1981 Ducati 864cc Mike Hailwood Replica

Registration no. SVR 957W Frame no. DM900 SS 901036 Engine no. DM860 091611

• Imported from South Africa in 2018
• 19,482 kilometres (circa 12,100 miles) recorded
• Generally good original condition

A landmark model that kept Ducati afloat during the 1980s, the Hailwood Replica owes its existence to Mike's legendary Isle of Man TT comeback victory in the 1978 Production Race riding an ex-works NCR bike entered and prepared by Manchester-based Ducati dealer, Sports Motor Cycles. Out of top-flight bike racing for seven years and away from the Island for eleven, Mike took on and beat the might of the Honda works team to win the Formula 1 TT at record speed. Ducati lost little time in capitalising on this outstanding success, launching a road-going replica the following year.

Like the race-bike, the MHR was based on the production 900SS, but - inevitably - had much more in common with the latter than the former. Most obvious difference was the full fairing finished in red, green and white, complemented by a glass fibre tank and racing seat. In fact, on the very earliest examples the 'tank' hid a steel fuel reservoir, glass fibre being illegal in the UK for tanks. Mechanical changes were confined to lighter wheels, usually by Campagnolo, and improved Brembo brakes, while the MHR's performance was pretty much the same as that of the 900SS: around 135mph flat-out. Today good original examples like that offered here are among the most sought after of bevel-drive Ducatis.

This Ducati Mike Hailwood Replica was imported into the UK from South Africa by Motorcycle Emporium Ltd and first registered in this country on 1st October 2018 (document on file). We are advised by the private vendor that the machine had been delivered to Cape Town and ridden solely by its owner for 15 years before passing to his nephew, seeing very little use (the odometer reading is 19,482 kilometres). The vendor further advises us that the MHR is in generally very good original condition and that it was last run in December 2019, following which the fuel was drained. Accompanying documentation consists of DVLA correspondence, a NOVA notification, an expired MoT (June 2019), a DOC Age Certificate, and a V5C Registration Certificate.