Book review: Ducati Singles First Person

[GT Pete]

I have recently acquired a new book. I think it is a great book so I thought I would offer a review. The review comes with the usual disclaimer that I have no financial interest in the book.

Ducati Singles First Person: A Buyer’s Guide to the Ducati Singles by Tom Bailey

Copyright 2007
8-1/2 x 11 190 pages
Black and White Photos

Tom Bailey has written a different sort of guide to the Ducati singles. It is much more than a chronological history of the bikes. It is written from the perspective of someone who was in the middle of the Ducati experience during the 60’s. Tom worked at a Ducati dealer and was involved with selling, repairing, riding and racing Ducatis.

The book is divided into different sections:

Background
The Bikes
How It Was
Insanity of the times
Bike Vignettes
Tidbits ( Stuff I haven’t seen anywhere else )
Acknowledgments and Updates

They are not organized as chapters, but rather mixed together to tell a story. For example the 17 Vignettes, which are one page descriptions of restored bikes, are located in the parts of the book that talk about that particular model.

Background gives a short history of the brand. It is a little different from the other books out there as it is told from the perspective of the dealer. Also covered are the author’s explanation of different types of restorations from museum quality to “rat bikes”. He also gives a short explanation of factory specifications and why certain models have non standard parts as original.

The Bikes covers single cylinder Ducatis from the production racers of 1955 through the 450 R/T of the 70’s. Each model is covered with a short history and some well reproduced black and white photos. Also included is a chart which rates on a scale of 1-10 the historical significance financial value body parts availability and engine parts availability.

How It Was offers stories of Tom’s experiences working for a Ducati dealer during the 60’s. They offer a perspective not found in other books. There is also a section on Frank Scurria and his role in the development of the 350 single.

Insanity of the Times is a great selection of stories. They are descriptions of what happens when you mix teenagers with Ducatis. The story about Tom riding his road racer on the street to get to the races had me laughing out loud! One other section tells how crazy the advertising of the time really was.

There are seventeen Bike Vignettes. Each is a one page description of restored bikes. They illustrate good examples of various models. They also serve to provide examples of the different types of restorations.

Tidbits ( Stuff I haven’t seen anywhere else ) has some very useful information for restorers. Tom discusses engine serial numbers. It is not a complete listing but rather a general guide. Some engine modification are covered. There are also sections on carbs, frames, wheels, seats, tools and seized engines.


Acknowledgments and Updates tells a little about what the people in the book are up to today.

There is a lot of information in this book. The mixture of facts and anecdotes is well done. It is informative while also being entertaining. This makes it different from the usual catalog books. While it certainly shouldn’t replace the other books, it does provide information you won’t find anywhere else. I could not put it down until I finished it.

I bought my copy of the book directly from Tom. You can reach him by e-mail at Tom(at)motyeliab(dot) com. An autographed copy of the book is $27.95 plus $5.00 shipping in the US - Australian bevelheads can get the book from Phil Hitchcock at Road and Race. Other out of US customers will have to ask about shipping costs.

I haven’t written a book report in thirty years. I just enjoyed this book so much I thought I had to pass it on.