Pola's 750ss Cafe Racer
By Ross Sharp - 23 Oct 14
Not too long ago Ducati's Super Sport models languished in classified ads and were relisted on eBay awaiting a loving home. Restoration never seemed a worthy option and many of these fine motorcycles stood eagerly idle; like the fat, malcoordinated kid waiting to be picked for the school football team. Times have changed and now the coveted trellis frame and simple air cooled L-twin is back in vogue. Pola from Rosenheim, Bavaria, Germany is one such admirer of the Ducati's middleweight outcast and has given his a well deserved makeover.
Being a scooterist Pola is well versed in the requirement for performance upgrades, let's face it, a Vespa is hardly going to lay down darkies when exiting roundabouts. He prides himself on dragging 30 horsepowers kicking and screaming out of Piaggio's ancient two stroke motors so extracting additionally enthusiasm from the trusty 904cc twin wouldn't pose a problem. Yes, you read that correctly, the 750 motor was shelved and replaced with one from a 900 Monster; which was then expanded to 944cc by way of a Kämna big bore kit.
As any racer will tell you, there's no point adding power without shedding weight so Pola has fitted an aluminium clutch from a more modern 1098, which is nearly a whole kilo lighter. But it still clatters like Michael J Fox carrying a round of drinks. A stainless steel Sil-Moto exhaust bellows the Bolognan beat and looks shiny, very Italian.
The frame didn't escape Pola's late night modification sessions, stripped bare and cleaned up before adding a rear hoop and re-powder coating in original Ducati blanco.
Clocks are ugly, heavy and remind you that you're probably doing something that you shouldn't, like having fun! So here you'll find the bare essential mini LCD speedo, complete with idiot lights, if you can be bothered to look.
The seat and tail unit is handmade from fibreglass; in profile the hump perfectly mimics the fuel tank allowing Pola to sit in the bike rather than on it. A mini-LED tail light is set into the tail keeping the rear slick and clean.
We're glad that Pola has turned his attention to grown up motorcycles and hopefully he'll leave the step-throughs alone and deliver us another build in the near future.
Photos by Da Guru Photography