I'm really pleased that someone has answered our plea for photos and information about your Ducati singles.
We received an email from Michael in Finland about his 350 Spaggiari replica
Michael wrote
"My self racing (parade ) a 350 “Bruno Spaggiari Replica” – at 35 bhp on the back wheel with the stop at 8000 rpm we are happy.
Needed some porting and a megacycle cam and a Italian piston.
At the moment I’m looking for a proper exhaust system (Gibson)that gives me the power at 100 decibel – my level now probably 115 decibel messured at a distance of 30 meters"
I'd like to hear it with the current exhaust system.
After a good year racing the 250's Andy had one of his brilliant ideas, why not a 450 for 2012? If it can be ridden like the 250's and produce half decent horsepower, it should be a match for most full 500's, being a lot lighter than a standard Manx or G50 Matchless. Well that's the theory.
First problem, find a bike. After much hunting around Andy found at least the basis for the racer.
Sadly, the chassis came with a disc front end, nice, light and OK in the UK, but most Continental meetings require a drum brake front and rear. Early outings will probably see the disc used but the long term plan is a swap to a drum.
The main chassis part still missing is a swinging arm. The type to be used is under discussion, as we've seen a number of different types such as the Seeley style and those used on the Spaggiari replica frames as well as the standard part, or possibly a box section type as seen on this claimed, NCR 450 Works bike.
NCR 450 currently for sale in Japan at 4,800,000 Yen (£39,000)
After that, all we need is an engine. This is proving surprisingly hard to come by, so if anyone has one for sale (or knows of one) please let us know. Also, if anyone has any good tuning parts or tuning advice for 450's we would be pleased to hear from you. ducatiracing@steelcraft.biz
Our only visit to the Classic Racing Motorcycle Club this year was their final round, the Race of the Year meeting, at Snetterton and Andy was the only Steelcraft rider competing.
Some random clips from Snetterton
Some people believe in omens, but Andy leaving his tool box at home, despite having everything else but the kitchen sink in the van didn't worry us.
Practice went well on on the new layout of the Snetterton 200 circuit and all that was needed was a change to a taller gearing for the race as the bike was over revving on the long straights.
Andy made his customary good start from near the back of the grid and was soon battling for third with Mervyn Stratford (Greeves), behind Chris Wallace and John Hynes (both Ducati mounted). Then on lap four, disaster struck, a bang in the engine and then silence as the bike coasted to a halt.
Back in the paddock, the inlet tappet cover was removed and we found that neither valve was opening. With the top bevel cover removed the problem was clear, the vertical bevel had broken as you can see in the photo below.
Maybe having no tools at the track is a bad omen or at least a guarantee that tools will be needed. The breakdown wasn't a great problem as Andy intended to ride Andy Boyle's Royal Enfield GP5 on Sunday anyway.
Another nice example a shame it's only paraded
And what of the new video camera (see previous post)?. Again not good as we had recorded nothing on the camera when mounted on the Ducati, in either practice or race. We thought the problem was either down to vibration or the radio waves from transponders affecting the remote control on/off function. On the Sunday we turned the remote function off and had the camera strapped to Andy's leg. This gave good results but we are still not sure what caused the problem.
Race of the Year on board the GP5
In the Sunday morning race Andy took a third place behind Mervyn Stratford and Chris Wallace. This result was repeated in the final race the "Race of the Year".
a 350 for sale in the paddock at £4000
Other notable Ducati results were a win for Nigel Palmer in the first 500 clubmans race, though sadly he failed to finish either of the other races, and Simon Morris who took three out of three in the 350 Clubmans Class.
This blog may be about racing bikes from the past, but that doesn't stop us from using new technology.
After trying a cheap on board camera this year (£15 - yes that cheap) which gave us some passable results, (see Lydden and Gedinne posts, 2011) Stu has invested in something a little more upmarket.
Drift 170 Stealth action camera (OK, it's a silly macho name)
We're hopeful that this new camera offering High Definition and 60 frames per minute will provide some good footage in the future. The high frame rate means that we may also be able to have slow motion clips.
Today we started testing and below are our first clips on one of the Ducati's, firstly facing forward, mounted on the fork leg.
As you can see, the camera can be clipped to the mount very quickly
And below fear facing, mounted on the seat hump.
The remote control can start/stop recording from up to 5M away as shown here
On the way home Stu tested the camera, strapped to his boot, to give another perspective, and also added a slow motion section.
Fine so far, but will it stand the vibration of a 250 single and the rigours of classic racing?
Andy is racing at Snetterton this weekend with the CRMC where we hope to give it a real test so we will let you know in the next post.
In 1926, the brothers Adriano, Marcello and Bruno Ducati founded Societa Scientifica Radio Brevetti Ducati, producing components for radio's, business was good and a new factory was built in the Borgo area of Bologna in 1935. At the same time, in Turin, Aldo Farinelli designed and built a small 4 stroke engine to be used as a cycle motor for a company called SIATA. Immediately after the war, this engine became available to the public and named the Cucciolo
A number of companies soon produced motorised cycles based on the engine, but it was in 1950, after around 200,000 units had already been sold that the Ducati company joined forces with SIATA to manufacture their own Cucciolo motorcycle.
With 60cc and weighing just 44Kg the bike gave 200mpg (64 Km/L)
The Cucciolo (Puppy) name was soon dropped in favour of the 55M and 65TL.
Apparently the name derived from the sound of the engine, see what you think.
OK that's enough history, the point of this post is that with a quarter of a million of these engines around it was inevitable that people would start to race them.
Below are a few examples.
But it wasn't just road racing, people
even made board racers
And in England someone took things even further, below is the Britax Hurricane of 1954
And here, in action
The wonderful beginnings of Ducati single cylinder racing
Here endeth the lesson......
except, if you didn't think it could get more strange......
someone (or rather some people) built tandem versions
This was the season finale for BHR with both the 250 specials and Ducati championships still to be decided.
250 and 350 Specials in the collecting area
Our first outing was the combined 250/350 Specials race. Stu and Andy both got the good starts they needed as the 250's started a few rows behind the 350's. At the end of lap 1, Mark Capewell led on his Aermacchi 350 with Stu 4th and Andy 6th, already well ahead of the other 250's. By the third lap Stu had taken the lead with Andy 4th, but on the final lap, Andy put in the fastest lap of the weekend for either of the Steelcraft riders (1minute 56.18 seconds) to take the win from Stu
The Ducati class was mixed with the 500 class, mainly Manx Nortons, Matchless G50's and so on.
In the first race, the first Ducati home was nine times Manx Grand prix winner, Bill Swallow on his 350 (2nd overall to Austin Kear, 500 Manx), Andy was 2nd (5th o/a) and Stu 3rd (7th o/a), 4th home was Craig Ridgley (350)
Bill Swallow at the Mountain
The second 250/350 race was pretty much a repeat of race 1, but this time Andy and Stu were first and second overall by lap 2, it was also a repeat run in the second Ducati race, Bill 1st then Andy, Stu and Craig.
This video shows some typical 250/350 specials action, it took Stu a while to get through to 2nd place - It's worth a "double click" to view in larger window.
In the first 250/350 race on Sunday Stu finally got the 250 class win coming home 2nd overall to another Manx GP regular, Mark Herbertson on his AJS 7R. Andy was pipped to the line by Ian Cramp (Greeves Special) for second.
Mark Herbertson 7R
Ready to go for the next race alongside Susan Gunson (250 Monza)
The first Ducati race reverted to type, Bill then Andy then Stu but with Charles Davies (250) beating Craig to 4th
350 Ducati's of Irish guest riders Bill Smyth and Peter Simpson
In the final 250/350 race Stu retired on lap 2 with a vibration from the rear wheel (yet to be diagnosed). leaving Andy to take an easy class win and second overall to a fine ride from Mark Capewell after a fast engine change to his bike, his "spare" engine was obviously pretty good
Not eligible at BHR but a nice example of a Benelli 2C currently for sale, yours for £2500
Ariel Arrow takes no notice of the Cadwell Park rules
The final Ducati race was another win for Bill Swallow, Andy second and with Stu absent, Charles Davies took a good third
Bill's 350
All this meant that Andy had sewn up both the 250 Specials and Ducati championships
Andy at the Mountain
That's the last outing of the year for Stu, but Andy hopes to ride at Snetterton with the CRMC in early October
After Andy had a run out on a two stroke at Mallory Park with the inevitable seizure, he was pleased to be back on the Ducati.
The Nurburgring is a new track to Steelcraft Racing and with its fast flowing turns over 5.137Km, Andy wasn’t sure how suited it would be to the 22 BHP Ducati. This was the spare engine as the quick motor was still not finished due to broken bones hampering garage time.
The weekend was an historic racing festival incorporating the ADAC Eifelrennen and the Jan Wellem cup, with cars and bikes dating from the 1920’s
There was a nice selection of Italian singles including Ducati, Motobo ,Morini and Aermacchi
As is quite usual on the continent meetings of this nature are called regularity runs with trophies going to the most consistent lap times. Steelcraft were there to race and so it seemed were most of the others.
Practice was a very wet affair as you would expect with the track nestling in the Eifel Mountains. This was no barrier to good lap times and saw the Steelcraft Ducati on pole for the “race”
An interesting Ducati Fairing
Gilera Saturno San Remo
We thought Sarolea made cakes
The Ducati was Third overall on track and first in class (250cc 1950-1967) Lap times on the dry track were steadily increasing so put the score down to 20th in the regularity Andy had an excellent race with a 250 Aermacchi swapping places every lap with the final result coming down to who got through the backmarkers best and as Steelcraft take no prisoners Andy was first to the flag.
Some clips of solos, classic F1 and sidecars from the ring
Sunday was also a dry race and slight gearing change saw the lap times drop again finishing with a best lap of 2.53.2
This shot is worth a "double click" to see it full size - see how many famous names you recognise
All together a superb weekend well organised and with an amazing variety of historic machines at an iconic venue definitely one for next years calender.
