

Is that the Ducati the factory named "Diana" or similar? My mind recalls some time I spent on a silver-tanked Ducati single in the early 60's. Yours is more gooder lookin'.

Monte It's not Alzheimer's, just Part-Timers Miller [smiley=undecided.gif]

Just noted the scooter list tagline. 1968 is too new to be like the older model I rode.

[Barry]

It's a work of art like all Ducati's of that era.

My first bike was an early 70's Ducati single. It had a few eccentric traits like you would be riding along and the ignition key would pop out of its own accord and kill the ignition. I'd push it back in while the bike was slowing down but only after some unburnt mixture had filled the exhaust. The resulting explosion in the silencer would blow the detachable end cone off and spill the baffle into the road. Happened many times and I never learnt until one time the baffle was squashed flat by a lorry. Spares were hard to come by even then so the replacement was a bean can stuffed with steel wool.

Happy Days

[nhmaf]

That's a classy bike, no 2 ways about it!
 [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

[SCJJR65]

Oh, Yeah!   [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Me likey!!!!

[Mike V]

Dav,

Had to add my jealous lustful comments also.  Gorgeous bike, well done.  "Rolling Art" pure and simple...

Is there a known history behind the bike you can share?

[bruce_launceston]

Hi Dav

My sister in law had a beatifully restored Mach 3, she sold it in Melbourne about 20 years ago.

I took these photos of Ducati singles at the 'Festival of Italian Motorcycles' in Melbourne in 2008.

[dav]

Thanks guys for your comments [smiley=thumbsup.gif]...

Mike V, the bike has been in box's since the late 70's. My father worked with the bloke who owned it since the early 70's, for some reason he striped it down & just left it. Fast forward 30 or so yrs & sadly the owner past away & the wife asked my old man if he wanted the duke, dad rang me to see if i wanted to go 50/50 with him. I think we bought all the box's home in the yr 2000 & we got straight into it, BUT we had a few problems & time just got away from us, so once again the duke just sat there collecting dust. Then last yr i just said "what is happening with the duke, lets get it going"..

Bruce, great pics thanks for sharing..

[Mike V]

dav,
Sure hope you're keeping a pictorial on the restoration. I would love to see all the details of the rebuild. I would love to do one of these bikes one of these days. The most exhilarating thing is to feel one of these under your butt. It's a beauty. Keep us informed on the progress. I totally appreciate your effort keeping these old bikes running.