G'day from Raglan,New Zealand

[ducksandhogs]

Just signed up, but have been using Steve's site for a few years now, and have just recently had my 5-6 year hybrid project on the road for its first "shake-down" runs.
I was a Ducati owner first, back in 1979 when I bought a 1977 900ss. Already by then considered by many to be a dinosaur (the Ducati, not me), I fell in love with the whole deal from the first ride. Here was a bike that was "built for purpose". Having ridden MX bikes, it was like the difference between a racer and a trail bike. By then it wasn't the fastest motorcycle around, but what glory in that surge of torque from converted air and fossil fuel through the small rock -and- animal protected Delorto's to the resultant bellow from the Conti's (slighty rusted by then) set at just the right displacement either side of your eardrums for a truly stereophonic aural treat. And the sound on the over-run riding through gorges or under-passes or tunnels was always played out for maximum effect. It braked magnificently, didn't try and twist and bend going around corners,(even if I had to getting it around some of the tighter ones,) and looked... just great, once you got used to that funny engine layout. Real Roman Classicism. Anyway, you all know that! The whiskeys starting to cut in.
Moved on to a 1983 MHR in 1983, because, well it was there. And I thought the NCR version Dukes were just the bees's-knees's (or the Ducks guts)(and still do, keeping a close eye on circa79), and the whole Mike Hailwood return to the Isle of Man thing the stuff of myth and legend. And so, not on apprentice wages, though not owning anything else, I spent every thing I had putting cash down on a 300km only bike a local ex-world champions' body was having trouble getting comfortable with(his story).This was at a period in NZ history when there was a 100% sales tax on anything that was fun! (and Ducatis were already expensive!). A couple of years down the line and I threw another small fortune at it and had Steve Wynne work some magic on it so I can call it more of a replica, replica, and then tried it out on a track at a couple of early B.E.A.R.S events. Total rush. Wish I'd done it years sooner instead of getting beaten up on MX bikes. Because that was about when all the growed up things caught up and I closeted my biking ways for the good of raising a young family. I'm not the sort who could do both by halves...
Since getting back into owning bikes(and out of the biker closet), as far as Dukes go, I've had a short unhappy experience with a 907ie, and more recently a 1980 SD Darmah (not so short or unhappy) which, sacrilege to some I know, I've broken up to make my special, the impetus of which you can blame on Tony Hanagans special, "Vern" of a few years back. Any way, I'm about intro'd out. Some validation pic's to come under Twin cylinder Bevel Pics entry ...cheers to the Ducatisti (NB: Real name Mike, as in the Bike)

[BevHevSteve]

Hi Mike welcome aboard and thanks for sharing!