c.1965 Ducati 350cc Desmo Café Racer Custom. Few motorcycle designers achieve the status as Ducati’s chief designer for over 30 years, Fabio Taglioni. His career spanned overhead-camshaft singles, his first appearing in 1955, Desmodromic valve operation, a feature of the racing versions that would later be applied to the sportier roadsters, and then on to the mighty 750 SS and on to the F1s of the late 1980s and all their racing success.

The custom café racer on offer here, was designed and built by motorcycle superstar Yoshi Kosaka of Los Angeles’ The Garage Company. Built for Roger Werner, CEO of ESPN and founder of SpeedVision and MotorTrendTV, as no-expense-spared garage art to compliment his car collection, the bike is exactly that, a fine piece of motorcycle art. Based on a Desmo Duc, the lovely grey powder-coated frame houses a fully rebuilt 350cc single with Dellorto carb. The fiberglass gas tank and seat unit with drop handlebars give the bike a classic café racer stance.

Fresh from a service and re-commissioning, this c.1965 Ducati 350cc Desmo Café Racer Custom runs exceptionally well. The engine is taut, starts easily and has good responsive power. The brakes and suspension work perfectly and the bike performs and handles well, having ridden it just far enough to find out. Now, with only 8 miles on the odometer since its build about 10 years ago, it is ready for the next custodian.