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[Editor's
note: We first saw photoshopped concepts of Mark's ideas
months ago on the DML, congratulations on turning your dreams
into reality, Mark!]
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A
good friend of mine, Rachel Dwyer, had just finished the
2003 Iron Butt Rally on her Ducati Monster (courtesy of
Ducati North America) and, after reading her journals at
www.tigerracing.net, I began to wonder what a Ducati Monster
would look like if it had a fairings and more "eye
candy” factor.
Thus on September 18th, 2003, I began the initial image
concepts that became the basis of all of this.
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Sometime
awhile later, I start seeing my Ducati concepts images appearing
across the Internet internationally. A friend told me to
look at the Ducati Monster List – as a couple had been posted
there via the administrator.
(Thus my introduction to the DML)
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After
seeing the response that my Ducati concept images were creating,
I decided to create some more for the fun of it. What I
tagged as the “Tigre Rapido” in honor of my friend Rachel
in Seattle was thus created and posted on my website and
posted on the DML forum. |
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Almost
immediately, I determined that given the response, I had actually
better start building one for myself before someone else does.
The artwork evolved again to a more refined product moving
away from the Ducati seat/cowl structure. Ultimately I decided
to design a Bimota influenced one-piece bodywork to differentiate
it from the standard Ducati and Harley bodywork. |
The
prototype stage – let’s just say that we mocked up various
concepts and built numerous frames until we derived a frame
design that actually worked (and looked good with a rider
on it). Here are some of the disasters we built:
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After
playing in the backyard and small shop and building prototypes
there, I figured that if I was going to do this right, I
had better get a real shop and move my tools (and buy more
equipment) and do this at a professional level ala my vintage
Ferrari and IMSA GTP racing background.
First
thing we was spend the first few weeks building a quality
chassis jig that we could tweak any wheelbase, head angle
and any tube location on.
Although not shown (proprietary!), it now allows us to build
a truly professional quality frame that is in perfect alignment
at all times. We can replicate any existing Ducati chassis
or built anything custom now with this chassis and it is
a very important component of what we will be able to do
in the future. |
| The
new bike then got underway. With the new equipment and new
frame jig, we were able to miter and make perfect cuts the
first time. TIG welding was easier as the tubes fit perfectly
with zero gaps. We also evolved the frame from 1 inch main
tubes with ¾ inch cross tubes to 1 ¼ inch main
tubes with 1 inch cross tubing – partly for strength reasons
but to also to keep our frame from being misidentified as
a standard Ducati Monster frame. |
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Then
came the bodywork. Since the stock Monster fuel tank design
in the past hadn’t worked, we decided to build our own from
scratch. Somewhere along the line, we decided to try a shortcut
and utilize a 996 biposto seat.
After many days of consternation and frustration in creating
a rear cowl design that looked good, we finally ditched
the seat and went back to the original seat concept. |
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of the primary missions behind this project was not to utilize
typical a ftermarket parts or Harley catalog parts on this
motorcycle. Thus everything was designed and built from scratch.
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Also
at times this project has sounded like a Discovery Channel
Biker Build off show in terms of what could go wrong.
The seat upholster created a seat that didn’t fit the bike.
We came home and tore it apart in the hopes of trying to
salvage something (we couldn’t!). We built our own instead
the day before the show! We had major problems with the
motor that had been gone through only a few weeks before.
Our paintwork had major problems just hours before the show
– originally all the black was a deep gloss black across
the body, headlight, front fender and taillight. Literally
hours before loading the bike for the show, we ended up
repainting all the gloss black paint to a semi-flat black
color. |
| Hours
before leaving for the show, I pushed the bike outside for
some quick pictures. This is the first time we actually had
seen the bike with paint and partially assembled. |
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Friday
night at 11:57pm, the bike is loaded onto the trailer finally
even though it is not fully finished!! We head off from
Phoenix, Arizona to Long Beach, California for our debut
of the bike. |
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get to the Los Angeles Calendar Motorcycle Show at the Queen
Mary grounds at 7:48am. At just a bit after 8:00am, we roll
onto the grounds and start setting up the display and roll
the bike off the trailer. My brother is still in the Suburban
attaching the seat for the first time to the bodywork.
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We
are dead tired. After spending literally days being awake
and then driving all through the night, we just want to
get some sleep. But the gates open at noon and the crowd
starts coming in. The look and comments from the people
enlivened us almost immediately. We are truly surprised
at the favorable comments we get – from the crowd, from
the publishing media, but also from the big name Harley
custom bike builders that are there.
(More details in the future as there are some surprises!!!) |
We
comment we received a lot at the show was – look at what they
did to a Ducati Monster! And the first thing we casually mentioned
back was that the only true Ducati Monster part on this entire
back is the front fender. The front and rear suspensions are
originally 996 components. The engine is actually a 900SS
motor. The only actual aftermarket part on the entire bike
is the FCR carburetors. We made the rest: the frame, the component
locations and packaging structures thereof, the bodywork,
the rearsets, the clutch cover, the exhaust system, the taillight,
the headlight and so much
more. We built it all to not only be different – but also
in the hopes of
inspiring others to take note and to build something different
themselves. |
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Sunday
night and the show debut is finally over. We are exhausted.
The bike is loaded and back to Phoenix we come. In looking
back, we thought there might be a small amount of interest
in a “sport cruiser” that utilized the strong hallmark design
attributes of Miguel Galluzzi while at Ducati and utilizing
Ducati’s race proven and tested engine and suspension components
but with a bit of American whimsical flair thrown in also.
We were wrong in that assumption. There is actually a big
interest in what we created and the direction we are headed
in the custom cruiser aftermarket. Hopefully this is just
a blip on the radar screen of big things to come – from
us, from the industry, and from other fellow enthusiasts
around the world. |
Upon
arriving home, we unloaded what has become now known as the
“LA Show Bike”. We rolled it outside and took a few detail
pictures. Then we rolled it inside and rolled up our sleeves.
A chain is going on the sprockets. The wiring harness is being
installed. The fuel pump and fuel lines are being installed.
The custom rear shock we are still awaiting from Penske. Our
custom triple clamps never got finished – they will be underway
shortly to address the large steering trail problem. This
will also address our clamping system for our handlebars.
Custom brake lines need to be made and installed. The bike
will be on the road here shortly like the earlier prototype
and also be back in the Los Angeles area for photoshoots and
magazine test here shortly.
Then it’s off down the highway for a couple of more custom
motorcycle events and to be ridden by customers. And yes –
this bike will be ridden --
I guarantee that fact! |
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| Questions?
You can email Mark at MarkSavory@MotoCreations.com |
