My Wife Went to Poland… So I Bought a Ducati

I love cars. I’ve been driving since I was young. I remember my brother getting me to drive while he was in the back seat with a gorgeous girl. I was probably 14.

I had to stop at traffic lights directly outside a police station in Essex!

I was shaking, but I loved it.

After my recent medical-related accident, I was told I can’t drive for a year. I still have my licence and it wasn’t reported; they just strongly suggested I don’t risk it.

Actually, the medication is working amazingly well. I have no memory loss or brain fog. I’m fine. I’ve also sold my broken Mercedes to a Carrozzeria (body shop) in Torino, named Stefano. He’s already restored it to perfection.

So, what next?

My wife is driving me.

No divorce yet, but lawyers have been contacted.

Eight days of freedom

Ula was going away to visit family in Poland for eight days, and all I wanted to do was relax. No work.

No chance.

Clients kept me on my toes and paid me well for my consultancy. Thanks, Andreas!

But I had started looking at AutoScout.

AutoScout.it is full of second-hand cars and motorcycles.

Dangerous stuff when your wife is going away.

She had given me clear instructions:

No more cars!

We have two, and I have to look after my son Alex’s car too, so apparently that’s enough.

OK, no more cars…

What about motorcycles?

She said nothing about motorcycles!

I had my last one for a year and rode it, well… once. It was too big and too much hassle to get out of the garage — a BMW touring bike.

Before that, I’d had Vespas, a lovely Moto Guzzi Breva, a Triumph ST and some smaller bikes when I was much younger.

Alex has a Royal Enfield. I rode it, but it did nothing for me.

I didn’t want another bike.

I was done with them.

Then I started looking at Ducati bikes…

Hmmmm…

And then I found the Ducati

I found a 24-year-old Ducati 750 SS i.e.

I loved the colour — yellow!

It would contrast beautifully with my red Alfa.

I sent the advert to Alex and said:

“I want this!”

His reply?

“No! I want it.”

That was it.

We started scheming, counting down the days until my wife’s plane left for Poland.

The bike was in Genova, about two hours away. How were we going to get there?

I technically can’t drive, and the owner had some original parts that came with the bike. We thought about taking the train and even bought tickets, but then remembered the parts.

A friend/client offered to help, but he got sick.

Eventually, we worked out a way to get there.

We made the journey to Genova, picked up the bike and its original parts, and headed home.

Buying a 24-year-old Ducati

We met the owner, a nice young 22-year-old called Tommaso.

He had the Ducati, along with some other bikes and a lovely old Mercedes 500S, in his garage.

Garages cost a fortune in Genova. Around €100,000 is not unusual.

We looked the Ducati over carefully.

It definitely needed some care.

But sometimes you just know.

We decided to do it.

We got the bike, completed the ownership transfer and somehow got everything back home.

The important thing was that the Ducati was now ours.

Well… technically Alex’s too.

Although I’m sure we’ll have some discussions about that.

So, the Ducati…

It’s gorgeous.

I still haven’t ridden it!

I’ve stripped it down over the last few days, cleaned it and done a lot of repairs — especially to some badly modified electrics.

It’s starting to look really good.

Rain stopped play today, so I’m in the office, thinking about it.

I’m going to get Stefano, the guy who bought my Mercedes, to repaint all the yellow parts and remove a dent from the tank.

We’ll also get it ASI registered. This is the Italian registration system for historic and classic cars and bikes. You pay less annual tax and get lower insurance costs, although the insurance costs next to nothing anyway.

Then, eventually, I’ll get to ride it.

I can’t wait.

A little more than just a bike

I love a project, and this was the perfect thing to take my mind off work for a week or so.

But there’s another reason this bike means something to me.

My father loved bikes.

He had a bike tuning shop in East London in the 1960s. He was a BSA fan.

I wish he was here.

He would love this thing.

He died young, in 2003.

I think he would have understood immediately why I bought it.

There’s something about an old bike that makes you want to get your hands dirty, take things apart, fix them and bring them back to life.

And doing it with my son makes it even more special.

Ula, my wife, was eventually fine about the Ducati. She understands that it was a last little project for me and Alex, especially as he is marrying a Polish girl and will be going to live in Poland next year.

So perhaps this is one of our last little adventures together before life changes again.

For now, we have a 24-year-old Ducati in the garage.

And I have a project.

I’ll update you when it’s all done.

And if you’re into bikes, get in touch!