A Near-Mint 2006 Ducati Paul Smart 1000 LE Is up for Auction
Still in its delivery crate.
Almost five decades ago, British motorcycle legend Paul Smart rode his Ducati 750 Imola to victory at the Imola 200, marking the beginning of the Italian automaker’s journey to become one of motorcycle racing’s biggest household names. In 2006, Ducati decided to honor the racer and his phenomenal achievement by creating a new line of modern bikes with design elements harkening back to the ’70s, and thus were born the Paul Smart 1000 LE, Sport 1000, and GT1000, and now available for auction over at Bonhams is a near-mint 1000 LE.
Still encased in its shipping crate, the motorcycle boasts a vintage aesthetic whilst carrying a whole range of modern engineering technology. Aside from a 1,000 cc L-twin engine pushing out 92 horsepower, the bike’s suspension system was created by Öhlins, whilst its brakes come from Brembo. The racer also utilizes a six-speed transmission, a wet clutch, and a trellis frame painted in a shade of green reminiscent of the ‘green frame’ of 750SS — a model based Smart’s original 750. To top things off, Smart himself has autographed the beautiful machine, making it a true collector’s piece.
For those interested, Bonhams is currently taking bids over on its website, with the auction expected to fetch around $25,000 USD to $33,000 USD. Head over to learn more now.
In other automotive news, Harley-Davidson is venturing into the ADV category with its new Pan America.
