Paul Smart-Inspired Ducati from Rindperformance…
English racer Paul Smart wasn’t well known in international road racing circles until the 1972 Imola 200, where he piloted a Grand Turismo (GT) 750 — the first Ducati with a desmodromic engine. Whereas Giacomo Agostini was riding an MV Agusta purpose-built for racing, Smart’s GT 750 had the chassis, suspension, brakes, and engine from a production touring bike, which made his feat all the more legendary.
“Surprising the more than 70,000 fans and onlookers, and even his own team, Smart surged ahead and crossed the finish line in 1st place.” -Ducati
Meanwhile, Smart’s teammate Bruno Spaggiari finished in second. The victory proved to Ducati executives that racing success had a direct impact on sales, and the factory would support works racing teams for decades to come. In 2006, Ducati released the Paul Smart 1000 Replica LE to commemorate Smart’s victory — one of the most desirable Ducatis ever produced, built on the same SportClassic platform as the coveted MH900e.
Germany’s Rindperformance has an affinity for transforming rather boring two-wheeled platforms into custom machines inspired by motoring icons such as Freddie Spencer, James Dean, and in this case, the late Paul Smart. This build started when Rindperformance’s Mr. Ludolf came across an inexpensive, unfinished 2000 Ducati ST2 project.
“I built the bike for myself because an MH900 or a Paul Smart LE was too expensive… Since I’ve always liked the proportions of the Ducati MH900, I decided to build a mix between the Paul Smart Ducati and the MH900.”
The ST2 may not seem like the most ideal candidate for such a build, as it’s a sport touring bike with a 944cc, 83-bhp liquid-cooled L-twin derived from the 907 Paso. However, Rindperformance overcame this challenge with a side-mounted radiator that’s much more inconspicuous than the original.
Of course the bike was stripped down to the bare frame and painted the iconic aqua-green hue of the Paul Smart machines. The stock swingarm was swapped for a single-sided unit from the S2R, and the bike rolls on S2R Marchesini wheels with Supercorsa V3 rubber.
Other highlights include Probrake clip-on bars, café racer-style tail section with alcantara seat, Paul Smart front fairing, 2-into-1 exhaust, LED lightning, and more.
“The name Paolo Accorto is an Italian homage to Paul Smart – Paolo as the Italian form of Paul, and Accorto as a meaningful translation of smart, in the sense of clever and thoughtful.” 😉
The iconic Paul Smart LE may be a rare bike, with just 2000 ever produced, but this “Paolo Accorto” is a true one-of-one machine from one of Europe’s best builders. Below is our full interview with Rindperformance about the build.
Ducati ST2 Paul Smart: Builder Interview
• What’s the make, model, and year of the bike?
2000 Ducati ST2.
• Why was this bike built?
I built the bike for myself because an MH900 or a Paul Smart LE was too expensive. I came across the motorcycle by chance on the internet – it was an unfinished project. At first, I wasn’t planning to buy it, but the price was so good that I decided to go for it. Then came the question of what I wanted to turn it into. Since I’ve always liked the proportions of the Ducati MH900, I decided to build a mix between the Paul Smart Ducati and the MH900.
• Tell us a little about the build.
The foundation for this build was a Ducati ST2 – not the most obvious starting point, since it comes with air/water cooling. I managed to solve this challenge with a more compact, side-mounted radiator, which blends seamlessly into the concept.
The original swingarm also proved less than ideal, so I replaced it with a refined single-sided swingarm from the Ducati S2R – a choice that enhances both aesthetics and performance.
Clip-on handlebars, café racer seat hump, and the unmistakable Paul Smart front fairing were, of course, a must for this retro-inspired project.
And so, piece by piece, the “Paolo Accorto” was born. But unlike the iconic Paul Smart LE, of which 2,000 were built, this Ducati exists only once – a true one-of-one bike.
• Can you list the custom work done to the bike?
• Alcantara seat
• Smaller water cooler
• S2R Marchesini wheels
• Supercorsa v3 tire
• 2 in 1 Exhaust
• Paul Smart front fairing
• Café Racer tail
• LED lights
• S2R swingarm
• Probrake handlebars
• What’s the story behind the nickname?
The name Paolo Accorto is an Italian homage to Paul Smart – Paolo as the Italian form of Paul, and Accorto as a meaningful translation of smart, in the sense of clever and thoughtful.
Follow the Builder
- Instagram: @mr.ludolf | @rindperformance
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Man! That frame!