Chris Bushell 1958 Ducati 125 Sport & 1957 Ducati 175 Turismo
Chris Bushell likes Ducatis. A lot. In fact, since he bought his first Ducati in 1992, he’s only ever owned machines from the Bologna firm. “I was already into Italian bikes, though,” he reveals. I bought my first one, a Morini 3½, back in 1980. It was the thin end of the wedge.”
Chris kindly brought up his 1958 Ducati 125 Sport for Gez to ride. It’s essentially a scaled-down version of the 175 Sport. Introduced for 1957, production of the bevel-drive overhead-cam machine continued until 1965, with the bike being marketed as the Monza in the UK and the 125 Super Sport in the USA. It looks stunning – but that wasn’t always the case.
“A mate in Australia tipped me off that the bike was for sale back in 2000,” says Chris. “It was advertised in the Ducati Owners Club magazine and I drove straight up to Guildford and paid £425 for it. The frame was painted with black Hammerite and the bodywork was bright red. It looked a bit of a mess, but I gave it a full rebuild over the winter and rode it on my first Giro in 2001.”
Chris rebuilt the engine himself, replacing all the bearings. “Well, nearly all, he smiles. “It still has its original conrod and big-end bearing. I got the frame blasted and painted, rebuilt the wheels and resprayed it. Then a guy at work talked me into entering the Giro. I thnk I was the first English rider to enter the vintage class. The bike coped OK, but it was a bit small, really. That’s why I started to look for a 175.”
The 175 he found, is the bike he’s riding today. It’s a 1957 Ducati 175T (Turismo) he spotted at Netley Marsh Autojumble in September 2001. Launched alongside the 175 Sport in 1957, the Turismo was offered in a lower state of tune, becoming the Turismo Speciale for 1958 before being dropped in 1960.
“I paid £450 for it,” Chris recalls (there’s a pattern emerging here). “But it was very rough. Amazingly, it actually ran – but, like the 125, I completely rebuilt it with new bearings and seals throughout, new primary gears, valve guides and NOS piston and rings. As with any Ducati, though, I spent most time shimming up the engine.”
With fresh paint and rebuilt wheels, the 175T has now racked up nine Giros. “It’s been so reliable,” says Chris. “I run standard points ignition for easy roadside repairs and carry a spare condensor. The extra torque of the 175 engine and the scrambles-type ‘bars make riding the Giro easier.”