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Oh what a treat we have here...
Frame #951427
Engine #905328
Purchased from the renowned Italian car and motorcycle collector Stuart H. Parr, the only previous owner. This unique Ducati Darmah shows only 206 miles on its odometer, and the overall condition of this machine bears this out, as the condition is near perfect, or at least new old stock. There simply is no better or more original 900SD in existence. Perfect original Black and Gold paint with all the original and correct factory stickers, including the fantastic Darmah tiger on the side panels, inspired by a beloved character from an Italian children’s story. The original engine crankcase seal from the Ducati factory is intact, so the engine has never been opened. The original Brembo brakes lines are correct and intact, as are the twin Brembo 280mm drilled disc brakes up front, and single 260mm Brembo disc on the rear wheel. The 18” wheels are the correct, original gold-painted four-bolt Campagnolo FPS alloys. Even the tires and tubes are original from 1981: any future road user must make note of this.
The Darmah models of the early 1980s were an evolution of the ‘square case’ 860GT and 900SS models, intended as a street motorcycle with an upright riding position: what would later be called a ‘naked’ bike, but in the early 1980s was still simply a high-performance sports tourer. The styling of the Darmah models was superb, and looks extra good in classic black paint with gold pinstripes.
The over-square (86x74.4mm) 864cc L-twin shaft-and-bevel OHC motor features desmodromic valve operation inherited from the production-racer 750SS / 900SS models. It breathes through a pair of Dell’Orto ‘pumper’ PHM40 carbs, and produces ~70hp @7500rpm, helped by the free breathing of the original Conti ‘silencers’, giving a measured top speed of around 130mph. The 5-speed gearbox features a left-side shift via a crossover shaft, to comply with US law. The Darmah weighs a svelte 475lbs (dry), helping to launch it to a magazine-tested 1/4mile time of 13.6 seconds and 99mph terminal speed: that was as fast as any other motorcycle on the market in 1981. The classic Ducati L-twin frame with 61” (1550mm) wheelbase gives legendarily stable handling – ‘as if on rails’ - helped by top-tier 38mm Ceriani 608 forks, and twin Marzocchi rear shocks. For ease of starting and running, the Darmah uses a Bosch electronic ignition and electric starter. To comply with US law, the Darmah also has turn signals. This 1981 Ducati Darmah SD has only two previous owners: noted collectors Stuart H. Parr and Bryan Bossier of Sinless Cycles in Louisiana.
