Dezeen Magazine

UMC-SF and Marin customise Ducati Scrambler to create a "provocative" motorcycle

Untitled Motorcycles San Francisco has stripped back a Ducati Scrambler motorcycle to highlight its trellis-like frame and reveal bare metal parts (+ slideshow).

Ducati Scrambler motorcycle by Untitled Motorcycles San Francisco

The UMC-038 Marin Ducati Scrambler Icon was customised by Untitled Motorcycles San Francisco (UMC-SF) owner Hugo Eccles, with help from nearby Marin Speed Shop, as part of a competition.

"We set out to do something intentionally provocative," said Eccles.

Ducati Scrambler motorcycle by Untitled Motorcycles San Francisco

He decided to alter the 2015 version of Italian manufacturer Ducati's model, introduced at the Intermot motorcycle show the previous year.

The original single-cylinder Scrambler was produced for the American market between 1962 until 1974, in versions between 250 and 450 cylinder capacity (cc).

Ducati Scrambler motorcycle by Untitled Motorcycles San Francisco

"The new Ducati Scrambler is a great platform and does an admirable job of capturing the essence of the original Scrambler, but with certain inevitable cost and production compromises," said Eccles.

He removed a variety of unnecessary details and plastic panels to reduce the weight of the bike by 85 pounds (38.5 kilograms) to 325 pounds (147 kilograms).

Ducati Scrambler motorcycle by Untitled Motorcycles San Francisco
Ducati’s 2015 Scrambler (left) compared to UMC-SF’s customised version, the UMC-038 Marin Ducati Scrambler Icon

"We ended up with two large tubs of just plastic parts," Eccles said.

The stripped-back model consists of three core elements: engine, frame and body. The engine and other mechanical parts were stripped to bare metal and vapour-blasted.

Ducati Scrambler motorcycle by Untitled Motorcycles San Francisco

The frame and rear suspension component were painted the same "rosso corsa" neon orange colour that Ducati uses for its race bikes.

"I love Ducati's signature trellis frame on the Scrambler and wanted to celebrate it," said Eccles.

Ducati Scrambler motorcycle by Untitled Motorcycles San Francisco

UMC also designed a custom petrol tank to echoes the lines and angles of the frame, which resulted in a tapered shape.

This form was extended to encompass the leather-covered seat and headlight, so all three sit as part of one outline. Its wheels were replaced with 17-inch (43 centimetres) Ducati Monster variations.

Ducati Scrambler motorcycle by Untitled Motorcycles San Francisco

The LED headlight is housed in brushed and polished aluminium, which is also used to form the belly pan, mesh front panel and exhaust header.

"Although this bike is road legal, the next road-going versions will be designed and detailed differently," said Eccles.

Ducati Scrambler motorcycle by Untitled Motorcycles San Francisco

Yves Béhar and Philippe Starck are among other designers that have created new motorcycles, while a group of Japanese architects previously collaborated on a block of eight apartments for bikers in Tokyo.