1965 Ducati 250cc Daytona
Registration no. LEV 80C
Frame no. 87655
Engine no. 87287
A five-speed model, this particular Daytona is one the vendor spent several years trying to purchase, with eventual success. Keen to retain as much as possible of the original machine, he sympathetically restored it to this end over a two-year period, returning the Ducati to its former glory. The rebuild was completed in 2014.
The Ducati importers rarely provided test bikes for the UK motorcycling press back in the 1960s, which is what makes 'LEV 80C' rather special. 'LEV 80C' was tested by Motor Cycle Mechanics magazine in November 1965 and was used on the front cover of the 3rd June 1965 edition of Motor Cycle, with a full road test within. (Copies of both magazines are included in the sale). A quote from the MCM text is particularly worthy of note; tester John Houslander declared: 'For quality with a capital Q the Ducati GT is hard to beat – it's no road burner but for everyday motorcycling with a sporty touch the GT has everything.' 'LEV 80C' also makes appearances in Mick Walker's book 'Restoring Ducati Singles' (pages 91, 131, 159, 178, and 181) and in Alan Cathcart's 1983 masterpiece 'Ducati Motorcycles', on page 94. More recently, in an article published in Classic Motorcycle Mechanics (February 2017 issue) the vendor writes about the restoration process in more detail. Over 50 years on, this beautiful Ducati Daytona exemplifies the perfect blend of form and function. Offered with a V5C registration document.
Saleroom notices
- The frame number is DM250 87655. The engine number is DM250 87287.
