ducati 450 desmo

[lazlokovacs]

Anyone got any real world experience?

Drum versions v disc versions?

Weak points?

Butt dyno reports?

 

[SIR REAL ED]

You could be opening Pandora's box of lies and foggy memories.

"Mine would wheelie in fourth gear without the clutch....."

[cliffrod]

I've had lots of Ducati singles, including 450 spring valve and Desmo bikes.  Real world? If you live well away from traffic or trailer your bike to such a place to ride, I enjoyed mine for what they were.   A 450 tends to be more prone to vibration and buzz than a 250 or 350, but has a lot more torque.   Butt dyno will be more foamy on a 450.   Never rode one with discs, but I like a good 4 shoe.  The yellow Desmo bikes are very cool.  Even if you're comfortable bump starting, having a spare dry plug is always smart. 

The original owner of my 1970 450 Mark 3D traded a Gold Star for it and was never happy because the 450D never performed as well as the Gold Star.   As much as I miss my 450D, I think more about riding my keeper 450 Jupiter.  It's a lot more comfortable bike in general and the spring valve (unless you swap on a Desmo head from an R/T-  which is how many if not most 450 Desmo bikes are born, regardless of chassis) head is all that's needed in most situations and much less $$$.  A real 450 Mark 3D street Desmo head is really expensive.   It really depends upon what you want to do and how much you plan to spend.

[JJ]

"Open Thine Wallet..." 

[PeteS]

My only experience with one is trying start it, make sure your medical insurance is paid up. Leg breaker if there ever was one.

Pete

[moto-uno]

  Vibration :(  , and not a little , hand numbing . Peter

[guzzista]

The later desmo models with a single front disk, or at least the one I rode, seemed to be afflicted with the too large (16mm) M/C bore  and a wooden feeling brake.  It just felt better than an 850T as the single Duck was a couple hundred pounds lighter. The single  leading but double sided 180 mm  Grimeca   front  drum  as in the last batch of scramblers and  pre disc desmo roadsters  actually  was  a decent brake IMO  ( a small version of the larger 230mm Grimeca  as in Benelli 650/ 500 Quattro  Morini 350 Sport etc

[cliffrod]

the vibration is one reason I like the Jupiter with the big round rubbers on footpegs.  They aren't as classic Ducati as the thinner street "DUCATI" peg rubbers, but they help.  Your feet, butt and hands really get foamy if you ride one for a while.

The Desmo head can kick a little easier or at least consistently than manipulating the compression release on a spring valve head.  Ironically, a good and well-experienced Ducati friend hurt his knee most seriously when he kicked a single (think a 350 Ducati)  that wasn't on the compression stroke.  He gave it all he had, kicked through and wrecked his knee.  The 450 engine is always a widecase, with the best kickstart configuration offered by Ducati.  Much better than the earlier variety of configurations.  The worst and hardest to kick (hardest, most compression) was my first version 1965 Sebring 350, which did not come with a compression release.  after learning to kick it, the rest were easier.

they're much like any other old 4 stroke single.  If your carb is exactly right and timing is exactly right and battery/magneto is exactly right and method is exactly right, they start pretty well without drama. If you depend upon others to make sure all that stuff is right, you'll be disappointed  more often than you would like to be. 

450s usually have enough go with a big enough carb (29 VHB)  that you won't have to rev them to the moon to get going like on a typical 250 Monza with a 24 UBF dellorto.   The original street bikes also have a small enough rear sprocket to make them step out at lower rpm.   But chugging them at low speeds isn't good for any of them.

 My time on them was also as a smaller guy- 5-9 and <200lbs back then.  That makes a difference.  even at that size, my 450 Mark3D with factory clip on and original regular pegs (not rear sets) was not very comfortable. Flattish upright bars, like those that were on my late blue & gold 450 Mark 3 (see JJ's pic above) are better.   The most comfortable version imho was the Jupiter, with the wider bars and more ergonomic curved seat. 

There are a lot of little things that are 450 model (including spring valve street or Scrambler/Jupiter vs R/T vs street Mark 3D) specific vs 250-350 (& 239) specific.  Tank, head, frame, etc.  If you do spend the money to buy a "real" 450 desmo street bike, do some research.   Everything in the typical books like Mick Walker's Ducati Singles book and others is not necessarily correct.  This was learned buy having multiples of the same models side by side in my shop a the same time, purchased from numerous states, and having all the "wrong" equipment match exactly...  Nobody worked that conscientiously while hundreds of miles apart from each other to make the same details incorrect in exactly the same way.  Smiths & Veglia gauges seemed to be used on an as-available basis.  VDO Avis gauges, Telasco front end parts, thick spoked Akronts and other bits were exclusive to Spanish bikes, but are often transplanted onto Italian models over the years.   But late 1973-74 450 bikes, like my 1974 B&G 450 Mark 3 had numerous pieces including the plastic/fiber oil pump drive gear and clutch inspection cover lacking "Made In Italy" and castings that polished like the parts which appeared to be the same as Spanish bikes.  I had a perfect provenance on that 2K mile local bike from dealer to my purchase, so know it wasn't modified or pieced together.   Not all parts will interchange between Spanish 250/350 and Italian 250/350 models, so it makes me wonder how  Italian the very final "Italian" singles actually were- even though the 450 engine was not offered on a spanish or Ventos model.   

You will also learn that DM450-XXXX vin number stamped on a neck foil tag used for original title & registration which matches the engine VIN will NOT match the DGM number stamped into frame because engine numbers never had DGM prefix..  BUt foil tags were not originally stamped with DGM either.   So that old title offered which doesn't match may be "correct" and original to the bike, but don't expect the seller or DMV to understand... Some frames may not even have a number stamped on them, so if the foil tag is gone it's even more confusing.  Actual bikes I've had at the same time include a a 70 Mark 3D that is blank vs a 1970 Jupiter that has a full DGM number stamped on frame vs a one owner 74 B&G Mark 3 with DGM number stamped on neck which was hidden for decades under the foil tag with DM450-XXXX vin matching original title from 1974.  You won't find that factual information in any of the experts' books.

Like I said, know what you're buying.