The 1974 Ducati that helped launch Franco Uncini’s career
Bike fan Simon de Burton on a Ducati that was part of Franco Uncini’s climb to the top
Bonhams
| Rear sets and silencers are high for maximum ground clearance | Frame number confirms the bike as being one of the four Spaggiari racers | This bike is extensively documented in a hardback book about the race team | 90-degree, L-twin engine features Ducati’s trademark bevel-driven camshafts | Bike is finished in period-correct Scuderia Spaggiari ochre livery | One of its stablemates is on permanent display in Ducati’s Bologna museum |
Few wives have altered motorcycle racing history by nagging their spouses, but Maggie Smart certainly did. In the spring of 1972 she persuaded husband Paul to spend his 29th birthday riding a Ducati 750 in the inaugural 200-mile race at the then-struggling Italian bike manufacturer’s local circuit, Imola.
Not many fancied Ducati’s chances when Smart and team-mate Bruno Spaggiari lined up on the grid against stars of the day such as Triumph-mounted John Cooper and Giacomo Agostini on the mighty works MV Agusta.
But the two Ducatis led the field almost from the outset, flashing past far-more fancied bikes and riders until Smart incredibly took the chequered flag with Spaggiari following close behind.
Spaggiari last raced at Imola two years later, soon after which he retired from competitive riding altogether to concentrate on running Scuderia Spaggiari, a team formed to race in the production category of the 1975 Italian Junior Championship.
Its lone rev counter marks this 750 SS as a no-frills racer
Bonhams
This Ducati 750 SS on sale at Bonhams in April was one of four bikes purchased by Spaggiari specifically for his team’s riders, Giulio Sabattini and the future 500cc world champion Franco Uncini –who most likely used this machine to rack up some of the 15 out of 21 wins that secured overall victory in the ’75 event.
The bike will be sold with letters of authentication from both Spaggiari and former Ducati factory race mechanic Giorgio Grimandi, who rebuilt the engine more than 20 years ago.
Since 2013 it has been part of an extensive collection of exotic Italian motorcycles, within which it has been kept on static display and devoid of fluids – but when replenished with fuel and oil it should once again be good to go.
And maybe, even, to win.
1974 DUCATI 750 SS, EX-SCUDERIA SPAGGIARI
On sale with Bonhams, Stafford, April 27. Estimate: £25,000-£35,000. bonhams.com