The Real McCoy: 1984 Ducati TT1 for Sale

1984 Ducati TT1
Miles: 0
Clean Title
Starting Bid: $58,000
Auction ends: October 10, 2024
Reserve Not Met

Cognoscenti are generally well aware of Ducati’s superbike successes in the 1990s with the 916 series of bikes that cemented their modern reputation. And plenty of vintage superbike pilots are familiar with the company’s Imola win in 1972 that got the whole “Ducati superbike” ball rolling, but their 1980s efforts seem to be largely forgotten by the larger motorcycling community today. Based on the engine found in the 1980 Pantah 500L, Ducati’s TT1 was a 750cc two-valve, air/oil-cooled v-twin engine that used more modern toothed belts in place of the earlier tower-shaft and bevel-drive arrangement seen on earlier bikes, along with Desmo valve actuation. The change to rubber belts saved significantly on manufacturing costs, compared to the clockwork operation of the earlier bevel-drive models, but had no negative impact in terms of performance. The TT series of racebikes was light, agile, and powerful, and successfully competed in a wide range of World Championship racing classes in period.

1984 Ducati750 TT1 factory road racing motorcycle

Unimpeachable provenance. One of three ex-works 1984-season European endurance race bikes, bought from the factory directly by American Racing team owner Dale Newton for AMABoTT racing in the USA.

Frame no.6 (on steering head), engine no. DM600L*702481*

This well documented TT1 is the rarest of the rare.

American Ducatisti patron Dale Newton bought the bike from the factory at the ’84 season’s end (still with its headlamp sockets etc. intact; Dale removed the lights as the AMA rules did not require them).The bike retains its endurance racing quick-release rear wheel kit. Dale proceeded to run the bike in the USA. and was it the last bike he restored before his untimely death.

The bike was purchased from the Newton estate in   September 1999   I purchased it from that buyer in November 2008.

The Newton Ducatis were raced by legendary riders such as Tony Rutter, Kevin Schwantz and John Williams and were featured in Cycle magazine on several occasions.

The listing of the articles;
January 1984 “Messenger in Red: Ducati TT2600”;
October 1984 “Ducati Pantah TT1”;
April 1985 “Aboard Sunday’s Child:Ducati 750 TT1”;
April 1985 “Desmo-Ships on Time Belt: Ducati 750SS and TT1750 F1”.
“Dale Newton’s ex-factory TT-F1 (this bike) is representative of Ducati 750 potential, and on the Axtell dyno it generated 83-86 horsepower.” Kevin Cameron, February 1990.

This bike has also been featured in two of Ian Falloon’s books. “… the diminutive TT2 and TT1 were among the finest of all catalog Ducatis…they epitomized Taglioni’s philosophy of maximum performance through light weight and simplicity.”- Standard Catalog of Ducati Motorcycles, and Ducati Racers.

And in Alan Cathcart’s Ducati, the Untold Story.

I am including all the books and period magazines that it has been featured in, I will also include the solo starter needed to start the bike (a $1,200.00 value)

There are just a few days left on this auction with no takers as yet at the $58,000 starting bid. With less than 100 ever produced and so few in circulation, it’s really hard to gauge whether or not this example is priced correctly. Certainly, you’d be hard-pressed to find a bike with a more illustrious history. The seller includes a whole bunch of literature featuring this particular machine, if that’s of interest to you, and pics are available over at the original listing. There is a video of the bike running back in 2010, although there’s no indication of whether or not it’s still in road-ready condition. Hopefully, the next owner decides to actually ride it from time to time!

-tad