Italian Showpiece

Almost 25 years ago while on holiday in the town of Sidney, B.C., Steve Tayler was walking down a street when he noticed an old motorcycle at rest behind a dusty, unwashed window in a small commercial building.

Tayler opened the door and stepped inside what appeared to be a custom paint shop. He spoke to the proprietor about the bike, which turned out to be a 250 cc 1966 Ducati Scrambler that definitely looked the worse for wear. While Tayler wasn’t specifically looking for an old Ducati, the motorcycle was for sale.

“I was aware of what a Ducati single is, thanks to having been a reader of vintage motorcycle magazines,” Tayler explains. “While this one was together, it wasn’t running and it was in really rough condition.

“In fact,” he adds, “I’d say it was a wreck.”

Bought on a Whim

But that didn’t stop Tayler – who lives on a rural property west of Calgary –