Ducati Darmah servicing
1977 to 1982 · 864cc bevel-drive Desmo V-twin with electric start · Greenwich, London
Ray Petty Meccanica services, repairs and restores the Ducati Darmah, both the 900 SD and the half-faired SSD (1977 to 1982), at its independent Ducati workshop in Greenwich, London. The Darmah pairs a Desmo bevel twin with Bosch ignition and electric start, so RPM looks after the charging and starting side as closely as the valve gear.
About the Darmah
Ducati launched the 900 SD Darmah in 1977 as a softer, more civilised companion to the 900SS, aimed at a wider market. Leo Tartarini styled it along the lines of his 500 Sport Desmo, and it used a milder version of the 900SS's 864cc Desmo bevel twin, breathing through 32mm Dell'Orto carburettors. Unlike the Super Sport, it had electric start from the outset, with a bigger alternator and battery to support it, plus Bosch electronic ignition and Nippon Denso instruments and switchgear. Ducati also reworked the bottom end over the 860, notably the big-end, for reliability. The SSD followed in 1978 with a half fairing, clip-ons and rearsets, and about 1,500 were made. Around 5,600 Darmahs of all types were built by 1982.
Servicing your Darmah
A Darmah valve service covers the Desmodromic opening and closing clearances on both heads, with the camshafts driven by bevel shafts and gears rather than belts. The clutch is a wet multiplate unit, so oil choice and condition affect how it behaves. Electric start puts a demand on the charging system that the kickstart Super Sport never had, so the battery, alternator output and regulator all get checked. Cast wheels of the period have a record of cracking, Speedlines in particular, and RPM inspects them closely. Many Darmahs have spent years in garages, and RPM recommissions them carefully, working through the bike from one end to the other and calling the owner before doing anything beyond the original job.
Book your Darmah in
Tell us what it needs, or how long it's been off the road, and we'll take it from there.
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Saturday: 10am to 5pm
Sunday and Monday: closed