A few weeks ago I got this complete 600SL engine. Reportedly is was used by Ducati NA to teach mechanics about the Pantah engine. It is, virtually, new. I decided to see what it was really like inside: Here we find sunflower seeds, acorns, and fiberglass insulation, all gathered by some little rodent for a warm home. (I have an impact socket sitting in another engine, but that is different story.) Everything was in great condition though, with minor rust on the rods and clutch plates. And, fortunately, they cut into the H head to display the desmo valves. MikeV

Many years ago, a guy brought an old Husky dirtbike into a shop I worked at. He wanted it to run again, it had been sitting for several years in his garage. I had pissed the service manager off somehow, s-o-o-o-o...

I cleaned a mouse nest out of the airbox, cleaned the carb, and threw some fresh pre-mix into the tank after cleaning it out.

When I fired it up, chunks of dog food came shooting out of the stinger on the exhaust pipe. The mouse had used it as his larder, or his pantry if you will.

Best part was, the guy didn't own a dog!.


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My buddy Fritz lived on a farm and had a beautiful low mileage Ducati Laguna Seca. Maybe 400 kilometers. What a beauty. He hadn't started it for a while and I convinced him it would be a fun afternoon project to hear her again. Fresh gas, charged up battery, hit the starter button.....BOOM! Those chipmunks had packed that big Verlicchi pipe like an old 'musket' rifle, full of acorns. Those things flew out like buckshot. We laughed for hours. Scared the crap out of us. Always loved those 'cutaway' motors Mike. Lou

I'm a heavy mobile plant mechanic by trade, and over the years I've found some odds & ends in sumps of the bigger diesels, including a full set of keys in one & a Dolphin 6V torch in another!