Bolt Motor Co.’s Ducati 750 Super Sport…
The original Ducati 750SS (Super Sport) is one of the most iconic machines ever to emerge from the Bologna factory — a street-legal production version of the Ducati 750 Imola Desmo that Paul Smart and Bruno Spaggiari rode to a 1-2 finish in the 1972 “200 Miglia di Imola” (Imola 200), beating the legendary Giacomo Agostini.
In 1991, Ducati introduced a new version of the Ducati 750SS, featuring a 64-bhp L-twin engine with the company’s signature desmodromic valve actuation, a triangulated space-frame built from tubular chromoly, and Showa suspension at both ends. While this 750 Super Sport was no longer a road-legal race bike like its namesake, it was still quite a machine:
“The 750SS embodies all that a V-Twin sportbike represents—a torquey, soulful motor enveloped in a lightweight, fine-handling chassis…” —Cycle World, 1992
Enter the good folks from Bolt Motor Co. of Valencia, Spain, whose Honda CBX1000 café racer built for MotoGP Hall-of-Famer Jorge Martínez “Aspar” was a huge hit earlier this year. Today we’re thrilled to showcase Bolt #42, the 1992 Ducati 750SS café racer you see here.
It had been a while since the Bolt crew had their hands on a Ducati, so they were eager to dig in. When conceiving the build, Paul Smart’s original 750 Imola Desmo was top of mind:
“Right from the start, we knew we wanted to revive that history and use Paul Smart’s bike as inspiration. Having this in mind, we knew the outcome would be fantastic.”
The bike is a perfect blend of retro style and modern function. Highlights include upgraded Brembo brakes, tuned suspension, LED lighting with custom 3D-printed brackets, Motogadget electronics, and a tuned engine with a custom exhaust whose pipes, they say, “exude a vintage vibe and a roar that makes our hair stand on end.”
Overall, this is one gorgeous Bologna beauty that Bolt Motor Co. has brought into the 21st century. Not only are they proud of the result, but the process itself was a delight:
“We’ve enjoyed the process together with its owner, a true motorcycle enthusiast who is now riding the motorbike of his dreams.”
Below, the Bolt Motor Co. crew gives us the full details on the build.
Ducati 750 Café Racer: In the Builder’s Words
At Bolt Motor Company, we are true admirers of Ducati, as all their bikes have a unique personality, but especially a Ducati 750 SS.
For those of you unfamiliar with this model, Ducati 750 SS is well known in the racing world, as its conception was inspired by the iconic Ducati 750 Imola. Motorcycling fans will remember Paul Smart and Burno Spaggiari crossing the finish line in first and second place respectively, in the Imola 200 mile race, beating the legendary Giacomo Agostini.
Right from the start, we knew we wanted to revive that history and use Paul Smart’s bike as inspiration. Having this in mind, we knew the outcome would be fantastic.
Let’s start with the front-end. We upgraded the brakes and calibrated the shock absorbers to ensure a more balanced behaviour.
The headlight was modernised with an LED, but we kept the retro essence by designing a fully tailored 3D bracket.
PERFECT BALANCE BETWEEN MODERNITY AND A DUCATI SOUL
Our goal was to provide #BOLT42 with excellent riding comfort and practicality, in order to be used on a daily basis, so we went for a straight handlebar.
The frame was sandblasted and painted in Ducati red, and finally kiln dried.
Another highlight is the exhaust pipes, which exude a vintage vibe and a roar that makes our hair stand on end.
To maintain its authentic Ducati Italian essence, we chose spoked wheels and an elegant waterproof leather seat with matching embroidery.
Our mechanics’ magic hands did their best in tuning the engine, achieving optimal performance. We also renovated all the electrics with Motogadget components.
#BOLT42 is memorable for two reasons: At Bolt Motor Company, Café Racer Specialists in Valencia, we were very keen on getting our hands on a Ducati again; so the first reason is the result, which we are very proud of.
The second reason is how much we’ve enjoyed the process together with its owner, a true motorcycle enthusiast who is now riding the motorbike of his dreams.
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- Website: www.boltracer.com
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Bella!
Linee pulite.
Yet again, when it comes to the seat department and that section of motorcycle people lose their mind and make the bike ugly I wouldn’t write it I wouldn’t even own it it just makes the whole bike ugly. People when you get to that point don’t screw the whole bike up by doing that because I don’t know one person to think that’s attractive