Just like any historic brand, Ducati has had its fair share of divisive motorcycle designs. The Ducati 749 and 999 come to mind. Written by the legendary Pierre Terblanche, they are a bold step away from the design language established by the iconic 916.
The 749 and 999’s sharp cranks and stacked headlight design have mixed opinions. But in the end it didn’t matter; both ultimately proved to be highly capable sports cars. Even the smaller 749 makes a respectable 108hp in the base version, with the upgraded S and R models making 116hp and 121hp each.
This custom 2005 Ducati 749S is a far cry from Terblanche’s original design, but it hasn’t sacrificed any performance. In fact, it actually went better than before.
Grumpy ducatisti no need to cry; The donor’s bike broke down when the owner, Kaspar Ilves, got his hands on it. Kaspar is based in Estonia, where he builds custom bikes as a hobby under the moniker Kalapea Garage. This cafe racer was a personal project, built iteratively over the course of six years.
Kaspar has been tinkering with bicycles since he was a teenager and often buys, repairs, and flips whatever he has on hand. Over the past decade, he’s taken the construction jobs (and commissions) more seriously, honing his skills in the process. So everything you see on this bike, from the engine to the paintwork, is done by Kaspar.
He told us: “I built it for myself, so there are no restrictions. “Langability is irrelevant, so it’s just for fun. I got sponsors and always wanted a Ducati SportClassic, saw some great stuff The King of Sprint pulls bikes at the Bike Shed show that I like, and also has the right parts on the rack — so that’s how it came about.”
Kaspar towed the damaged 749S into his garage and proceeded to clean up whatever he wasn’t planning to use. The only recognizable parts of the 749 are the trellis frame, sculpted fuel tank and L-twin engine.
The engine is barely stocked though. It now features a sport-ported head, lighter bar, lighter flywheel, 12-point injectors, Ducabike slipper clutch, and a programmable ECU with launch control. The exhaust system features custom gear-cut tips, ending with an aftermarket silencer.
Up front, Kaspar has reused the 749’s front wheels and twin Brembo brakes. However, the Ohlins upside-down fork is from an Aprilia RSV, held in place by a CNC machined yoke.
The discerning eye will notice that the Ducati’s wheelbase is a bit longer than usual. Kaspar adapted the side swingarm (and rear wheel) from an MV Agusta Brutale to suit, adding 10cm of swingarm length. It’s hooked up to the 749’s OEM Showa shock absorbers.
The rear tire is an odd choice; Inspired by sprinters, Kaspar chose the Shinko drag tyre. Then he added white text to draw more attention to it. “Honestly, it’s more about the ‘WTF’ effect than the actual need,” he admits.
In his defense, that’s probably the only pointless choice on this bike. Fitted with carbon fiber fenders at both ends, this is a surprisingly practical build for something that isn’t road legal.
But it’s the custom bodywork that really shines on this handsome café-slash-dragster. The crank is straight from the Ducati PaulSmart 1000 LE, but it has been modified to fit the 749. It also has a removable headlight cap, with an LED light hidden behind.
A twin radiator setup is also hidden behind the bib. Kaspar built a custom bracket that not only holds the apron, dashboard and radiator, but also acts as an expansion tank.
The floating tail is another sleek detail. Kaspar first created a hand-shaped prototype, then 3D scanned it and digitally edited it. That allowed him to CNC cut the hidden subframe and create a mold to shape the fiberglass tail.
The design perfectly complements the 749’s stock tank. Plus, it fits so snugly that it could be easily mistaken for a monolithic body from a distance.
The bike is packed full of compact components—like a custom battery tray and foot controls. Kaspar also poured all of his energy into the control system, selecting carbon fiber clip-ons, Ducabike-style switches, and a GPS Speedhut-based tachometer.
The paint color is a passionate combination of off-white base coat and red frame, with a few subtle variations thrown into the mix. Adding a bit of gold to the wheel is also an inspiring choice.
Unsurprisingly, Kaspar’s Ducati has already begun to win accolades. He debuted it at Estonia’s local AMD World Championships affiliate event, where it took home the gold medal. (It also secured an invite to the main event, which has unfortunately been postponed.)
But despite its popularity, Kaspar says he’s uncertain about 749’s fate.
“It’s clearly not a daily commute, but it can ride. It’s not a real drag bike, but it has potential. It’s not furniture, but it looks good.”
“So it’s a work in progress to figure out what I’m going to do with it.”
