local "car cruise" pics, REBUILD

[WebPilot]

A little too much acetylene …

[WebPilot]

1963 250 Scrambler ... saved from the scrap yard,

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[Viv]

Hi Forrest

Nice Desmo that! I knew some one years ago road raced one of those, from memory that short cone on the exhaust looks about right for the tuning that motor as it matches the ones I saw when I was a kid.

Viv

[WebPilot]

Thanks for that, Viv.

Desmo singles are at times difficult to identify from just pictures. Here's one.


350 Desmo single


350 Desmo single

[Viv]

Thanks for that, Viv.

Desmo singles are at times difficult to identify from just pictures. Here's one.


350 Desmo single


350 Desmo single

Hi Forrest

A Lot of people probably did not know Ducati made a line of very successful singles early on as they only associate the brand with the later V twins.

Another Italian brand of the same period that had good success racing was Aermacchi

http://www.motorbike-search-engine.co.u ... cycles.php

Viv

[WebPilot]

Upon viewing this picture,


Aermacci 350

[WebPilot]

I was struck by its similarity to this machine ...


a 1965 Harley-Davidson Sprint 250

I owned one of these in the early 70's; it was my 1st motor bike.

[Viv]

Hi Forrest

Yes Harley ended up owning Aermacchi to cover the small bike segment of the market, personally I rather liked the look of the flat forward pointing cylinder arrangement and watching them as a kid lapping Brands Hatch in the 70s I can say that they not only sounded nice they were at the time still very competitive.

Viv

[WebPilot]

I was leading up to that Viv, but you said it before I could.



The crankcase cover read "Harley-Davidson," but the overhead-cam single was built by Aermacchi of Italy and came with a right-side shifter.

I remember the bike being quite powerful for a "one lunger". It sounded like ½ of a Sportster.

It is the reason I was and still am partial to 4 stroke "thumpers".

[WebPilot]

Harley's Sprint-based CR250 flat-tracker was a competitive mount
right out of the box ... and sweet lookin'!

[WebPilot]

450 Desmo with Jelly mold tank

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non-Desmo ...

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1968 Ducati 350 Desmo Twin Filler

In 1968 Ducati released their first Desmo engines for sale to the general public. Previously, the desmo valve actuation design had been restricted to factory race engines. This was the flagship model of the widecase range.

[Viv]

Hi Forrest

I do love the Desmo singles as they were just such nice looking bikes, I noticed the jelly mold one is parked next to a 70s era Commando with that models single Norvill disc brake, the triumph in front as the Ducati is still sporting the twin leading shoe front brake arrangement, as I recall the fade rate on the early Norvill disc brakes was about the same as the Bonneville drum brake.

Viv