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16 Page – PDF Download – Complete Series – 101 Things to do on a Dead Cat – Ducati 500L Pantah
“Reader Stuart Graham had always wanted to own an exotic Italian thoroughbred. Price was a problem. Then he saw advertised a 500 Ducati Pantah in need of restoration. How hard could it be? All will be revealed over the coming months. Hankies at the ready folks…
There are perhaps two things that you should really try to avoid in the great world that we call motorcycling. Falling off a racing bike at the TT is one. Buying an old bike without even seeing it is the other.
I have now managed to achieve both. The first happened in 1986 when I hit the wall at Kerromoar while going too quickly (helicopters, doctors and hospitals are wonderful things). The second crept up on me recently.
Italian bikes have fascinated me for as long as I can remember, the noise of the MKI Le Mans, the beauty of the 900SS, the speed and power of the Jota, but I have never really been able to afford anything of that pedigree. A 500 Morini Maestro Sei was okay but it just didn’t have the edge.
A succession of large Jap stuff had lived in the garage, and then the racing took over. No, I never thought I’d see the day that I owned a Ducati 500 Pantah – until I saw an ad for an example which was described as the ‘Hound of the Basketvilles’, along with a very reasonable price, that is.
A brief call to the dealer selling the bike had me more than interested. Phil of Italia Classics in Lincoln said that the bike was ‘rough’ but useable with a few repairs required. A new sprag clutch, and some other bits and pieces were mentioned.
To be fair he gave me a very detailed description of the bike and its condition and was good enough to send me some photos…”
16 Page – PDF Download – Complete Series – 101 Things to do on a Dead Cat – Ducati 500L Pantah
