Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1542400
T here can be no debating that Ducati is the current king of motorcycle road racing. Having won four consecutive MotoGP World Championships (using three different riders to accomplish the task), it cannot be disputed that the road to victory runs right through the Borgo Panigale District of Bologna. Toss in their six consecutive World Constructors' Champion- ships, and the conversation now turns to the discussion of who is second best. Though Ducati singles had been racing and winning for many years, the company's success in the world of big bikes really began in 1972, when Paul Smart and Bruno Spaggiari rode the new V-twin 750s to the top two spots in the Imola 200. Later, in 1978, Mike Hailwood made a triumphant return to motorcycle racing when he won the Isle of Man TT aboard a Ducati. In between those major international wins, a couple of motorcycle maga- zine journalists, Cycle Magazine staffers Cook Neilson and Phil Schilling, gave the brand its first major victory in American road racing when Neilson won the 1977 Daytona Superbike Produc- tion class. It would be more accurate to state that Schilling and Neilson spearheaded a winning effort, for this was a project that, in Neilson's words, enlisted the services of "all of our go-fast friends in Southern California." A motorcycle that was made in Italy was remade in the USA, with every metal bit undergo - ing a rebirth that would make a good motorcycle a great racer. To what extent was this Ducati transformed? When the build was finished, "there were no standard parts on this motor - cycle," Neilson recalls. "The first time we [Cycle Magazine] ever had a chance to ride a 750cc V-twin Ducati was at Bridgehampton Raceway [near Sag Harbor, New York] in 1971," Neilson recalled. "Phil Schilling and I were invited to see what we thought of this new Ducati. After spending four or five hours on this motorcycle, we knew it was something unique." The magazine editors would later purchase two of the first production 750s, with the sole intent of con - verting them into race bikes. When the work was done, the Ducati still looked like a product from Bologna but, in reality, was about as Italian as Tom Jones. "All of the internal engine parts were remade for us by our go-fast friends in Southern California. We had to have a special transmission made for it because it kept destroying the transmission gear teeth. We called on a guy named Marvin Webster, who used to make gear - boxes for Indy race cars up in San Jose. He built two vacuum- remelt steel gearboxes for this bike. It cost me $2000—and they were probably worth $50,000. "We got that kind of help from everybody," Neilson adds. "To call on all of this talent—that was what made this so much fun." There was more trickery on this motorcycle than could be found in Harry Houdini's storage closet. Titanium axles and nuts were custom-made for the machine. CNIIARCHIVES P118 BY KENT TAYLOR king of motorcycle road king of motorcycle road (using three different riders cannot be disputed that the through the Borgo Panigale District of Bologna. Toss in their six consecutive World ships, and the conversation now turns to the discussion Though Ducati singles had been racing and winning for many years, the company's success in the world of big when Paul Smart and Bruno It would be more accurate to spending four or five hours on this motorcycle, we knew it was something unique." would later purchase two of the first production 750s, with the sole intent of con verting them into race bikes. When the work was done, the Ducati still looked like a product from Bologna but, in reality, was about as Italian as Tom Jones. the transmission gear teeth. We the transmission gear teeth. We WATERSHED MOMENT When Cook Neilson and Phil Schilling gave Ducati its first major victory in American road racing.