In the early naughts, Pierre Terblanche ruffled the feathers of Ducatisti worldwide with the radically redesigned Ducati 999 and 749. While both bikes’ engines evolved from their predecessors, aesthetically they were a bold departure from the Italian marque’s well-established playbook.
Aside from the looks, the 999 and 749 were engineered for performance and usability, boasting a stiffer chassis and refined Testastretta motors. The 749S model offered a smidge more power than the base model 749, plus an adjustable rake to fine-tune its handling.
With 110 hp on tap, fully adjustable Showa suspension, and Brembo brakes, the Ducati 749S is still a decent sportbike by today’s standards. And if you peel away the architectural fairing and stacked headlights, it has good bones for a sporty café racer project.
That was the thinking behind this razor-sharp Ducati 749S café racer. It was built by the crew at Himora Motors in Germany, an in-house project designed to flex their skill set and explore new concepts. “We wanted to build a modern café racer with a bit more power than your typical classic café racer has,” says Himora co-founder and lead designer, Kay Riemann.
Himora started by stripping off the Ducati’s fairings, putting its elegant trellis frame on display. The OEM tank was retained, but the stock subframe was bolted off to make way for a skinnier handmade unit. It supports a custom solo seat and rear cowl, with an LED taillight in a 3D-printed housing tucked into the back.
The license plate sits behind the rear wheel, mounted to a custom-made bracket that also holds a pair of Motogadget LED turn signals.
At the opposite end of the bike, a Koso Zenith LED headlight was mounted in a custom nacelle, 3D-printed out of a carbon composite material. Himora modified the bike’s ECU to do away with the original dashboard, before kitting out the cockpit with an array of Motogadget bits. The speedo, bar-end turn signals, and mirrors are all from the German electronics specialist.
The only other bodywork is a one-off cover on the lower left-hand side of the 749S, covering the battery and other unsightly components. Together with the refreshed tip and tail, the vibe is a perfect crossover of café racer and naked sportbike styles.
According to Kay, the Ducati 749S’s ultra-crisp split livery is inspired by “the devil—adrenaline and speed—and the angel—riding safe and with your brain—inside every biker.” The white and gunmetal halves are separated by a red center stripe, flanked by narrow strips of carbon fiber. Himora finished the frame in red, while the engine and fork legs were done in black.
Wisely, the crew left the Ducati’s suspension, wheels, and brakes alone. But they did add one final touch—a burly two-into-one-into-two exhaust system, terminating in a pair of rowdy Speed Pro Cobra cans.
It’s a stylish redesign for the polarizing 749S that doesn’t compromise on performance one bit.
Himora Motors | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Kay Riemann
