Ducati is steeped in motorcycle racing. So, to produce the modern-retro 2007 Ducati Sport 1000, the Italian manufacturer took full advantage of that sporting history. Pierre Terblanche, the talented designer who spent a few years at Ducati, was inspired by legendary racer Mike Hailwood’s race-winning Isle of Man TT motorcycle.
The Ducati Sport 1000 recently for sale on eBay got the golden treatment. New high-end aftermarket parts elevated the nostalgic motorcycle a step above an already sound stock bike.
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The seller said:
I’ve had Smarts and Hailwoods, and this gets just as much attention even with it needing a paint job.
Racing Heritage Revisited
The Sport Classic’s high-torque 992cc air-cooled L-twin engine has good roots. It descended from the first 90-degree Ducati L-twin with desmodromic valves from the 1970s Ducati 750 Imola Desmo.
Ducati debuted that engine at the inaugural Imola 200 in 1972. Paul Smart, the English short-circuit road racer, took the Ducati to victory in its maiden outing.
The dual-spark Desmodromic L-twin helped establish Ducati’s racing prowess, while the modern version puts out 92 horsepower. It has no problems lifting the front tire if you give it a handful of throttle. Throw a Termignoni exhaust - opens in new window or tab. into the mix for even more thrust. The bike's former owner said, “It runs and sounds like a beast.”
Nostalgia Machine
Ducati made every effort to give this motorcycle the look and feel of a vintage motorcycle—but with all the modern amenities. The steel spoke wheels, air-cooled engine, and exposed dual rear shocks strike the right retro effects. The clip-on handlebars, rear-set foot pegs, and tail hump are standard café racer fare.
The Period Ducati script on the tank hails from the late 1960s and early 1970s. Esteemed motojournalist Kevin Duke tested the 2007 Ducati Sport 1000 during his time as road editor for Motorcycle-USA.com.
Duke wrote:
It speaks to people who maybe lusted after Ducati in their youth and now they can have a machine with a lot of those styling elements they loved back then.
An '07 Sport 1000 with the Golden Touch
Enthusiasts will immediately recognize the appealing up-spec components. While the stock Ducati Sport 1000 was outfitted with a Marzocchi fork and Sachs shocks, the 2007 model on eBay runs Ohlins all the way around. That includes an Ohlins steering damper with a custom mount stabilizing the front end.
The gold of the Ohlins remote reservoir and fork legs go well with the anodized gold Alpina wheels and wave rotors. The golden theme extends to the new dry clutch, too. Ironically Ducati, who is known for its dry clutches, switched the 2007 Sport 1000 to a wet clutch. But the open clutch cover and dry clutch suit the customized Sport 1000 well. So do the stylish milled and vented belt covers.
The Ducati Sport 1000 got its 15 minutes of fame when it starred in the police chase scene in the movie Tron: Legacy. Okay, maybe it was more like a minute-and-a-half of fame, but the scene showcases the power of the Sport 1000 and how well it handles. It’s hard not to love a motorcycle that looks old but rides like new.
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