Ducati’s original cafe racer, the 750 Sport

Ducati 750 Sport

With Ian Falloon

Back in the 1960s and early 1970s, cafe racers were for people who wanted to make a quick dash to the next coffee shop. They started out as a British phenomenon; cafe racers mimicked real road racing bikes and, with the exception of some smaller capacity bikes like the Ducati 250 Mach 1, were usually home-built specials.

The most popular cafe racers of the 1960s were Tritons, pre-engined Triumphs in Norton Featherbed frames. By the 1970s, the Japanese had won the race but had yet to adopt production cafe racers, so if you wanted clip-on handlebars and rearsets, your options were limited.

Only Norton, Ducati, and a few other Italian manufacturers offer large-displacement cafe racers. Norton is a limited-edition racer, and other Italian cafe racers like the MV Agusta 750 S and Laverda 750 SFC are virtually impossible to buy.

In 1972 and 1973, the Ducati 750 Sport was the only large-displacement cafe racer available and the embodiment of functional minimalism. This was more than a year before the Desmodromic 750 Super Sport appeared, and for a street racer, the Sport was the best.

Long, low and narrow, the 750 Sport is the antithesis of a modern sports bike. The rider is molded into it rather than perched on top, with the front wheel seemingly extending far forward. Although it’s evolved from the very similar 750 GT, the Sport is noticeably narrower and its sense of purpose means it’s free of unnecessary embellishments.

Since it was designed for purely sporting purposes, there were no turn signals and air filters, the instrument cluster and switches were minimal, and the entire body was made of fiberglass. Although the characteristic yellow fiberglass was of dubious quality, it contributed to a significant weight reduction.

The 750 GT was already considered one of the best-handling motorcycles around, but the Sport is better. The low-slung handlebars put more weight over the front wheel, at 185kg it’s lighter, and with a passenger up front it upsets the power-to-weight ratio, with only a single seat available.

Compared to other large-displacement bikes, the 750 Ducatis with their signature Marzocchi front forks have a longer 1,530mm wheelbase, a lazy 29-degree steering angle and a low centre of gravity. This gives them exceptional high-speed stability, but at the expense of maneuverability. And despite only a few engine updates; the Sport is a much quicker bike than its 750 GT sibling.

It’s hard to imagine how much an engine’s characteristics could be transformed by simply changing the carburettor size and compression ratio. With the tiny 30mm Amal carburettor and restrictive air filter choking the engine, the 750 GT was a sedate performer.

With its low-compression pistons, the GT is no match for the Norton Commando, let alone the Kawasaki Z1. But with lighter 9.5:1 pistons and new 32mm Dell’Orto “pumper” carburettors with air intake manifolds, the 750 Sport suddenly becomes a Superbike. And the 90-degree twin cylinder layout ensures the 750 Sport stays vibration-free all the way to the 7500rpm redline.

A pair of barking Conti mufflers do little to dampen the noise and certainly signal the Sport’s presence. The only real weaknesses are the single Scarab disc brakes, stiff Marzocchi shocks and a tendency for the pedals to fly off while running. The Scarab discs are effective enough but lack the full power of dual discs, while the Marzocchi is often over-damped and under-damped.

When the Desmodromic Super Sport arrived in 1974, the 750 Sport took a backseat. While the roaring Contis and unfiltered carburetor remained, a steel fuel tank replaced fiberglass, a twin-seat became an option, polished alloy replaced the black engine covers, and Ceriani or Marzocchi center-drive forks were introduced to slightly reduce the long wheelbase.

The Ceriani brought a new Brembo front disc brake. The new handlebars and ignition switch were a testament to Ducati’s abject failure to get the ergonomics right, but the most unusual feature was the two-tone horn (Town and Country) that was, after all, barely audible over the Conti exhaust. Thankfully, the Sport’s soul and essence remained, and the 750 Sport, in whatever guise, is the quintessential 1970s cafe racer.

Ducati 750 Sport Specifications