I would love to see more photographs of this "original" TT2. They are certainly not the original TT2 front forks.

At the recent UK Ducati TT symposium a very original 1983 genuine production TT 2 turned up, from all the information that I could gather from the owner who had apparently bought it from a guy who had received it in lieu of a business debt, it was the 39th of the 40 production TT 2's that were made.

here is the answer of the seller:

"As a racing machine there is no “log book” or papers to say what it is. Its authenticity is in its component parts and key NCR markings on them. If you know about NCR TT2s & what to look for please be specific in what you wish to have confirmed.

I know where the bike originated in Italy, who brought it to the UK & its history since its importation. I know nothing of its life previous to that other than the fact it was on display in the Orsenigo dealers window near Milan for some time after its first racing career was finished. Markings on the bike suggest it was later raced in the Deccla series in the period that was running.

The 35 Marzocchis were fitted to factory TTs & were favoured by many dealers who were supplied with frame & engine packages to compete in the Italian F2 series. You will see that many Italian built machines, particularly the 16” wheel versions, favoured a more robust 38 mm fork. The set fitted are often seen on 250 GP race bikes of the period and the dealer who built this bike also won the 250 Italian championship in 1984.

If you read the ad you will see the bike is in regular use at classic events in the UK & Europe.

The engine number is also in the advert as is the specification of the engine as far as I can be 100% sure of. As I state it has not been stripped in my ownership so I cannot show you pictures of its internal parts. I have seen its NCR 7 cams when checking the valve clearances – a poor picture is attached.

Please see attched a few pix of the bike in its original bodywork. I have fitted a slave tank/seat/ fairing & wheels to save the originals as you can see in the last pix. These are not included in the sale."

what do you think about it?

The age old question is it 'real'. One of the 40. This one really is missing a lot of what I would look for in an original or real bike. What I usually see in looking at period pictures and some 'real' bikes (like Pat's and Carlo's) I have been lucky enough to observe is as follows. Starting at the front wheel, counter sunk flathead socket screws holding the rotors, machined hardware holding the calipers to the magnesium forks, drilled center front axle, fancy NCR bracket for front fender, factory crimped brake lines with straight fitting coming out of the master with a fabricated splitter made out of tubing that goes to both calipers, Verlicchi clutch lever without provision for mirror, TT handlebars preferably with the white ends on the outside, flat, black plastic caps on the other end, this is just the front end. Hard to fake parts, factory petcock, quick release rear wheel (TT1),NCR clutch (TT1), Modified wet clutch with straight cut, polished and lightened gears and sometimes external oil lines, short nose goldline brembo rear master with billet lever and bronze bushing, magnesium rear brake hanger, Marzocchi Pulsar rear shock. Electrical panel should have the right plugs as well as the Motoplat pushbutton solenoid, we can even go crazy with color of wires if you like. For all you guys who have gotten this far this is a partial list of things I look for when someone says 'original'. Racers get changed, as parts break or get updated, granted, but when too many of these parts are not present I pause. Particularly parts that have consistently survived on original racers that I have seen and were raced hard. Some of these parts are hard to find or replicate and this is just the tip of the iceberg. We haven't even addressed the engine, and this is really the heart and soul of a real TT. TT2's usually had stamped silver 600 cases, TT1's black cases many unstamped or with odd stampings. I had one that actually said 'NCR750' Brian Larabure's bike stamped '073', some parts on my red/silver bike have'069' stamped in them. Confusing no? This is the problem, you can build a super accurate replica, I have one in my shop. When it's finished I will post some pics. Now that the price of our favorite bikes has gone crazy it is important to be able to document the history of a particular bike that claims to be original or real. Without proven history or vague history I will always be skeptical. I am enclosing some pics. How about the lightened NCR fairing plate nuts for the panhead screws! Lou

I have to say that your knowledge on these bikes is quite impressive Lou.

Hello Lou, I wanted to ask an opinion.

The collectors of carbs, do you believe that has been upgraded with those elastic collector?

The fixed flanges of carburettors carry the horizontal carburettor more shifted toward the rear of the motorcycle.

If you look at the throttle cable sticking out above the top of the carburetor, it is not aligned in the recess of the tank, which serves the throttle cable has to pass without hindrance.

It seems that does not enter the cover to cover the carburetor, because it is too close to the frame, moving it on the outside right.

I noticed the change to the brackets welded to hold the rear brake master cylinder.

I see the welds, I think the problem has been a fall.

The rubber pads that hold the tank detached from the frame, are a piece of history!

I'm not criticizing this bike, I'm just admiring a work of art.

Carlo.

I agree Carlo. The rear master was probably crash damage, but look at all the details. Carlo mentioned the intake, rear brake master, brake torque arm, rear sets, oil lines, and Carlo is right, the rubbers have history. The rear ones are for a TZ Yamaha and the front ones from a Kawasaki! The fairing brackets are totally re- configured. Look at the round tubes/rods holding the upper fairing 'wings'! So much of this bike is non-original. I love all TT's. Original, homebuilt kit, scratch built, Harris and all other frame builders, even this one. I love the creativity of people on this Forum. I just don't like people trying to profit from the new found popularity of these bikes and the difficulty in verifying what is genuine. Lou

I totally agree with what Lou & Carlo have said. I have been mixed up with these wonderful TT 2's since the day I first saw one in the Ducati race shop in the winter of 1980. Indeed I love all the replicas that have been made, whoever frame or forks etc they have. What does concern me however is when people try to pass of a replica as a "original" factory production model, or even a ex factory race shop model. At the recent UK Ducati symposium a TT 2 turned up that was a complete surprise to me, a very pleasant surprise indeed. After climbing all over and under it I came to the conclusion that it might possibly be the 39th TT 2 that the factory produced, ( they only ever produced 40 of these models ). I have yet to be 100% convinced !. I have also been asked to look at another allegedly "genuine" TT 2 that is here in the UK, I have asked for the engine and frame numbers.

And only this morning I spoke to a friend of mine who has been offered a "genuine" un restored TT2, this time it is in Italy, however the frame number on the Verlichi frame is not one that the factory issued on their TT 2's.

One other thing that concerns me is that a lot of people seem to think that NCR were somehow mixed up with the production of the TT 2's, I used to spend quite a lot of time at the factory in the early 80's. the engine was produced and built in the factory, as was the chassis and cycle parts. NCR did offer many fine parts for the TT's, but only after they left the factory.

And please remember that the Four Formula two world championships that Tony Rutter won 1981/2/3/4, and his third place in the 1983 F1 world championship his machines had Verlichi frames,( however a Daspa frame was used in one or two races) original Marzochi forks, and the engines were not in anyway built or prepared by any other company other than Ducati or TR/Ducati UK. racing, or did they have anything else but Ducati or our own developed cams.

Many thanks friends, for all this knowledge and expertise

Hello Pat, in Italy were all very surprised with my decision.

I did this not to mix the sacred with the profane.

I believe that these replicas, one day will be valued, I believe that in life you just be honest, and you can not miss ever.

The tt2 Verlicchi, or Harris, is a piece of history, and unfortunately in Italy and in the world, unscrupulous people abound!

I'll show you my humble motorcycle, the real one, without chassis number, and my reply number "5".

This is my humble opinion.

Carlo.