In the best tradition of dramatic announcements...
STOP THE PRESS!
...or whatever works in the blogosphere.
Recently, I needed to check one of my 749Rs at the factory - I now have 3, don't ask me why. Generally, the factory can only give the date the bike was produced and an approximation of where it went - UK, US, Japan, Australia, maybe to a race team if you're lucky. This time, my request was met with the polite answer that the request had been forwarded to another department at Ducati. I've never heard of this happening before, so I was somewhat puzzled.
The next morning, I received this in my inbox:
Previous research indicated that most if not all of the Ducati Corse/Breil bikes went to the Caracchi team (I have a photo of Nannelli riding one of Lanzis bikes during early season testing in 2005) with some spares and crash damaged fairings going to Tony O'Neal. What we didn't know was where the Breil bikes went from Caracchi. Were they destroyed? Were they sold because they were too tired for competition? Who knows. They just disappeared. Well, now, one has surfaced and Ducati have records of the original transaction between Ducati Holdings and Ducati Corse. Proper, bulletproof provenance.
This is so cool! I have some restoration to do, but I feel like one of those guys who finds a Jaguar D-Type in a shed. I have most the parts I need to restore it, including an ECU that I believe is an original Lanzi box, complete with the coded, named map. I just need John Hackett to look inside for me.
I can't wait to get started on the project!
As always, thanks for reading. Enjoy!
** Edit ** I remember talking to my good buddy Graham Sharpy Sharp about these bikes years ago and how we wondered where they went. Why they disappeared. I can't believe that we have found one! Thanks to everyone who has helped track this bike down.
STOP THE PRESS!
...or whatever works in the blogosphere.
Recently, I needed to check one of my 749Rs at the factory - I now have 3, don't ask me why. Generally, the factory can only give the date the bike was produced and an approximation of where it went - UK, US, Japan, Australia, maybe to a race team if you're lucky. This time, my request was met with the polite answer that the request had been forwarded to another department at Ducati. I've never heard of this happening before, so I was somewhat puzzled.
The next morning, I received this in my inbox:
Dear Jezza,
With reference to your request, we inform you that this 749 R Model Year 2004 was the official bike of the Italian motorcycle rider Lorenzo Lanzi in occasion of the World Supersport Championship 2004 .
At the end of the season the bike was sold to the SC Stefano Caracchi Team.
...
We remain at your disposal.
Many regards.
Previous research indicated that most if not all of the Ducati Corse/Breil bikes went to the Caracchi team (I have a photo of Nannelli riding one of Lanzis bikes during early season testing in 2005) with some spares and crash damaged fairings going to Tony O'Neal. What we didn't know was where the Breil bikes went from Caracchi. Were they destroyed? Were they sold because they were too tired for competition? Who knows. They just disappeared. Well, now, one has surfaced and Ducati have records of the original transaction between Ducati Holdings and Ducati Corse. Proper, bulletproof provenance.
This is so cool! I have some restoration to do, but I feel like one of those guys who finds a Jaguar D-Type in a shed. I have most the parts I need to restore it, including an ECU that I believe is an original Lanzi box, complete with the coded, named map. I just need John Hackett to look inside for me.
I can't wait to get started on the project!
As always, thanks for reading. Enjoy!
** Edit ** I remember talking to my good buddy Graham Sharpy Sharp about these bikes years ago and how we wondered where they went. Why they disappeared. I can't believe that we have found one! Thanks to everyone who has helped track this bike down.
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