Credit Australia’s Two Wheels magazine for nicknaming the 1971 Ducati 250 Desmo “Silver Shotgun.” The nickname comes from the tiny chips of aluminum shining through its clearcoat - opens in new window or tab.—silver metal flakes adorning its fiberglass tank, front fender, side covers, and seat.
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Although intended for sale in the US market, few Ducati 250 Desmo made it to American soil before the US instituted a ban on fiberglass gas tanks. Combine low production numbers and limited distribution with the fact that Ducati only made the Silver Shotgun for two years, and you’ll see why motorcycles like this one recently listed on eBay are among the rarest Ducati Desmo singles.
Famed Italian Engineers
The sporty Italian café racer - opens in new window or tab. is powered by an air-cooled single-cylinder engine with Ducati’s signature bevel-gear overhead-cam. The bevel-gear overhead-cam was the work of Fabio Taglioni - opens in new window or tab., who arrived at Ducati in 1954 after studying under Alfonso Drusiani at Mondial.
The bevel-drive overhead cam singles provided a proving ground for Taglioni’s renowned desmodromic valvetrain, which would become a staple of future Ducati engines. A single 29 mm Dell’Orto VHB carburetor - opens in new window or tab., combined with an aluminum trumpet - opens in new window or tab., ensures the peppy engine receives the proper air/fuel mixture. The single swept-back exhaust has a Silentium silencer - opens in new window or tab. and delivers a raspy note.
Dazzling Parts
The motorcycle’s slick paint job isn’t the only thing racy about the Silver Shotgun. It came equipped with these flashy components:
- Borrani - opens in new window or tab. 18-inch alloy rims
- Grimeca - opens in new window or tab. double-sided, single-leading-shoe front brake with air scoops
The rear shocks were also Marzocchi, and with a weight of only 286 pounds, the motorcycle offers crisp handling. Its café racer accouterments include:
- A cut-out tank
The 1971 Ducati 250 Desmo has a peculiar instrument arrangement dominated by a large, white-faced Veglia Borletti - opens in new window or tab. mechanical competition tachometer mounted off the right handlebar. The speedometer is housed almost invisibly in the headlight housing. The big black knob to the left of the tach is a hand-adjustable steering friction damper.
Racy Italian Comes to America via Australia
It’s fitting that an Australian motorcycle magazine dubbed the Ducati 250 Desmo the Silver Shotgun because this particular example came from the Land Down Under. The story comes from Phil Hitchcock of Road and Race Motorcycle Engineering, a classic Italian motorcycle parts specialist from New Brunswick, Australia. He purchased it from the original owner when it was a year old. Hitchcock bought and sold it a few times. Ultimately it landed in the hands of Rich Lambrechts of DesmoPro, a Ducati historian and restorer, who brought it to the States.
The motorcycle’s current steward says it has an original stamped frame. It’s undergone a complete restoration using as many stock parts as possible. The front fender isn’t the one that came with the bike but is an original Silver Shotgun fender with metal flake paint. The other fiberglass parts are original but have been repainted, and the flake isn’t as heavy.
The motorcycle also lacks Ducati’s signature bevel drive cover on the cylinder head. However, thanks to its overall condition and rarity, it’s still a fine piece of Italian motorcycling exotica worthy of collecting.
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