Saving a little bit of my youth.
05-16-2010, 10:18 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 06-21-2008
Location: SE Michigan
Posts: 1,457
Saving a little bit of my youth.
I have been trying for 20 years to get this from my uncle, the first motorcycle I ever got a ride on. It's a 1966 Ducati 250....
The last time it was on the road was in 1983, it's been in my grandmother's garage, (now my mother's, she inherited the house)
3510 actual miles, and yes, that is an 8500 rpm redline! The Ducati Diana 250 was the first production 250 to top 100mph, something that 500cc bikes of the day had a hard time doing.
There's still a little shine under the patina of rust and dirt.
It took me about a 1/2 hour to get it running after sitting under a blanket for 27 years. It runs and handles liked it was just put up yesterday. I need to replace the tires, as they are over 40 years old! I could hear the inner tubes cracking as I filled the tires with a bicycle pump. So far I've done a couple trips around the block, got it up to 40mph (didn't want to go any faster on the old rubber).
3.50x18 rear tire, fat for a 250 back then.
Love the vintage custom tank. I have to get the original out of the attic at my mother's.
Dell'orto carb!
I'm glad my uncle decided to let me have this bike, some people spend big bucks trying to recapture their youth, I just go over to my mom's....
The last time it was on the road was in 1983, it's been in my grandmother's garage, (now my mother's, she inherited the house)
3510 actual miles, and yes, that is an 8500 rpm redline! The Ducati Diana 250 was the first production 250 to top 100mph, something that 500cc bikes of the day had a hard time doing.
There's still a little shine under the patina of rust and dirt.
It took me about a 1/2 hour to get it running after sitting under a blanket for 27 years. It runs and handles liked it was just put up yesterday. I need to replace the tires, as they are over 40 years old! I could hear the inner tubes cracking as I filled the tires with a bicycle pump. So far I've done a couple trips around the block, got it up to 40mph (didn't want to go any faster on the old rubber).
3.50x18 rear tire, fat for a 250 back then.
Love the vintage custom tank. I have to get the original out of the attic at my mother's.
Dell'orto carb!
I'm glad my uncle decided to let me have this bike, some people spend big bucks trying to recapture their youth, I just go over to my mom's....
05-17-2010, 12:36 AM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: 05-10-2010
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 84
Must be nice to only have to work on it for 30 mins.... They knew how to make stuff back then took pride in craftsmanship. To recapture my youth I'd have to pull it out of a dump somewhere redesign the cooling system get my parts from Japan and then pray like hell that something didn't eat the wiring harness while it sat. (87 Ford Taurus MT5) Glad it all worked out for you man good job....so when will we see it on E-bay LOL J/K
05-17-2010, 06:52 AM
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: 07-03-2009
Location: Blo-hio Transplant
Posts: 748
Sweet Duc!!!
Here a site for older Ducati's found it one day will putzing around on a Monster forum I belong to.
http://www.bevelheaven.com/
Here a site for older Ducati's found it one day will putzing around on a Monster forum I belong to.
http://www.bevelheaven.com/
Last edited by peevlos; 05-17-2010 at 07:47 PM. Reason: type oh
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