Dutch Influence on ItalianIron Classics, LLC-Our Bii-Rad Cafe Racer

Similiary with meeting the Tunstall family here in the US, the other significant influence on my Ducati race passion and business successes is due to my working with the Biggelaar Family in The Netherlands. As mentioned before in other blogs, this family run business has been working with Ducati as racers and technicians for the last 3 generations. Originally, I bought my first Ducati 996 rs engine from Toine who had just rebuilt the engine from the crank-up. Toine also found the other Ducati 996 rs engine for the 2001 Reve RedBull British Superbike. He is also quite an accomplished racer and has sponsored some very talented racers under the Biggelaar banner as well. Toine is featured here "at speed"!!

From our initial introduction in 2007, we have been working together ever since. It was that introduction to Toine, that I was able to work out a purchase of Toine's father Jan's Ducati Square Case and early Pantah inventory. Numerous projects are still being discovered in this wonderful warehouse of Ducati treasures. Two such projects to come out of this inventory is my pride and joy, a 1984 Ducati 900 ss Mike Hailwood Replica and just recently the 1981 Ducati 900 SuperSport Darmah. Two brilliant machines and my favorites to ride up our mountain roads in Tucson, Arizona USA. 

In addition to working together on the 01 Reve RedBull Ducati 996 rs, our most recent venture is what we call the Bii-Rad. It is a collaboration between Biggelaar Specialty Performance and ItalianIron and using some of the bodywork from Pepo's "Radical" bikes. Toine has a special recipe for getting Superbike horse power out of the ST3, three valve engines which I understand is the lightest modern engine that the factory has built. 

ItalianIron is doing all of the chassis work and taking one of the Ducati factories lightest frames, the 848 Superbike frame and with some modification mating up a trellis Monster swingarm. Our goal is to have as close as possible to 140 BHP type of  power delivery on an ultra-light (300 pound-ish) package. Will be posting dyno runs and weights once fully assembled. This is what you call "maximizing power to weight ratios!!". After some modifications to the rear shock linkages the bike is able to take the trellis Monster swingarm and bodywork is fitted. You can check out other photos that I posted in the album Bii-Rad on my Scot P. Wilson Facebook page. Will be working hard to get this project all ready for the upcoming Arizona Vintage Motorcycle event at the end of the month of April 2017. 

In the above photo one can certainly see some significant changes from the 848 rolling chassis to our Bii-Rad concept.

I have always loved the Cafe Racer approach to bike building. The idea is to take the original factory design but to get rid of excess weight, improve horse power, improve performance and to create an elegant minimalist look. Many shops out there do a great job and we are hoping for exceptional successes as well. Stay tuned.