The Ducati 900 SS is one of the great bargains in the motorcycling world. And not because it?s a bad bike. On the contrary, it?s an entertaining ride in an old school kinda way. It?s cheap because the styling missed the mark when it was launched nearly 30 years ago, and it hasn?t aged well since.
That makes the 900 SS an excellent donor bike for a custom job. You can pick up a good example in the USA for as little as $2,000 these days, and if you still need convincing of the Ducati?s potential, just cast your eyes over this slinky new cafe from Ad Hoc.

It?s the first machine to roll out of David Gonzalez?s new workshop. He?s now based in Sabadell, a town just outside Barcelona that?s chiefly known in the moto world for being the birthplace of racer Dani Pedrosa. ?The past year has been one of transition,? David reveals. ?With the change of workshop, the projects slowed down. I wanted to tackle the most important builds with calm and a new perspective, and this Ducati is one of them.?

Just before he left the old Ad Hoc workshop, David stripped off the Pierre Terreblanche-designed bodywork. Then in the new shop, he started afresh and began to look for the best shapes and style.

?We wanted a retro motorcycle: elegant, small and compact,? he says. ?As opposed to the striking yellow paint and bulk of the original.? A clear inspiration emerged: the TT1 European endurance racer of the 1980s.
David cut out and reconfigured the rear part of the frame, right up to the anchor...