How do you wedge a Buell Cyclone engine into a Ducati Pantah frame" According to Tom Simpson of England’s Foundry Motorcycle Workshop, you don’t. Which is exactly why almost everything on this scintillating Buell-powered café racer is scratch built.
Let’s rewind: almost six years ago, Tom was busy building a Ducati 600 TT2 replica, using parts scalped from a Pantah. ?The customer showed up asking what we could do with the leftover parts from his donor bike,? says Tom. ?He had a thing about trying to shoehorn a non-Ducati engine into the Ducati frame, and we had numerous conversations about what may or may not fit.?

?Foolishly at some point I mentioned the word Buell, knowing full well it wouldn?t be even close to fitting. I?ve been a fan for years, having owned a few, but I did not expect a phone call saying that he?d bought an M2 Cyclone, and it would be delivered directly to me the following week.? ?A pretty neglected bike subsequently arrived?but luckily the engine was good. That was the start of a long and arduous, but ultimately very rewarding, journey.?

Once Tom had the Buell engine in his frame jig, his fears were confirmed: there was no hope of making the concept work, even with substantial modifications. The client requested a custom frame in response, and Tom agreed?on the proviso that there was no time pressure. ?I did milk that caveat somewhat,? he admits.
With nothing but the Cyclone’s 1,203 cc V-twin motor and forks, a set o...