Ducati Production

[Duccout]

Once a bike becomes identified by investors as a 'good investment' then, the price rockets. I have even heard these people discussing how to work between themselves to get the prices up; it's all very sad. (Has anyone noticed how when any Road model is advertised on eBay, they are always called a 'Scrambler'?).

Slightly off topic, but in my youth (many years ago) there was a farm near me which had a hand-painted sign out on the road saying 'motorbike parts' and I went in there one day to see if he had anything for my Velocette. What a spectacle! Inside an enormous barn was probably hundreds of old British bikes, old girder fork types right up to the 1970's, just amazing. This was at the time when nobody wanted British bikes, you couldn't give them away. I asked the guy how much to buy one (can't remember what now, but it would have been a Single) and the old boy was adamant that they were for breaking only, he didn't sell complete bikes. I heard years later that when the guy died the bikes were all sent for scrap.

[cooperplace]

I don't have a full set of production figures for Mototrans machines, but can give you an approximate idea of how many bikes were produced. ......after 1977 with the advent of the Vento and Forza models, being joined by the parallel twin 500 and the Strada in 1978, with about 2000 bikes built each year.


Jon.

So when did production of the Vento begin? When I bought mine I was told it was a 1976.

Thanks

[Jon Pegler]

Ventos went into production in March 1977
A total of about 1500 had been manufactured when the last ones were built in 1982.

Peter, I think your Vento was probably built in about 1979.

Jon

[cooperplace]

Hi Jon,

Thank you.

I hope you're staying safe in these dangerous times.

Cheers

Peter.

[JohnBR]

With reference to production figures and distribution does anyone know how many single were imported to the UK and who was the agent/distributer during the time the singles were in production. Is there information available from the factory related to this ?
Thanks

[Duccout]

I think (and this is only off the top of my head, not gospel!) that Britax (or was it Feridax?) were the first importers, in the Fifties, followed by Kings of Oxford, followed by Vic Camp, and lastly, by Coburn and Hughes.

[Ventodue]

I think (and this is only off the top of my head, not gospel!) that Britax (or was it Feridax?) were the first importers, in the Fifties, followed by Kings of Oxford, followed by Vic Camp, and lastly, by Coburn and Hughes.

Yup, that's how I understand it too.

1954: Britax, for Cucciolos at least.
1959: Stan Hailwood sets up Ducati Concessionaires in Stretford & Oxford ("Kings of Oxford")
1965 (may have been 1967?): Vic Camp takes over as UK concessionaire.
1968, August: Hannah debacle, cuts the ground away from beneath Vic's feet.
1971: Vic Camp stops importing Bologna bikes, offering only Barcelona models, mainly 24 Horas.
1972: Mick Walker buys remaining Hannah stock of 400 bikes.
1973, November: Coburn and Hughes take over as importer, Mick becomes a spares concessionnaire (for which I shall be always grateful ...)