Careful what you wish for. I recently sold my Suzuki GSXR-750 race bike, not that I actually raced it, but it was built as a race bike, making it a very effective track-day bike, and one that made me look quick too! But I had stopped using it, other than a single track outing in 2022 at Brands, where it went well and I had a great time, it’s lay dormant since 2017. Then my friend Dean, who originally built it, successfully raced it in 2012 winning a Classic Superbike Series, asked if it’s for sale? I said why not, so it's gone to be raced again in a Classic Endurance Series, one in which I’m sure it and Dean will do well.
That left a void and a couple of aspirations unfulfilled. I starting to think about another sports bike, but something unusual, like maybe a Moto Guzzi V11 Rosso Corsa, something a little more demanding, focused, a bit odd ball and less conventional.
But what happened next was unexpected. Chatting with friends I dropped a loose comment “so the Suzuki has gone and I’m thinking it’s time for something Italian and V-Twin”, thinking to trigger a conversation about Moto Guzzi's. But my good friend Andy pipped up and said “I want to sell my Ducati Supersport"! Oh that was not on my radar, but it did meet most of my criteria, Italian, V-Twin, a little off piste and not run of the mill. So I asked how much, he told me, and I said yes.
Probably the quickest bike purchase in my life !!
The thought that it would be a nice winter project, to turn it into a personalised SuperLight/Cafe Racer, maybe with a bit of a retro race look, was exciting. But getting it back home that all went out of the window, it rode beautifully, was focused, felt rapid, and it just felt wrong to ‘chop it about’. So for now it’ll just be new tyres, some fresh oil and filter, a couple of little ‘tidy’ jobs before getting around to booking a couple of track days for 2024. I know it won’t be the quickest bike on a race track, but it will be putting a massive smile on my face, accompanied by the glorious V-Twin soundtrack too. Oh and as the Ducati is road legal, I will be enjoying occasional bimble’s out to the coast for an espresso, and maybe a gelato in the Spring and Summer months. But for now just some fettling time in the garage !!