DUCATI 250 MACH 1: THE FORGOTTEN TT WINNER

[weeksy]

https://www.bikeexif.com/vintage-ducati-250-restored


Well that's just a pretty little thing isn't it. That's right where my lottery win would go.

[cheb]

That's beautiful.

Black fuel hose would make it near prefect. Clear hose goes rigid and opaque too quickly for my liking.

[Rockburner]

Beautiful little things.

[Mr. Dazzle]

That's beautiful.

Black fuel hose would make it near prefect. Clear hose goes rigid and opaque too quickly for my liking.

I would hazard a guess that if you're in the market for this bike you can probably stand to repair the hose when it goes opaque.

[cheb]

True. Would black hose be more period authentic?

[Druid]

Those Ducati singles are lovely little things. A mate of mine had a Mach III like the one below. It was quicker than any of the Jap 250s at the time - when it was working

[Mr. Dazzle]

True. Would black hose be more period authentic?

Dunno.

I'm changing my 1969 bike from black hose back to clear braided to make it more authentic...

[KungFooBob]

BHR run a single cylinder Ducati class, there's some beautiful race bikes. They're flippin' tiny tho'.

[cheb]

Those Ducati singles are lovely little things. A mate of mine had a Mach III like the one below. It was quicker than any of the Jap 250s at the time - when it was working

If what I read was true they could just break the 100mph barrier. Long before the X7 and the LC.

[Yorick]

Those Ducati singles are lovely little things. A mate of mine had a Mach III like the one below. It was quicker than any of the Jap 250s at the time - when it was working

If what I read was true they could just break the 100mph barrier. Long before the X7 and the LC.

On the speedo maybe

[cheb]

So about the same as an LC or an X7 then. Or even a FS1E owned by a 16 year old.

[Yorick]

So about the same as an LC or an X7 then. Or even a FS1E owned by a 16 year old.

The X7 did it properly in a bike test.

[cheb]

Both ways? Within a reasonable time span?

I'm not that fussed about which was fastest BTW

[Yorick]

Both ways? Within a reasonable time span?

I'm not that fussed about which was fastest BTW

Yup, X7 was first official 100 250.

[cheb]

I've had a quick search but can't find a link to a contemporary test. Anyone else find one?

[Skub]

Even in the days of short life strokers these were largely avoided due to poor reliability.
In 72 my local bike shop had two of the blue ones,brand new,they sat there forever. I think they were still there in 79 when the shop closed!

[JackyJoll]

People put Triumph engines in them- to improve reliability!

A non-glowing testimonial they shared with Enfield 250s.

[Druid]

Even in the days of short life strokers these were largely avoided due to poor reliability.
In 72 my local bike shop had two of the blue ones,brand new,they sat there forever. I think they were still there in 79 when the shop closed!

It didn't help that they cost a fair bit more than a Jap 250, about half as much again iirc

[GuzziPaul]

True. Would black hose be more period authentic?

Dunno.

I'm changing my 1969 bike from black hose back to clear braided to make it more authentic...

Used to have clear braded on my Le Mans but last year changed to green tinted clear which I believe is a fairly common thing on old Italian bikes. Good thing with having clear fuel lines is you can see the fuel going through whenyou turn the taps on. I have two taps on the Le Mans with a central brass cross piece. I open one tap at a time and if I go onto reserve switch that tap over before switching to the other side if needed.
I also have the seperate feeds looped under the carbs with the intake coming in from below. That way ant small paticles of rust from the tank that get past the tap filter settle to the bottom of the bend, with the clear pipe I can see how bad the bits are. Only needs cleaning out one a year.

[Nidge]

I've had a quick search but can't find a link to a contemporary test. Anyone else find one?

I remember reading a test at the time (either in Bike or Motorcycling Monthly) and with a prone rider, mirrors removed, and left hand on the fork stanchion they achieved 101mph. Whether it was a nicely prepared press bike or not doesn’t really matter- it was the bike that stopped UK riders being allowed to ride 250s on L plates