1973 750 SS
 

Hi As a member of this club I hope you don't mind me picking your brains but I thought you may be able to settle an argument, One of the guys on our W650 group has made the following statement.
Kevin, this can't be a '73 750SS I don't think...They only made 20 and they were the factory homologised versions of the '72 Imola winner. http://home.planet.nl/~motors-20th-century/page_CD.htm

It may be a GT, which was a non Desmo (pushrod) roadster version...a very tasty bike, or it could be a 750 sport or 'S', which was a clip=ons and rear-sets Desmodromic cafe racer....exotic and somewhat fragile.All the Dukes of that era are framed by Harris in effect (they designed the Imola chassis which became the generic frame....so they handle incredibly well, early ones had rather crab Scarab brakes, later ones had better Lockheeds. All have a fairly fragile big end assembly and need really good oil, and frequent changes...a perfect candidate for good synthetics!

They are exquisite if they are in good order, and a real treasure to own and enjoy..

Whats up with it?
What colour is it


By the way, if it IS an SS (with the tell tale claer stripe down the fibreglass tank as a visual fuel level indicator) it is worth about $30,000.....

Jon
However I can rember seeing a 750 SS in my local dealer in 1973 and I am sure they were road bikes. They were a sort of Blue/Silver with the clear stripe in the glass fibre tank to show the fuel level have you any knowledge of this model?
Any information would be appreciated

Hi,

On the photopage I see no 750SS as manufactured, the Imola Racer is I think the one that was shipped to Australia afterwards. As far as I know only 9 factory racers build for the Imola race in 1972. These where stock GT's (with wide rear frame) carefully build up with Desmo heads (with 500 GP Desmo know how), 3 lockheed disk brakes and a longer rear fork. The polyester is inspired on the 500 GP too. Here a great story of Paul's win by Paul Smart; http://www.onewheeldrive.net/index.p...ask=view&id=70

The 750 SS is a replica of the Imola winning bike and only 401 (or 411) are made in a roundcase version. It is one of the most searched for collectors item and if the frame- and engine # is correct a 30.000 to 35.000 Euro's is a reasonable price :)

There are many lookalikes build so beware of it, there is a listing of the right numbers.

Cheers, Ron

Thanks Ron Could the bike I remember seeing possibly have a 900/

What do you mean?

The fiber glass seeing through stripe in the Imola tank only came on the 750 SS. The 750 SS is also refered to as a "Green Frame" due to the green frame and a green underside of the fairing. In 1975 the 900 SS came with the Imola tank but without this fuel stripe but there are also NCR tanks (origionals and replica's) with this stripe (I have a NCR replica with 2 fuelintakes and 1 fiber fuel stipe). Later type 900 SS came with steel tank. As far as I can recall the 900 SS came in silver gray with blue striping. Only 1978/79 the 900SS came in black with golden striping (this is a stunning bike).

You see identifying a vintage Ducati can be a real pain in the ..... ;)

Cheers, Ron

The Bike I saw was a brand new one for sale in Geoff Darryn Motorcycles and defineately had the clear stipe in the tank. so I guess it must have been a 750

Rocker,

For those days the 750 SS was a real expensive bike and it was hard to get it sold. Couple of them found their way to the track since it was a true race replica. I know a few people who own(ed) one and they say its a real fast bike and a plessure to ride. I rode on a 750 Yellow Sport and have to say its one of my favorite bikes of all time (yeah I regret ever selling it). The 750 SS's was a handbuild replica and I've heard about few who passed the 100.000 miles without a problem, no kidding.

There are over 6000 Beveldrive 900 SS's build and still the 900 is a collectors bike too. But nothing beats the real roundcase 750 SS.

Cheers, Ron

An interesting thread, here`s apicture of my 750 Sport which like Ron 66 I bitterly regret selling.

By the way the GT was a non desmo OHC as was the 750 sport.

I sold my 750 sport a bought a jota 180, which I still have to this day, and scared the poo out of myself the first time i rode it, compared to the Duke it hanmdled like a pig. Still with very liitle effort Imade it handle ok but there not in the same league as a duke.

Have a nice day.

I don't know much about the pre-74 bikes so my apologies for my inexperience, but I do know that the green frame that is most sought after is a 74, not earlier. This is because Paul Smart won the Imola 200 in 74 - which is one of the reasons why I have ordered the Paul Smart 1000 replica which is a tribute to the man and that win.

IMO anything earlier is not worth anywhere near as much money.

Another fact that I am not sure about - please verify independantly, is that I believe they weren't called SS's back then ... they were an S. The greenframe is a 750S and my understanding was that SS's came out after. I would be thinking that you are looking at a GT.

I am however, not the most knowledgable person and I'm sure there are many more knowing more than me. In fact, I would try and speak to some one in the bevel owners club to gain more of an understanding before making any decision based on my information, the 5 pints of XXXX (yes you can get it here!!) and the two glasses of Brown Brothers Tarrango I've had.

If you find a genuine 750S greenframe built in 74 and you can't buy it for whatever reason - ring my number immediately - whatever time of day I don't care and let me know. I will do my best to own it very quickly!!!!!

Have a nice evening :D

Hi all

My own knowledge of early dukes is sketchy to say the least, but I came across this one today and noticed it had a clear panel on the tank. It's a 750 for sure, but that's all I know! (see attachment)

rcgbob44 - Lovely Jota you've got there! I owned/rode an original Jota 180 for ten years before I bought my first ducati. For the first six months of ownership I had to bump start it everywhere I went (even after every fuel fill-up!!) due to a problem with the starter (ignition coil or something?) I weighed only ten stone at the time, so you can imagine the fun I had! Kept me FIT, I can tell you! (I could also crack walnuts EASILY with my left hand in those days!)

Steve

I most humbly and publicy wind my head in, the Paul Smart win at Imola was in fact in 72, not 74 as I posted above. I don't know why I made a meal of that, I spent ages reading about it a while ago.

Aaaannyway, did you get it? or find out anything more about it?