The Ducati MHR Mille followed a few years later, with an improved 973 cc motor making 76 horsepower, an electric starter, a hydraulically actuated clutch, and a whole whack of other improvements. While over 7,000 MHRs were produced between 1979 and 1985, only 1,100 were MHR Mille units. That, and the fact that it was the last bevel-driven twin produced by Ducati, makes the MHR Mille remarkably rare.
So who on Earth would be bold enough to customize one, and why" The answer is Benjie Flipprboi and his team at Benjie’s Café Racers. And the reason is because his client asked him to.

The 1985 Ducati MHR Mille was an icon of the blocky late-70s and early-80s race bike aesthetic, but Benjie envisioned a more contemporary and streamlined look for the aging sportbike. BCR tore the bike down to its frame, building it up with new bodywork that shows hints of Pierre Terblanche’s brilliant 2001 Ducati MH900e design. Like the MH900e, shades of the MHR Mille are still present in BCR’s re-imagining. ?The original tank’s shape is unmistakable,? says Benjie, ?one of the most iconic in motorcycle history. We retained its overall shape?but adjusted the dimensions for better proportions.?

The tail sits atop a custom-made stainless steel subframe, set at a sharp angle to create an aggressive silhouette. Gone are the MHR Mille’s twin rear shocks; BCR widened and braced the OEM swingarm and installed a mono-shock instead.
BCR also installed a set of Showa...