[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

One of my riding buddies and I spent the day on our 900 Super Sports yesterday, me on my '93 and my buddy on his '94. The conversation at lunch, of course, may have included a bit of Ducati this and that...

My buddy mentioned a company out of Australia that now owns the patents, and has acquired the blueprints for, the old bevel drive Ducati motor. And not just any motor - the one Hailwood rode to victory at the Isle of Mann in 1978. This motor had many improvements over the production motor but, sadly, never did see production itself before they went over to belt driven cams. I think they only made four of these special motors.

Well, they are back. They are not cheap, but they are back. This video is two years old, though, so I'm not sure of their current status or availability.

Oh, and just one nit picky point before everyone jumps all over Jay - he well and truly botches his explanation of the bevel drive, confusing its purpose with that of the desmodromic valve control. Other than that little SNAFU, though, it's a great little video:

that and I believe that it's technically an "L" twin not a Vee