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Ducati V8 Project

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Ducati V8
Ducati V8

Do you remember Dieter Hartmann-Wirthwein? He built that amazing little 125cc inline 4 Monkey bike. I guess Dieter isn’t the kind of guy who sits around all satisfied with himself, he figured he could do something even better so he’s busy working on another project, an 868cc Ducati V8, he calls it Ducati-Elenore.

This is still very much a work in progress, you can see from the photos the heads and valvetrain need quite a bit of work but the pistons seem to be situated in their respective cylinders so he’s at least part way there. He’s obviously a man of few words because there’s very little information on his website. If my translation is correct, it will be a 2 valve desmo (No desmo, same as 125, Thanks, Hugo) with valves of 27mm and 23mm, the cylinders have a 56mm bore and 43mm stroke.

I’m going to keep my eye on this one, I’m looking forward to the video.

Thanks for the tip, Andrew!

Link: Wirthwein-Motoren

More photos below:

Ducati V8
Ducati V8
Ducati V8
Ducati V8

Posted on Filed Under: Engines, Motorcycle Builders

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Comments

  2. That is hysterical — and also absolutely brilliant, of course. Seeing it makes me sorry I ever sold my old 900SS. I hope at some point he posts a picture of the crankshaft.

  4. i love the idea of cramming more cylinders into a motorcycle. it always bugs me though that when people do it they end up with a HUGE engine. a v8 motorcycle doesn’t have to be a Boss Hoss. i like the way this looks so far, and i can’t wait to here it run.

  5. I’m guessing that’s a pretty short stroke . . . . I wonder what kind of redline this will have.

  6. it looks like each bank of four cylinders is on the same stroke, if that’s the top of the pistons that I see. In that case, he could be using a stock crank but with reverse-forked rods (one big end, 4 little ends!) of some sort.

    -todd

  7. I took a look at this guy’s site and although I can’t understand what he’s saying, I can see that he’s definitely a talented gearhead. Keep up the good work, Hartmann-Wirthwein.

  8. OK so I guess owning an angle grinder and digital caliper doesn’t really make me a gearhead after all. I bow down in awe.

  13. Hey Stu!

    I don’t imagine that a guy who can even conceive of a V8 Duc would be happy with just any old bike stand. That one is an elegant beauty though.

    It shouldn’t be a difficult structure for a gearhead to build. Some square tubing from the crops bin at your local metal shop, the aforementioned angle grinder & digital calipers, a 3/8 drill, maybe some plywood & 2 X 4’s for jigs & some good casters. Cut, grind, drill & jig it all up & if you don’t have a welder, the guys down at the metal shop can weld it up for you. You may even be able to barter something to pay them (beer & pizza? Home made cake?….?)

    Make sure that you paint it, even if from a rattle can. It’s not a cool tool until it’s painted. Think of it as a gearhead merit badge project!

    rafe03

  14. IF the V-8 had the firing order that’s typical of, for instance, a GM V-8: The right cylinder bank firing in the respectable order of 1st, 8th, 4th, 3rd, & left bank firing in the order of 6th, 5th, 7th, 2nd, imagine the sound of a hot V-8 turning in excess of 10,000 rpm… Yet add “180 degree” headers; then you’ll get the sound of the notorious Cosworth V-8… – SIMPER-FI !!!