Can anyone confirm if if the following bike is indeed an original MHR900?
If you know anyone that can verify the attached bike from the frame and engine nos. supplied please point me in their direction
(as main dealers appear to know very little about 70s bevel drive Ducati).
I’ve always wanted an early MHR900 - and the above bike didn’t make its reserve at auction last year (probably due to lack of confidence in it being a South African import in 1990), I have a deposit on the bike after responding to a private ad, and I am hoping to collect it on Sunday. I have HPI checked it and am just looking for someone that knows the frame and engine no. range on these bikes next, to make sure its not just a repainted 900SS or Darmah before I part with the balance.
Thanks for your time - and I hope to be riding an MHR along with my other Ducati in the future if it all works out.
I have found a few 1980 registered bikes on BevelHeaven site baring the 900SS frame number and an engine no. in the same series, so its looking promising.
Obviously I’d prefer to be buying a UK registered bike from 1980s but its potentially a good find and still my dream bike if its in good order (which it sounds it is - the owner MOT’d it this week).
However, I’ve yet to find out if its got fibre glass tank, or fibre glass over steel tank like the UK bikes had (and if its the former I will have to check the integrity of the fibre glass tank).
I also like the idea of sourcing a 2-piece fairing if I do start using it - and keeping the original 1-piece for best on the garage wall (I notice some MHR owners have done this for convenience).
I’m waiting on a call back from Ducati UK when I finally got their no. from another Ducati main dealer, they might not get back to me until Monday though (which is a pain as I was hoping to collect Sunday).
I found a few MHR’s stating a DM900SS frame nos. between '79 and ‘82 listed on an American site listing customers’ bikes from around the world, so I am a little bit reassured now (although there is nothing to say these aren’t ‘replicas’ of a replica, using a 900ss donor, so Ducati UK’s database will be the final word on this next week). Knowing Ducati though I wouldn’t be surprised if a few were released with a 900SS frame as they were so similar. Its just a shame this isn’t formally documented anywhere as I can see myself having trouble selling it again in future this being the case (not a bad bike to be stuck with though, but only at the right price).
It does indeed- and I have Ducati UK on the case to confirm its the real McCoy, which I now believe it is after a bit more research. I know these bikes are expensive compared to the SS and Darmah for what they are, but I’ve always promised myself a Hailwood Rep (as I will always remain, a huge fan of Mike, his life story, his incredible achievements and his bikes).
This particular bike has proved a good find for me, as the timing is right for me to buy and this one is an unrestored bike with matching numbers and papers and what appears to be a genuine 9,000km on the clock from new circa 1980. Initially I was put off by the fact it came to the UK from South Africa in 1990 but after checking it over I can see this is not a problem at all - indeed its in good overall condition as it ‘came of age’ in a nice warm dry climate. I’m pleased with it - like all MHR’s to me and many other Bevel Duc’s - its a beauty; a lovely old fashioned Ducati with oodles of character.
… Several Years on from this thread I was pleased to see this listing and can confirm - yes this bike is the ‘real McCoy’. Its an early bike circa 1980 with original Conti’s and the one piece fairing which you don’t see many of today. I have owned the bike from 2014 to present. in 2016 it underwent a full engine-out mechanical overhaul by classic bike aficionado Cray Engineering near to me (at considerable cost over £4k) It is spot on though and cosmetically very original and ‘unrestored’ with just the right level of patina for it age to look authentic. Jim Cray confirmed that everything inside the engine is very original and verfies the very low mileage for one of these bikes today. In recent times I’ve done a bit on it myself (cleaned and sealed the inside of the tank to preserve it, and added a lithium cell with period looking decals). I am thinking of either putting it up for sale in pursuit of a more modern project, or hanging on a couple more years until its MOT and tax exempt on its 40th birthday making it a little easier to take out on the road once or twice a year without the aggro of testing and taxing for the sake of a few road miles when the mood and weather are good.
