If I won the lottery, Ducati 750 GT

[canuck750]

A dream bike of mine, red / 1974 black round case Ducati 750 GT

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/mcy/d/ducati-750-gt-sport/6584038118.html

[Yukonica]

If I won the lottery I'd be hunting down one of your builds.... invariably gorgeous.

[Rough Edge racing]

 I had two of them...The first I bought in 1978 had Borriani rims and leading axle fork...I was driving past a local Suzuki dealer and saw it for sale. Stopped to have a look and the salesman said to take it for a ride....I had ridden nothing like it, as Cook Neilson said, it feels like a hydraulic engine, so smooth compared to Birt bikes and buzzy Japanese ....And the stability...and slow steering...I sold it after a few years and then bought another one in 1985...It cost 1200 bucks...I sold it after a few years and bought a used Harley Shovelhead.. I believe my 96 900 Monster is a good replacement..goes a lot faster and certainly steers faster and has a real charging system...but doesn't have that classic look....
  This is the second one.......

       

[Tusayan]

About 20 years ago, a friend and I collected his newly acquired 750GT from a Renaissance Motorcycies in Tucson, where it was sold on consignment.  A dry air preserved bike, it was and remains the cleanest, nicest preserved 1970s Ducati I've ever seen (I didn't pay attention to them until the early 80s) and it cost...  $2500. 

GTs belong to a short lived class of gentlemanly Italian big bikes of the early 70s, V7 Sport and Laverda/Eagle twin being two others, that were sold before they were tuned into harder edged race replicas..  The GT strikes me as a sort of more intelligent, more refined version of the BMW R75. A real jewel of a bike to ride that lives up to the 'Thoroughbred of Motorcycies' slogan used by Ducati at that time.

[JoeW]

This one is here at The Guzzi Doctor, waiting in line for a ground up..

[canuck750]

I would love to find a complete basket case to rebuild. Unless I can take it all apart and feel each part of it in my hands I just can not bond with a bike. I have a mint 3000 mile 1000S that as nice as it is I don’t feel any attachment to. I am a sucker for punishment.

[Rough Edge racing]

 I hear you on the bonding... And a bevel drive Ducati V twin engine has plenty of parts to bond with...I am no expert on older Ducatis bit I read the needle bearing connecting rods can be a problem...And the shimmed bevel drive gears are entertaining .Some parts might be difficult to get....There's a few websites dedicated to them...

[jas67]

I have a mint 3000 mile 1000S that as nice as it is I don�t feel any attachment to. I am a sucker for punishment.

I'd be happy to take that 1000S of you're hands.   I'm sure I could find a way to bond with it, w/o completely rebuilding it.   

[jas67]

http://www.bevelheaven.com

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

I would love to find a complete basket case to rebuild. Unless I can take it all apart and feel each part of it in my hands I just can not bond with a bike. I have a mint 3000 mile 1000S that as nice as it is I don�t feel any attachment to. I am a sucker for punishment.

There's a basket case 860 GTE in my shed, belongs to a friend. Crank already rebuilt, needs everything else! 

[JJ]

This would be my choice - Darmah SD 900!! :1:

[trippah]

What a timely thread.  I bought 5 mega millions tickets with a tenspot burning to be set free.  Matched one number, so I know I'm getting red hot.  Your choice needs no modification, it is simply spot on.  Good luck with the lottery thing.

[Chuck in Indiana]

This would be my choice - Darmah SD 900!! :1:

I had one for 18 years.  If it wasn't broken, it was getting ready to. <shrug> Best sounding motorcycle ever with Conti mufflers..

[Tusayan]

750 GTs are slower but I think better than what followed.  The 860GT introduced a new frame, eventually carried forward to the Darmah which definitely does not handle as well.  The seat on the Darnah is about 3/4 inch of foam despite looking thicker.  The 750 is also substantially kinder on its rod bearings.  The one definite advantage of the Darmah is desmo heads, particularly a late Darmah with wide spaced manifold stud heads identical to those on an SS.  The ripping acceleration of a Darmah and its good quality ND instruments almost make up for the handling, seat and rod bearing  issues. My Darmah not particularly unreliable but did require a bottom end overhaul at 40,000 miles.

The 860GT and 900GTS in my world aren’t particularly attractive motorcycles, either functionally or esthetically.

[Chuck in Indiana]

The 860GT introduced a new frame, eventually carried forward to the Darmah which definitely does not handle as well. 

Agreed. I traded an 860GT for the Darmah, and was disappointed in the handling of the Darmah..

[guzzista]

.  The 750 is also substantially kinder on its rod bearings.  Darmah and its good quality ND instruments almost make up for the handling, seat and rod bearing  issues. My Darmah not particularly unreliable but did require a bottom end overhaul at 40,000 miles.

The 860GT and 900GTS in my world aren�t particularly attractive motorcycles, either functionally or esthetically.

.  Nah, the earlier crankpins were  stepped 36/38mm .  it was the  added cc's / torque that  was harder on crankpins on the larger displacement ( 864 for both Desmo and springer) until about mid 1978 ( possibly earlier) when the new 38mm across crankpins were used. The oil filter on the square cases was a def. improvement . 40 k was not out of the ordinary on any bevels due to the low oil pressure systems . Some folks just changed the oil more often, did not lug the engines( which could be easily done due to the torque and got more miles). As per the 860/ 900's GT/S , the later ones , with Darmah bottom ends, proper left shifting, Bosch ignition, as well as springer heads( quick valve adjustments) were  as functional as a Bevel Duck can get.  As per best handling, my favorite was my 1980 900SS

[Tusayan]

Yes, I own a 1980 900SS and it handles well... but not in my experience better than a 750 GT.  Both have the original style frame, not the ‘touring’ frame introduced with the 860 GT and used on the Darmah.

I’ve known of 750 GTs that have gone 100,000 miles on their bottom ends.  The lower power is what does that, notwithstanding Ducatis attempts to upgrade the square case bottom end for more power of the 860s.  That was what I meant by saying that the 750 GT is kinder to its rod bearings.  The situation was not completely brought back under control until about 1984, when plain bearing rods and full flow oil filter were introduced on the bevel engines.

[Brian Harper]

My '74 750 GT has been off the road for a couple of years while I refurbished the dashboard and gauges (and life got in the way of completion). Coincidentally I finished that up last night. It needs fresh oil and fuel and I'll give a good test ride this weekend.

[pmillar]

Here's a clean looking '78 GT 860 on craigslist. I have no idea whether or not these are considered appealing Ducs, but it looks good in the pic.

https://lansing.craigslist.org/mcy/d/1978-ducati-gt-860/6582163728.html

[

[amamet]

Here’s my ‘74 750gt. I love it but my ‘77 lemans is so much more comfortable for me plus I have no problem tearing the Guzzi apart bolt by bolt. The duke though...the thought of splitting those cases if need be would keeps me up all night



 

[twowings]

Here's a clean looking '78 GT 860 on craigslist. I have no idea whether or not these are considered appealing Ducs, but it looks good in the pic.

https://lansing.craigslist.org/mcy/d/1978-ducati-gt-860/6582163728.html

[

I had one of these and it was a lemon from the rind to the seeds...buyer beware!

[jpv7]

A dream bike of mine, red / 1974 black round case Ducati 750 GT

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/mcy/d/ducati-750-gt-sport/6584038118.html

1974 750GT Purchased new by my friend's brother, it's still in the family.  He has installed electronic ignition, it's had valve guides replaced, and he just did pistons.  Also, I believe an ST2 alternator slots right in, but not sure if he did rotor, stator, or both.  about 60,000 miles on it.  Original paint, and sounds awesome!

[geodoc]

Mine:

http://forum.bevelheaven.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=4543









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[Shorty]

I had a 74. Mine was set up for amateur racing, drilled and safety wired, 40mm carbs, rear sets. I bought it out of a guys garden, (2 old Ducatis for 65 bucks!) and had to take the weedeater to get to it. I cleaned the fuel system, had to make an exhaust system for it,rebuilt the brakes, put in a new battery and cheap tires. It started about the 3rd kick . The bike ran like stink. I rode it to work one day. I loved the performance, but the ergos killed me. Sold it. I'm pretty sure a Guzzisti bought it from my buddy Tom.

[Rough Edge racing]

1974 750GT Purchased new by my friend's brother, it's still in the family.  He has installed electronic ignition, it's had valve guides replaced, and he just did pistons.  Also, I believe an ST2 alternator slots right in, but not sure if he did rotor, stator, or both.  about 60,000 miles on it.  Original paint, and sounds awesome!

 I did an alternator upgrade on my 73 750...It was 1979...Stator and rotor from an 860....The left side cover needed the stator "bore" deepened  and the center of the stator needed to be relieved for the crankshaft nut..I did the job originally with just the stator and regulator but output was not increased, so I did the rotor also....Much better after the modification with enough electrical power at lower speeds to keep battery fully charged and an H4 headlight...

[canuck750]

Mine:

http://forum.bevelheaven.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=4543




 






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[Mayakovski]

This would be my choice - Darmah SD 900!! :1:

Hear, hear.  I was lucky, that's what I learned to ride on.  Honestly, great learners bike.  Very stable and forgiving.

[JJ]

Actually, if I ever won the LOTTERY, as in netting $1M or more, I would be one, sick puppy when it came to acquiring motorcycles....

There would also be a huge "MAN-CAVE" of biblical proportions to house all the acquisitions...

[Denis]

This would be my choice - Darmah SD 900!! :1:

And rather surprisingly, a nice Darmah can be had for a reasonable price.

[canuck750]

1978 Ducati Darmah - $12500

https://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/mcy/d/1978-ducati-darmah/6588230245.html