The 1970’s Ducati Super Sport defined a new era and a new line of thinking for Ducati. A philosophy that would lead to the creation of the modern Superbike. Only around 430 to 450 have been produced and custom builder Bryan Fuller is one of many who, a few years back, fell in love with the 1974 green frame after admiring one at The Barber Motorsports Museum. He told me: “The torque and rumble is similar to a Harley but with smoothness and the ability to spin up the RRR’s! They are comfortable enough to ride all day, yet sporting enough to handle the hills or track. Hell, I even used mine to run errands! The 1971- 1974 Ducatis are for me some of the finest motorcycles ever made. They have it all: style, grace and power…”
The Ducati featured here was sourced in Texas, born as a 1974 GT., not as cool as the Sport or Super Sport with the Cafe Tail, and not being run since years was in pretty bad shape. Fuller had to rebuilt the motor, but did it following the Ducati Sport specifications. As all great builders will tell you, if you start working on an old machine with very few available original parts, you better off be connected with the experts in the know. While starring in the TV series “Cafe Racer”, Bryan Fuller met with Rich Lambrechts and Vicki Smith from DesmoPro. Rich helped Fuller, as he is one of the foremost experts on Bevel Twins. Bevel cut gears have to be shimmed to lined up properly and finding the shims is always the issue…Fuller and Lambrechts spent 3 weeks together rebuilding the 750 motor & driveline and also two 250 cc angles for a pair of “Dirty Duc’s” dirt bikes which are the current Fuller Hot Rod projects. For beauty, the ho-hum allen bolts were all replaced with SS head bolt grade ARP 12 points.
The former owner of this 74 Ducati couldn’t remember why he quit riding it. Fuller found out during a couple of run tests when the battery died unexpectedly. It is well known that Ducati’s electronics of that time were less than stellar, something quite surprising because electronics was the main activity of Ducati Elettronica a spinoff of Ducati Meccanica SpA., the motorcycle production entity. So, Fuller went to a new and reliable stator and regulator, and for a full re-wiring of the bike, running it through the frame tubes, zip ties forbidden…
Going back to the aesthetics of this Ducati Super Sport, a second front brake disc was added, a first production set of FOX Podium R Street Twin shocks were installed, the tail end was reworked as the original but with some twist. The taillight comes from an old car and dug out of Fuller’s shop stash of swap meet and eBay finds. The original 750 gas tank and exhaust system were kept because they are valuable original factory pieces (mufflers only are supposedly worth $800!) and work well with the new bike design. Chrome plating by Silver Plating in Signal Hill, CA. John Dunn and Chastin Brand striped the tank and tail. The diamond pleat perforated leather seat was sewn by John Whitaker. Fuller Hot Rods. (Photography @ Kevin Warren for Cyril Huze)
Typical Brian Fuller . Even if you’re not absolutely thrilled with the design or a specific bike [ this one IMO is .. OK ] there’s no doubting the craftsmanship , engineering and level of expertise that goes into them .
So yeah … atsa da nice a bike !
Gorgeous! If a motorcycle could also be a cougar…no spare parts or trashy flash, either.
Beautiful bike shot against a terrible background
Indeed so, any motorhead not “melting down” when looking at this sleek and racy scoot had better go back to sleep and immerse himself in another menopausal Christmas tree 🙂 !…
“Bella”
Congrats Brian. A gorgeous bike with beautiful pictures published in Cyril Huze Post. What does a builder want more than this?
first advice of the photos don’t lose the bike in the back ground. this bike shines any where. like to see it without the artsy things in the background!
Good bike all round.GT750s are my pick for the best looking Ducati L-twin.
Good looking bike! Fire your photographer…
and they say bike people have no culture.
to rag on the picture because it has art work in the back is like saying
don’t have have naked women posing with the bike because it takes away from the cycle.
get over it.
What a beautiful bike. When a machine looks like it is doing a million miles an hour while parked you know you got it right.
I want it!
Well done, Bryan, what a transformation!
A wonder. Thanks Cyril for showing it to us.
Good lookin cycle. Beautiful engine, kudos on the polishing, I know how difficult it is.
Such a beautiful bike! What background? 😉
Everyone I’ve every known that has / had one says they are very temperamental
But either way , yes the Ducati is a good looking machine
Clean….
Get one that was made before lunch.
It won’t need the tranny re-shimmed……… 🙂
-nicker-
nicker.Grown men wake up in polls of sweat,screaming when they realise how many different shims they need to measure and fit for correct working tolerances in an old Ducati twin.
Italian Sex !!
BIgitch, Not a culture issue. The background takes away from the bike. Does not follow general rules of commercial photography (like the rule of thirds). Love the bike but the first pic, as a pro photographer, made my eyes hurt.
Less is more!
i was going to post a picyure of this beautiful custom motorbike with the worlds greatest paint job…
but bigfoot came into the photo riding a unicorn with an alien on the back and spoiled the picture.
so i deleted it because bikers like photographer follow the general rules…
get over it PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!
Great work Brian it is beautiful……..
bigitch, *picture (with the proper spelling)
If you got a shot of Bigfoot…. I would be impressed but still your statement make no sense.
You should not want anything to take away from your creation (in this case the bike). There are certainly better ways to incorporate a set for the bike…. maybe even this particular set. I am already over it…. your the one getting up in his feelings. Oh and yes….. bikers follow rules and even protocols….just like the rest of the world does.
Cheers!
A photo with a bike in it is a good bike photo to me.You do realise that the stretched out cat is supposed to mirror the stretched out dead-Cati ?
Took me a week to get my tongue of the screen.