I am planning a trip in Italy for the last 2 weeks of September 2015 (I always plan my trips to Europe many months in advance) and I would like to visit Mr. Rino Caracchi in Bologna.

Any advises from the members of this forum about going to visit this living legend ? In my view, this is a pelerinage every TT1, TT2 or F1 owner should make once in a lifetime.

In Bologna, a visit to the Ducati factory and museum is also a must and while at it, why not make a detour by Montespertoli (near Firenze) to meet Carlo Leoncini and visit his shop ?

Anybody else interested in such a party ?

Gilles Lachance
Quebec City
750F1

Gilles,

surely You're going to miss the Imola Mostra Scambio then, on sep 11-12-13.
Maybe You could meet Carlo there, he's done it before .

I can plan my trips to Italy days in advance, so we could meet where you're at almost anytime.

ciao
ducadini

Imola Mostra Scambio...fantastic event on a superb site.
I've been five times and always yearn to return.

Hello, it's true I've been to the exhibition exchange market at Imola in Italy unfortunately the money is finished, it is very difficult to sell the products manufactured by me, there are Germans, Belgians, carrying away Vespas and Lambrettas, but only those.

I have been 2 days, I have not done a lot of business, however, a great satisfaction to me, when my gazebo, I saw him coming to see me for a visit ......... Rino Caracchi !!!!

He is the only person inside that wonderful racetrack, worthy of stepping on the asphalt surface, greeted me, and mingled among the common people, almost no one recognizes him ..... in Italy, there is no culture .... unfortunately for most people.

You are fortunate, Carlo, to live near Rino Caracchi. To call him a "living legend" may be a little bit exagerated. But, when you look at all those persons who restore, reproduce parts, build replicas, ride or race Ducati TT1 and TT2, there is obviously a glorius period in Ducati history that we all want to keep living forever. In my view, Mr. Caracchi should not go into oblivion.

Gilles Lachance
Quebec City

I forgot to introduce myself. Since I do not participate very often in track days, only Francis McDermott and Steve Monroe know me.

Your's truly at Mosport in 2013.

Gilles Lachance

Hi Gilles,

It is nice to see an '85 F1 being ridden around a circuit. I see you have some nice period upgrades there also, front calipers, wheels, swingarm and race seat!

What are the upgrades that we don't see? Big valves, cams?

Cheers,
MikeA

Hi Mike,
The modifications made to my F1 are as follow :

Bruce Myers high compression pistons ( reduced to 12:1 ratio), heads and intake manifold reworked by J-Precision (Patrice Juteau) with 42 mm intake and 36 mm exhaust valves, Montjuich camshafts with adjustable cam pulleys (adjusted to 101 degrees ATDC centerlobe mesured at 1mm of lift, which gives 3 degrees of advance compared to standard specs), 41 mm Dellorto Malossi carbs with velocity stacks, lightweight flywheel and clutch basket, lightened gears in the engine, special exhaust system (and larger) developped by Mike Weber (I think) with Steve Monroe.

I have not yet checked on a dyno, but the Performance Trends engine analyser software indicates that my engine should deliver 57 pounds of torque with a flat torque curve between 6000 and 9000 rpm and 97 hp at 9000 rpm.

My F1 also have a Stadium rear shock, Verlicchi alloy swingarm, 996 clutch and front brake master cylinders, all breaded oil lines, race fairing, litium battery (weights 1 1/2 pound), 35000 volts ignition coils. I changed the sprockets to use a 520 rear chain. I took off the bike stand and I am now about to install a large capacity Earl's oil cooler which has 3 times the capacity of the original oil cooler).

That gives you an idea.

Regards,

Gilles

Hey Carlo,

now I surely regret not having been there last weekend.
Since I saw You were in hospital, I never would have thought You were going to Imola.

We stayed at Macerata the week before (rain, rain, and some more rain) and the day we left for Belgium, my daughter nearly had a sunburn at +30° for the next days.

I met Rino together with Syd Tunstall at the (then newer) GioCaMoto workshop, made them sign a few books I had with me and gave Syd a lift to his hotel (he almost didn't survive my Italian way of driving through the Bologna rush-hour).

Next time, You give us a warning

ciao
ducadini

Hey Carlo and Ducadini,

My trip to Italy in September 2015 is now organized. Here is the part you may be interested in :

September 23 and 24 : Sleep at la Fattoria le Mandrie di Ripalta cerca Montespertoli;

September 24 : Visit to Carlo Leoncini workshop;

September 25 : Visit of Ducati factory and museum;

September 25 or 26 : Visit of Mr. Rino Carrachi.

Anybody else interested to join our party ?

Carlo, Ducadini an other interested members of this forum : maybe we should continue this discussion in private messages.

Regards

Gilles Lachance