Ducati Darmah ‘Bobcati’

Ducati Darmah ‘Bobcati’

We’ve had some pretty rich fare on Bike EXIF of late. So here’s something a little lighter—the sort of bike that’s within the reach of most pockets and a reasonably proficient backyard mechanic. ‘Bobcati’ is a 1981 Ducati Darmah owned by the motorcycle writer Tod Rafferty. “You don’t see many Ducati bobbers,” he told us, “which seemed a good reason to do one.” The Darmah 900SD was an aircooled twin with the famous desmodromic valve system; it was a slightly detuned ‘touring’ version of Ducati’s range-topping 900SS. Thirty years on, the looks of the standard Darmah haven’t aged as well as many other motorcycles designed in the 70s, but Tod’s cosmetic changes have made a big difference. The front fender is from a Ducati Indiana, the rear fender is from a Suzuki motocross bike, the headlight hangers are from a Ducati 750 GT, and the turn signals are from J.C. Whitney. The pigskin-covered seat is “from a guy in Maryland who has them made in China.” The Darmah always had great handling, but Tod has upped the ante even further with new shocks and fork springs from Progressive. “Of all the Ducatis I’ve owned (8) or ridden (many) over the years as a motojournalist, ole Bob remains my favorite,” says Tod. “I do get a few sneers and head-shakes from the posers and purists … always good for a chuckle.”