Ducati Diana

[IZ]

This was kind of cool. 

As I took the bike out to get the mail, I was flagged down by the new neighbors.  They just moved here from Kalamazoo. 

Older gentleman: Ducati, eh?!  I could hear you coming from the other end of the complex!   
Me: Oh yeah..love those aftermarket pipes!   
OG: They sure have changed since I bought my first one..a 1962 Ducati Diana. 
Me: "Diana"?   
OG: I'll have to show you later.  She's packed up.

I went back after they unloaded the truck.  The guy opened the garage to unveil a beautiful Red/black & chrome '62 Diana.    He told me that he bought at a garage sale back in the 70's.  It was in a box and in pieces.  The owner said it didn't run so he was just going to sell it for parts.  He ended up getting it for $10!! The gentlemen, who is a bit of a backyard mechanic, took it home, put it together and found all it needed was a new battery, front tire and a couple of spokes replaced.     

After seeing it, I remembered that I had a picture of me standing with one at the factory/museum but I'd never seen one the street.  Cool bike and a really nice guy.  He also had a black '69 Camaro (I believe 500Cu" engine), a few H-D's and a Honda.

I didn't get a pic of the bike yet but this is very similar:     

[Porsche Monkey]

Very very cool. 

[Kopfjäger]

As I took the bike out to get the mail,

   

[teddy037.2]

mailboxes are on one end of the shire... it's a long walk

[NAKID]

mailboxes are on one end of the shire...

Bilbo IZ?

[IZ]

Ok..that was really funny!  :p

Kop..I live in an apt complex. The mail boxes are on the other side of the place. I haven't been able to ride the bike lately since I need a few parts so had to break it out yesterday..even if it was only a quick ride down the way.

[mitt]

I didn't get a pic of the bike yet but this is very similar:     

Thanks for posting up a clear picture instead of taking one

Cool story

mitt

[redxblack]

I think the crew at Crooked River are going to restore a Diana next. They did a Sebring last winter and it was beautiful.

[ducatiz]

fk me, that's a beautiful little bike.  250ccs of luvvv.

depends on which model, but some were desmo and some were springhead.  the Mk1 was desmo, but that one looks like an early springhead.  (just noticed that's not the actual bike)

the Mk1 had a mono seat, not a touring seat.  very cool..

[psycledelic]

10 freakin dollars.  Tell the old guy that he sucks!  Oh, and nice bike.

[Desmo Demon]

10 freakin dollars.  Tell the old guy that he sucks! 

But this was in the 70's and it was a box-o-bike when he got it.

To put it in perspective, my parents built a new 2200 sq ft home in 1970....for $32,000, and the average price of a brand new car was around $3000. My aunt bought a 1972 Yamaha LS-2 100 motorcycle, brand new, for something like $600. Heck, in 1983 a new Honda XR-200R was only around $1100 and I recall a early-80's Honda CB-200 being under $800 brand new.

[IZ]

But this was in the 70's and it was a box-o-bike when he got it.

To put it in perspective, my parents built a new 2200 sq ft home in 1970....for $32,000, and the average price of a brand new car was around $3000. My aunt bought a 1972 Yamaha LS-2 100 motorcycle, brand new, for something like $600. Heck, in 1983 a new Honda XR-200R was only around $1100 and I recall a early-80's Honda CB-200 being under $800 brand new.

Right.

One of my patients was a teacher at the Univ. of Texas.  She bought a big 3 story house across the street from campus back in the 60's for $12,000.  She sold it a couple years ago for $2 Million.   

Unfortunately, the only stories I have of being at the right place at the right time involve my vehicles tires and foreign metal objects.   

[ducatiz]

Unfortunately, the only stories I have of being at the right place at the right time involve my ass and foreign metal objects.   

Fixed for perspective (i.e. "be glad that...")

[fastwin]

Bilbo IZ?

Stop making fun of people named Bilbo... and yes I have read the Tolkein books.

I went to UT in the early 70s and even then everything near campus was already $2 million bucks! She must have bought at the right time. Maybe the property was cheap back then because it was within rifle range of the campus. There I go dating myself.

[teddy037.2]

Stop making fun of people named Bilbo... and yes I have read the Tolkein books.

whoshotwhointhewhatnow?

we're making fun of adam