The Ducati Owners Club of Canada Annual Mosport Rally
2004's first outdoor Museum Roadshow Event was via the SUPERSHOW Racing Team display at the annual 3-day Ducati Owners Club of Canada Mosport Rally May 29/30/31 at Mosport International Raceway near Bowmanville Ontario. (Saturday and Sunday track-riding are strictly for 'European based' machines while Monday is an 'open' day for all brands) This long running Rally is the highlight of the DOCC's yearly riding schedule, attracting club members and enthusiasts from all across North America. This year the weekend weather was perfect, resulting in a great turnout of riders and their exotic machines.
The Canadian Motorcycle Heritage Museum with the help of SUPERSHOW producer Bar Hodgson and bikes from his SUPERSHOW Collection has been an enthusiastic supporter of this event for many years. This year was no exception. The Museum Roadshow display consisted of a total of 11 machines; 7 Italian, and 4 Japanese.
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In Italian bikes present were:
- 1983 Ducati Pantah 600. Built and raced by Roger Sears for the AMA Battle of the Twins Series. Sears won the AMA Championship twice with many race wins along the way. Canadian Gary Wolf performed the major frame modifications with Ducati specialist Tim Spiegelburg, also a Canadian, performing the engine work and tuning.
- 1985 Ducati 'Mille' 1000. AMA Battle of The Twins race bike built by Ducati guru Reno Leoni for Series Champion the late, great Jimmy Adamo. Later campaigned by local Canadian legend Frank Mrazek, winning the 1988 Canadian BOTT Championship.
- 1987 Aprillia 250 AFI 'Factory' Works Grand Prix bike. One of Canada's top road racers Steve Crevier, won the 1988 and '89 Canadian Pro-250 Championship on this stunning, exotic machine, sponsored by radio station Q107.
- 1991 Ducati 888/926 Factory Corsa World Superbike. Built for World Superbike Team rider Giancarlo Falappa. Falappa set the Mosport motorcycle lap record in 1991 with a time of 1minute, 26 seconds. This fantastic bike that is still stunningly fast was also raced to many wins in the AMA Series by current Canadian Superbike Champion Pascal Picotte, and finally by former Canadian Pro rider Jeff Sneyd. Sneyd won the 1995 Superbike round at Mosport on this bike, beating out the top Pros of the day on a bike that was by then 5 years old.
- 1992 Ducati 851 Race bike. This Vintage Superbike newly built by SUPERSHOW Racing is to be campaigned in the National VRRA Race Series in the new 'Period Four, Formula One' class by SUPERSHOW staff member Ken Livingstone.
- 1993 Ducati 888 SPO. A rare Sport Production model in 'track day' trim.
- 1996 Ducati 955 SPA. One of only 50 produced by the factory race shop to meet AMA homologation rules. Loaded with extras and lightened significantly by owner and regular rider, SUPERSHOW producer Bar Hodgson.
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Also on display, four Japanese bikes:
- 1981 Kawasaki KZ1000. This is one of two bikes that were campaigned by Canadian Champion and successful businessman Lang Hindle to win the National Superbike Championship in 1982.Restored by SUPERSHOW Racing, this bike is now actively Vintage raced at the VRRA Mosport festival in August each year, with SUPERSHOW staff member Peter Derry holding the outright Mosport Vintage lap record on this bike at 1 minute, 35.62 seconds.
- 1989 Suzuki GSXR750R. This full World Superbike spec. machine was originally built and tuned by noted race bike specialists Alex Mayes and Mike Crompton. It was raced briefly by former Canadian pro Jon Cornwell in the Canadian series in 1989 including the World Superbike round at Mosport. Recently restored by SUPERSHOW Racing, it was being tested and sorted out prior to being raced once again at this years VRRA Mosport festival. SUPERSHOW staff member Ken Livingstone, and noted Motorcycle Journalist Steve Bond will both be competing on the bike at that event.
- 1995 Honda RS250 Grand Prix bike. This bike was last raced by Canadian 250 GP Champion Stuart Nodell, and tuned by Canadian GP guru Ben Gartner.
- 1997 Honda Dream 50. An immaculate example of the tiny, Jewel-like bikes built in very limited numbers by Honda as a tribute to their early racing bikes such as the CR110.
The weekend went very well, with lots of interest and appreciation shown in the collection of machines. Friends and associates of SUPERSHOW and the Museum who were attending the event were also invited to join in the display/pit area as well. At one point we had over 16 machines involved! Saturday, Steve Bond rode the 'Falappa' World Superbike Ducati, and wrote a feature article on his experience in his regular column in the June 12 Saturday 'Wheels' section of the Toronto Star.
If you missed this great event, you should mark your calendar now for next year. Check the DOCC website (www.docc.com) for dates, and be sure to come visit them at the 2005 SUPERSHOW and Spring Motorcycle Show where they always set up a wonderful display of stunning Italian motorcycles.
For a list of motorcycle events in 2004 be sure to check out the '2004 Calendar of Events' section and for a complete list of planned Museum Roadshow attended event dates, click here
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