Ducati 125 Grand Prix

I’ve often thought that the appeal of racing motorcycles is in their sculptural qualities. And despite the charmless name, there are few things more elegant than a ‘dustbin’ fairing from the 1950s. This one is an exceptionally beautiful example, and a testament to the metalworker’s skill. It was created for a 1955 Ducati 125 Grand Prix prototype, a machine based on the 100cc Gran Sport designed by Fabio Taglioni. Nestling in the frame is a single-cylinder DOHC ‘Bialbero’ engine: in Grand Prix trim, it produced a 16hp at a heady 10,500rpm. This particular bike was successfully raced by Willy Scheidhauer,...