Mark’s Ducati 888 racer

I wired this bike up in 2023 (see here). It still needed a fair bit of work, mostly based around Mark figuring out how to organise the fuel pump return for the ST4 motor, which replaces the original (and priceless) 888 in Mark’s front room.

Finally it was ready, and to celebrate Mark entered it at Barbon Hill Climb. “It didn’t miss a beat,” he reported.”All I had to do was check the tyre presures.”

The only issue was the Motogadget tacho reading double. This is a question of setting pulses per rev, which is a palaver you have to go through with any aftermarket tacho. It involves the hellish situation of delving into various sub menus by pressing a single button. Mark is getting his son Adam to do it.

What’s next? Ideally, a parade lap of the TT – with roadbike wheels. These are the original Dymags, and Mark is wisely not trusting them for a test like that.

It was a big struggle to wire the bike up, and I was so chuffed to see it up and running. It’s one of 18 bikes built by Ducati in 1989, and possibly the only one still intact. Watch the vid and see it for yourself.