Few motorcycles in the world exude as much soul and character as a good old Ducati sportbike. Yes I know, you could get a Japanese sportbike for even less money, and it'll keep on ticking without giving you a headache. But, Italian sport bikes just have a different flavor to them, and there's no denying that bikes as legendary as the 998 are drop-dead-gorgeous out of the box. 

Designed by the fabled Massimo Tamburini, the Ducati 998, as well as its more sought-after predecessor, the 916, are extremely valuable sportbikes. That said, I'm sure that most if not all die-hard, purist Ducatisti have closed this article by now, as what we have here is a radically redesigned custom build. This Ducati 998 that has been given a life of its own. Executed by renowned custom motorcycle builder, UpCycle Motor Garage, this particular 998 has undergone quite a transformation. In fact, it would be hard to tell that this neo-retro sportbike started life as a Ducati 998. 

Stunning UpCycle Ducati 998 Is A Neo-Retro Sportbike

The first thing that's sure to catch your eye would be the bike's wide and voluptuous fairing. Bearing a very streamlined appearance, the fairing gives the bike a very purpose-built aesthetic—as if it were really designed to shred the racetrack. Lastly, its off-center cyclops headlight gives the bike a rather unique appearance. Moving on to the rear of the bike, the folks at UpCycle have done a sublime job at tidying the rear end. An exposed subframe which has been meticulously handcrafted tightly embraces a single-saddle upholstered in brown leather. 

Stunning UpCycle Ducati 998 Is A Neo-Retro Sportbike
Stunning UpCycle Ducati 998 Is A Neo-Retro Sportbike

Moving on to the bike's mechanicals, the Ducati Testastretta L-twin engine has been retained. However, a magnificent full stainless-steel exhaust system which routes into a Competition Werkes muffler has been fabricated to enhance the bike's aggressive growl. To top it all off, a brand new Antigravity lithium-ion battery has been fitted to keep things even tidier out back, and to significantly reduce weight.

Top comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
Comment!
Got a tip for us? Email: tips@rideapart.com