Classic Ducati specialists

Bevels, Pantahs, F1s and the first four-valve superbikes, kept on the road in Greenwich

Ray Petty Meccanica services, repairs, recommissions and restores classic Ducatis at its workshop in Greenwich, London, from the bevel-drive singles and twins of the 1970s to the belt-driven Pantah, F1 and Paso and the 851 and 888. Ray grew up with these motorcycles and has worked on them for 35 years.

Classic Ducatis need a classic Ducati specialist

Most workshops are set up for modern bikes: plug in, read the codes, follow the screen. A bevel twin or a carburettor Pantah doesn't work like that. It needs someone who knows how it should feel, sound and run, which models have Desmo valves and which have springs, and where each one's weak spots are.

That's what we've done for 35 years: Desmo clearances set by hand, carburettors balanced, ignition timed, cam belts replaced by age, old wiring made reliable, and parts found for bikes that stopped being made decades ago. When it's time for more than a service, we restore them too, as we did with the 1974 750SS that won Best in Class at Salon Privé.

What riders say about RPM

“Managed to diagnose the issue in a matter of minutes and got me going again. [...] The speed in which they worked out what was going on showed their extremely high knowledge of classic Ducatis.”

Peter M.Google review

“Very pleased indeed with the work done yesterday to my MHR. Ray and crew are very knowledgeable and easy to deal with. I have no hesitation in recommending them to any belt or bevel owners.”

Allan D.Google review

Read all our Google reviews

Find your classic Ducati

Bevel singles, 1968 to 1974

Wide-case 250, 350 and 450 singles, with valve springs or Desmo.

Round-case bevel twins, 1971 to 1974

Ducati's first 750 V-twins.

Square-case bevel twins, 1974 to 1986

The 860 and 900 bevel twins and the 1,000cc Milles.

Parallel twins, 1975 to about 1983

Ducati's 350 and 500 parallel twins.

350 and 500 GTL and Sport Desmo1975 to about 1983

Belt-driven twins, 1979 to 1992

From the Pantah, the first belt-driven Ducati twin, to the Paso.

The first four-valve superbikes, 1987 to 1994

The Desmoquattro 851 and 888 that led to the 916.

Into the 1990s

Air-cooled SuperSports, the Superlight and the Supermono. Later 1990s models are on our modern Ducatis page and listed here too.

Book your classic Ducati in

Tell us the model, the year and what it needs, or how long it's been off the road, and we'll take it from there.

Book a service Talk to us about a restoration 020 8853 8002

Close-up of air-cooled Ducati cylinder fins

Carburettors and ignition

Dell'Orto, Amal, Weber, Bing and Mikuni carburettors balanced and jetted, ignition timed, and points and early electronic ignitions put right.

Belts by age

On the Pantah and every belt-driven Ducati after it, the cam belts age even when the bike doesn't move, and a snapped belt means serious engine damage. Read our guide to Ducati cam belts.

Ray Petty's hands holding a part in a bench vice

Parts for old bikes

Finding the right parts for a 40 or 50-year-old Ducati is half the job. We've been sourcing them for decades.

Back on the road

Bikes that have stood for years recommissioned properly. See our recommissioning guide.

Restoration

From a sympathetic refresh to a concours rebuild like our Salon Privé 750SS. See Ducati restoration.

Buying a classic?

Ask us to look at it first, free of charge. See pre-purchase inspections.

Classic Ducati questions

Do you work on bevel-drive Ducatis?

Yes. Bevel singles and twins from the 1970s and 80s are a speciality, and Ray has worked on them for 35 years. We service them, set them up, repair them and restore them.

Are all classic Ducatis Desmo?

No. The Mark 3 singles, the 750 GT and 750 Sport, the 860 GT and GTS and the GTL parallel twins close their valves with springs. The Desmo singles, the 750SS, the 900SS, the Darmah, the Mike Hailwood Replica, the S2 and every belt-driven twin from the Pantah on are Desmodromic, with opening and closing clearances to set.

How often should the belts be changed on a classic Ducati?

On the older belt-driven twins, the handbooks say every two years or 12,000 miles, whichever comes first, even if the bike has barely been ridden. If you don't know when yours were last done, assume they're due. See our cam belt guide.

Can you get parts for classic Ducatis?

Yes. Finding parts is part of the job, from service items to the rare pieces we sourced for our Salon Privé-winning 750SS.

My classic Ducati hasn't run for years. Can you get it going?

Yes. We recommission laid-up bikes: fuel system, carburettors, fluids, brakes, tyres and belts. Tell us how long it's been standing.

Does my classic Ducati need an MOT?

Bikes built more than 40 years ago can be exempt from the MOT if they haven't been substantially changed, and can qualify for the historic vehicle tax class. Check the current rules on GOV.UK. Whether or not it needs an MOT, it still has to be roadworthy, and we can check it over for you.