Description
Hailwood supposedly retired from motorcycles in 1971 to concentrate on automobile racing. Despite winning the 1972 Formula 2 Championship, he never achieved on four wheels what he had on two, and from time to time he succumbed to lucrative offers to return to motorcycles.
Some of Hailwood’s earliest successes had come on Ducati small-displacement twins, and when Mike was offered a ride on a Ducati 900NCR V-Twin at the Isle of Man F1 race in 1978, he jumped at the chance. At 37, he was thought to be past his prime and hadn’t raced on the daunting 37-mile circuit in a decade. Nonetheless, he won the six lap race over ordinary two lane country roads bordered by stone walls and buildings at an average speed over 108 mph. This victory, along with the Imola 200 in 1972, was one of the two most important in the elevation of Ducati to Superbike status.
This Ducati 900 “MHR” was fully restored by a South African collector and enthusiast
prior to the purchase by the current vendor, to original specification. We are informed that it runs well and must surely be a sought after collector’s item now. Coming with local Monaco registration documents, this amazing bike is ready for immediate use.
