HALFWAY HOUSE

First impressions are important, especially where motorcycles are concerned. Thrills mix with need at speed on a big road bike, and the better it is, the better you are. The track-ready Ducati 900 SS was a truly memorable superbike of its time, and what still stands out is feeling the very texture of the road translated through its grips. This was the near-mythical attribute which converted many to the Bologna way, so credit is due to Ducati for not engineering it out of the following 900 Sport Desmo Darmah. Sleek and surprisingly elegant, the 900 SD was unveiled in 1976 and gained the favour of Ducati riders who were losing interest in kick-starting and squeeze’n’stretch ergonomics.

Cagiva’s adoption of Ducati in the early 1980s meant that corporate focus shifted to Dr Taglioni’s Pantah twin, an engine which conducted its desmo magic via belts and not the bevel gears of the earlier models. With the passage of time, we wonder just how many old bevels remain in use. Here’s one; the seldom-seen Darmah SS, currently under the direction of enthusiast Chris Thorkelson. Often remembered for its embossed cartoon tiger, the 900 SD lasted until 1983, but SSD production was far shorter, starting late in 1978. Well-sorted, the Darmah is part of a diverse mix in Thorkelson’s line, and a favourite. ‘I can’t imagine not riding it,’ says Chris, who lives in a spacious neighbourhood conducive