When Donny asked me to help promote Rockwell Cycle's trivia night in Hoboken a couple months ago, I was pretty pumped to participate.
Unfortunately, the weather in January is pretty dismal, and I was fighting off a cold, so only a handful of people showed up. 
Apulia, the restaurant hosting the event is owned by Ducati fanatics, and have some pretty awesome pizza, not to mention a classy family-feel and awesomely helpful wait-staff.


© 2019 Tigh Loughhead

 In 2006, Ducati teamed up with famed racing parts manufacturer NCR to build an extremely limited run of its SportClassic line, that went on sale at the time for $50,000.

Built as a homage to Cook Neilsen's Daytona win on the Phil Schilling-built Old Blue that many experts thing single-handedly saved Ducati and propelled the Italian firm into 20 years racing glory,
 this cafe racer was actually built to race and displayed at EICMA, only to have NCR S.r.l.
 homologate 50 bikes for the street in 2007. 
This model belongs to Barber Motorsports, in Birmingham Alabama, and is a spotless example of beautiful motorcycle design and preservation.
The New Blue SportClassic was built by Ducati North America and NCR, celebrating Cook Neilsen riding the first Italian motorcycle to ever win a Grand Prix in the United States at Daytona in 1977, on a 750SS "Old Blue" Ducati.
However, the new model is exquisitely designed, with the exhaust alone weighing lest than 10lbs.
At 116hp at under 320lbs, this bike is more than just eye candy,
And if you find yourself in Alabama, I highly recommend stopping by Barber to see New Blue in all its glory.
© 2019 Tigh Loughhead