The Ducati Project 671 is an essential piece of Ducati engineering history. It served as a development bridge between the brand's classic designs and all modern Ducati engines.

This is a unique 2022 prototype, built by Rémy Monpezat especially for the Paul Smart legend to ride in the 2022 Moto Legende Cups. The bike is powered by an innovative 406cc single-cylinder engine. Developed between April and December 1976 by Gianluigi Mengoli, Piero Cavazzi and Franco Farné, it was in fact the preliminary study for the future Pantah engine and the basis for all Ducati belt-driven engines.

Put up for sale by its original manufacturer, we're told that this spectacular collector Ducati only completed 10 hours of operation, mainly on track at historic events. There won't be another one: grab it before it joins someone else's high-end collection.

The seller declares :

"Unique prototype created by Rémy Monpezat. The bike was built and developed for Paul Smart, who was to ride it in the 2022 Moto Légende Cups. The single-cylinder engine on this machine is the Ducati Project 671, developed by Gianluigi Mengoli, Piero Cavazzi and Franco Farné between April and December 1976. This innovative engine was, quite simply, a study of the future Pantah engine and the father of all belt-driven Ducati engines.

"This bike, built for Paul Smart, was powered by DUCATI's Project No. 671. Designed by Taglioni and his team in 1973, this innovative engine features a desmodromic cylinder head. Timing is driven by the crankshaft via a toothed belt running in oil. The gearbox has six ratios. The swingarm axle passes through the engine cases. This avant-garde laboratory anticipates possible future developments: installation of a timing chain with external tensioners, possibility of a kick starter. This 406cc engine, which produces more than 52bhp, is the Pantah's single-cylinder study and the father of all future DUCATI MODERNES.

"The contributions of Project No. 671 to the Pantah engine: first of all, the design, which has changed from rounded shapes to more angular lines. The lubrication system feeds the camshaft via a rotating wick, the bearings are splash lubricated, but the cam lobes are lubricated from the inside. This ensures optimum lubrication of the cams and rockers. The lesson learned from the timing belt breaking in oil led to the addition of an intermediate shaft driven by the crankshaft. The belts now run in the open air, making maintenance much easier.

"The 6-speed gearbox proved to be too complex, and gear shifting was still imprecise. We've gone back to a 5-speed gearbox, with perfect engagement and larger sprockets. This gearbox is indestructible, even in competition use. The idea of passing the swingarm axle through the engine cases has been retained, making the bike more compact and rigid, while limiting transmission jerks and chain wear. Project 671 served as a real laboratory: viable solutions were retained, and failures did not lead to the abandonment of innovations, but to their adaptation.

"Anecdote: in the early 1970s, after the two-cylinder 350GTL project was put on hold, Taglioni teamed up with Franco Farné and Gianluigi Mengoli to tackle an ambitious project: to create an innovative single-cylinder engine. Starting with an 860GT connecting rod and its bore, also used on the old 450 single-cylinder engines, they fitted a desmodromic cylinder head with a rotating wick camshaft oil feed, as on the future Pantah, and planned to install the centrifugal advance and ignition plate of the old single-cylinder engines. Electronic ignition will be added at a later date. The cylinder receives a high-compression Mahle piston. A wedge under the timing cover allows fine adjustment of the compression ratio.

"The most daring solution was adopted for the timing drive: they asked Pirelli to manufacture a toothed belt, driven directly by the crankshaft and therefore running in oil! The option was left open of installing a timing chain with an externally adjustable tensioner via a protrusion in the casting of the timing cover.

The vendor tells us "the fairings and paintwork are in perfect condition"

BEFORE BUYING 

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