Ducati’s Reimagined Vintage Off-Road Moto Is Rolling Art at Its Finest

From Jim Farley and Akio “Morizo” Toyoda to Christian Von Koenigsegg and Mate Rimac, the automotive industry is full of executives who are true dyed-in-the-wool car enthusiasts. For those with gas running through their veins, it’s the mark of a company that’s in touch with, well, what actually matters.

While the two-wheeled world hardly gets the same share of the limelight, that’s not to say that motorcycle brands are without their own hotshot CEOs.

Ducati

Just take Ducati, for instance. Amidst the dust and chaos of this year’s Biltwell 100, North America frontman Jason Chinnock repped the brand in the best way possible: atop a vintage 1971 Ducati 450 R/T Desmo.

A bevel built to compete

Not only that, but it was a bike that he himself worked to restore. Having started the project earlier this January, Jason Chinnock set his sights on competing in the Biltwell 100 as a celebration of Ducati’s centenary.

Now, to ensure the old-school Ducati bevel drive would be competitive amidst the fray of the field, the Ducati exec did have to make some upgrades. The Biltwell 100 is a grueling race, all the more so when you’re competing on something with a 54-year-old engine.

Accordingly, along with some re-valved front forks and custom Race Tech shocks, he also swapped out the pipe for a custom FMF Racing titanium exhaust and fitted some lightweight Pro-Bolt titanium hardware.

Not content to stop there, Chinnock ditched the swingarm for a modified unit from a Ducati narrow-case single. What’s more, he custom-fabbed an aluminum skid plate for protection in the rough stuff.

Ducati

Rolling on some new Dubya USA hubs laced to shouldered Excel rims and wrapped in some Pirelli Scorpion XC tires, it’s made only better by the crown jewel of the entire build: the engine.

That’s because DesmoPro guru Rich Lambrechts rebuilt the powertrain to its original factory specifications. From there, he made choice tweaks gleaned from years of racing experience.

More than the result

Between a fouled plug early in the race and a subsequent spill in a rain ditch, Jason Chinnock and the 1971 Ducati 450 R/T Desmo were lucky to even finish the race at all.

Nevertheless, the effort makes for a fitting tribute, not just to Ducati’s 100th anniversary but also to the brand’s off-road initiatives in the United States. Determined to complete the course, Chinnock rode the final 17 miles with a set of twisted forks.

Ducati

After all, in giving the bike its green livery, the Ducati exec was riding for more than just himself.

That’s because it was inspired by the paint that appeared on the original 450 R/T Desmo prototype. Beyond being a model created at the behest of Ducati USA importer, Berliner Motors, for the American market, it was also a significant release — it was the only motocross bike to feature the brand’s signature desmodromic valves.

Ducati

With Ducati having made its return to the dirt world through the Desmo450 (and subsequent variants like the pictured factory version), it’s a performance that goes full circle in more ways than one.

And hey, even though Chinnock ultimately didn’t bring home any hardware, Ducati Factory rider Jordan Graham did ride to a first overall aboard a Desmo450 EDX.

Want to stay up to date on the latest product news and releases? Add Gear Patrol as a preferred source to ensure our independent journalism makes it to the top of your Google search results.

Related Topics