The Ducati’s just keep rolling into Pipeburn HQ, and who can blame owners and builders alike, they’re a premium product from a factory that is turning out some incredible bikes. Ever since superstar CEO Claudio Domenicali took the reigns of the Bologna factory, it’s all been gravy, in both the showroom and out on the track. So who wouldn’t want to be a Ducatisti and be part of motorcycle’s most passionate group. Well, one wise man not only made a brilliant choice in purchasing a Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled, he then made the even better choice to send it straight to Parr Motorcycles. Here Spencer builds some of the best street scramblers on the planet and once again he’s delivered in spades.
We’ve been lucky enough to feature all of Spencer Parr’s builds, and it seems we haven’t been the only ones paying close attention to the bikes rolling out of the Indiana-based home workshop. “Flashback to over a year ago, when I spoke with a customer about a scrambler build. We first spoke about a DR650 scrambler build, just like the one I built at that time. Due to concerns about overall power and accommodating a passenger, he decided to go with a Ducati Scrambler. A couple of months later, my customer purchased a 2017 Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled sight unseen, and had it shipped to my house.”
Spencer’s builds always feel like they could have easily come off a production line such is the quality, fit, and finish. And this bike required much the same, with a serious effort to transform the rear end into something not only suitable for two-up riding, but that fixes the really horrible ‘dip’ that all Ducati Scramblers suffer from. “The old subframe was removed and an angled frame loop that sits level was added to the top portion to give it that classic Scrambler look. Two supporting arms on each side were added to help with the flow of the bike and add extra strength for a passenger.”
This meant the seating position would ultimately be lower than standard and to keep the rider comfortable, the appropriate changes have been made to the pegs. Next up were the fenders and these are never an afterthought for Parr, with a cut-down Harley unit for the front with “a bead on the edge rolled to add some style points. For the rear, I wanted the rear fender to follow the lines of the subframe and wrap around the rear of the bike. Also, when you look at the bike from the side, it needed to be in line with the bottom of the electronics box.”
The rear also features that beautiful rolled bead line, and each end is a lesson in making form and function work perfectly together. The aforementioned electronics box is custom built and sits under the new subframe and also plays host to the rear plate mount and signals. On the top side of the subframe an all-new seat was required to fit, and Spencer shaped a new pan to suit. This was then handed over to Dane Utech from @plzbeseated who took the brief and knocked it out of the park, with a stunning saddle that looks amazing, is tailored for two, and with brown grips to match really adds some class to the steed.
Speaking of class, the paint selection is an area where the Parr bikes always stand out, Spencer making the perfect choice to fit the theme. And the Ducati is no different, with a satin black laid down on the frame to set the foundation. The bodywork is then finished in a stunning BMW marine blue, with accents of gold, silver, and satin black to match the frame. The classic Ducati logo on the side of the tank was applied by hand and it adds an element of the original vintage Scrambler that first made the Duc’s popular for fun on a loose surface.
A bike like this just wouldn’t be right without the appropriate soundtrack, and as good as the torquey L-twin noise is from the factory, it’s simply way too quiet to be fun. So, the stock headers have been retained, and then “for the design, it needed to run through the empty section in the swingarm and wrap around to the rear of the bike keeping in mind a passenger will be on the bike from time to time. With that in mind, I routed an exhaust accompanied by a Leo Vince muffler,” Spencer explains. The rest of the engine is protected by the bash plate at the bottom, and the factory shrouds are beefed up with custom grills.
That right side shroud now hosts the relocated ignition switch, which helps to clean up the controls, with the stock switchgear left in place and a tiny mirror to keep things ultra clean. “For the lighting, a 9” off-road light LED headlamp was added. For signals, the front is running LED signals located right under the handlebar on each end. The rear lights are the new Motogadget 3 in 1 light which was integrated into the electronics box.” The finished product, like Parr’s other builds, is what the factory should have built in the first place, that subframe alone is worth the price of entry. With time counting down to ship the bike to its owner, a break in the snow allowed for some quick photos of the beautiful beast, on which you can now feast your eyes.
[ Parr Motorcycles – Instagram ]