1975 Ducati 250cc MkIII

Registration no. KGK 517N Frame no. DM250GT 104590 Engine no. DM250 112707

Designed by the legendary Fabio Taglioni, Ducati's first overhead-camshaft single appeared in 1955. Desmodromic valve operation was a feature of the racing versions and would later be applied to the sportier roadsters. The first major revision to the original design occurred in 1967 when the 'wide case' engine was introduced, which featured an aft engine mount wider than before and numerous other improvements, the most significant being a stronger big-end assembly. Mid-way through 1968, the MkIII was introduced in both valve-spring and Desmo versions, differences between the two being confined almost entirely to the cylinder head. Noteworthy subsequent developments included further increases in big-end size, the adoption of a Grimeca double-sided front brake, and the introduction of electronic ignition the final MkIIIs in 1973. The latter came in blue/gold (valve-spring) and yellow (Desmo) colour schemes. A Brembo front disc brake was an option on the Desmos. The engine of this MkIII 'wide case' model was rebuilt with a new forged piston and new clutch in 2011 (the year the machine was acquired by the current owner) since when it has covered only some 1,100 miles. Last run in December 2019, the Ducati is described by the vendor as in good condition throughout. Accompanying documentation consists of sundry bills; a V5C Registration Certificate; and a quantity of old MoTs (most recent expired in August 2018).