Lot 395: 1978 Ducati NCR Frame no. DM860SS088923 Engine no. 090013

Mike Hailwood's 1978 Isle of Man TT comeback ride is the stuff of legend. Out of top-flight bike racing for seven years and away from the Island for eleven, he took on and beat the might of the Honda works team to win the Formula One TT at record speed. Entered by Steve Wynne's Manchester-based Ducati dealership, Sports Motorcycles, Hailwood's TT-winner was one of a small batch of around 20-25 such round-case machines built by the legendary Bologna-based NCR race shop for TT Formula One and FIM Coupe d'Endurance racing.

In 1979, the new square case engine began to be used in these hand-built production racers. This allowed the Ducatis to run in both the more restrictive production-based events as well as in the TT F1 class.

The offered lot spent many years in a private Italian collection before passing to its present ownership. The vendor believes the motorcycle was prepared as a spare bike for Mike Hailwood for the 1979 Isle of Man TT but not used in that event. Unfortunately, this claim is unsubstantiated. Regardless, this lovely example displays the handcrafted race engineering typical of the Italian scuderia: 920cc big bore engine, Brembo brakes, Marzocchi suspension, Veglia competition tachometer, modified Dellorto 40mm pumper carburetors and Campagnolo magnesium race wheels shod with Dunlop slicks among the many desirable custom components.