Lot 605: Ducati 750SS Racing Motorcycle

The ex-Tony Guest, Daytona BOTT Amateur Modified-winning. It was, without question, Paul Smart’s famous victory at Imola in April 1972 that really put Ducati’s new flagship v-twin on the map. With such an outstanding pedigree, the 750SS was a natural choice for racing’s Superbike category, and later on proved highly competitive in AMA ‘Battle of the Twins’ (BOTT) and club Super Street racing in the 1980s.

Tony Guest began racing this 750SS in the late 1970s. The bike was entered by Ducati specialists Woods Motor Shop, of Glendale, California, whose competition record includes several first places and championship victories with its specially prepared Bologna v-twins. In 1983 this bike, ridden by Tony Guest, finished first in Daytona’s BOTT Amateur Modified Class and at Road America, while another Woods bike, ridden by Kevin Bracken, came second in Expert Modified at Daytona.

The secret of Woods’ success was careful development and meticulous preparation. As raced by Guest this machine incorporated the full Woods treatment, featuring a 905cc big bore conversion, 11.5:1 pistons, Imola high-lift cams and cylinder heads ported by tuning maestro C. R. Axtell. Breathing via modified 40mm Dell-Orto carburetors, the engine produced 90bhp at the rear wheel, which in a motorcycle weighing 390lbs, including oil and fuel, made for a most competitive package. On the cycle parts side: the front forks are Performance Machine, wheels Morris magnesium and front brake rotors cast-iron, gripped by four-pot callipers. The special transmission is one of 12 built in 1976 and costing $2,000 apiece, by Sikorsky Helicopter for Cook Neilson of Cycle magazine.
Around 1985, Guest sold the machine to Jerry Roman and some years later it featured in Motorcycle Collector magazine, being described at that time as “just as it was when it was last on track in the mid-1980s.” While in Jerry Roman’s possession the bike won several prizes in classic motorcycle concours events; acquired from him by the present owner in 1997 and presented in excellent condition. It is offered with copy magazine articles and bill of sale.