This Custom 2003 Ducati 749 Was Reimagined As a Naked Bike

The story of this custom build begins as a regular 2003 Ducati 749. While this bad boy may not be quite as impressive as Ducati's other masterpieces from the early 2000s, it is still a potent machine in its own right. Sure, the 749 was neither outstanding nor disappointing in any way, but we'll have to at least give it some credit for the latter.

As of the 2003 model in Ducati's 749 range, it is brought to life by a four-stroke L-twin engine, with four valves per cylinder and a generous displacement of (you guessed it) 749cc. The liquid-cooled DOHC powerplant is perfectly capable of producing up to 103 hp at 10,000 rpm, along with a solid torque output of 57 pound-feet (77 Nm) at 8,500 rpm.

This sheer force is channeled to a chain final drive by means of a six-speed transmission, while the vicious mill is fed by a Marelli electronic fuel injection setup with a 54 mm (2.13 inches) throttle body. As a result, Ducati's fierce animal was blessed with a top speed of 149 mph (240 kph) and will happily run the quarter mile in as little as 11.2 seconds at 126 mph (203 kph).

At the front, the structure is supported by a set of Showa 43 mm adjustable inverted forks that allow 4.9 inches (125 mm) of travel, accompanied by a fully adjustable Showa monoshock with 5 inches (128 mm) of travel at the rear. In terms of brakes, you will find a pair of 320 mm (12.6 inches) discs and four-piston calipers up front, while rear braking duties are handled by a single 245 mm disc and a two-piston caliper.

The whole thing has a wheelbase of 56 inches (142 cm) and rolls on a couple of 17-inch alloy wheels with five Y-shaped spokes. Finally, the front wheel is hugged by ZR17 rubber, joined by a 180/55 ZR17 tire on the opposite end.

Without going into more details, it's quite safe to conclude that this is by no means an inferior motorcycle. A British man by the name of Jerry Missin seems to be sharing the same opinion, and decided to work his magic on a beautifully customized 2003 Ducati 749.

"I am the co-owner of a Mechanical Engineering business and work predominantly in the automotive sector," explains Missin. "My Engineering roots date back to my father and I have been around motorcycles since my early teens. Since passing my bike test one week after my 17th birthday, I can't recall any time when I didn't own at least one motorcycle."

This project was completed over the course of nine months in his spare time. After purchasing the two-wheeler on eBay, he began by stripping it naked of its body panels. However, this uncovered the bike's nasty wiring and electrical items, as well as an ageing powerplant.

In consequence, he found himself spending countless painstaking hours tweaking 749's electricals and rewiring the whole shebang. Nonetheless, his efforts paid off and we'll have to agree that the end result looks surprisingly neat!

Next, the silver frame was treated to a gloss black finish and the original engine covers were swapped out in favor of fresh carbon fiber replacements. By removing its bodywork, Missin completely exposed the bike's airbox opening to harmful debris. To tackle this obstacle, he crafted stainless-steel grilles that'll shield the modified Ducati against any unwanted junk.

A new subframe and tail section were built from scratch with the purpose of achieving a vintage aesthetic. Besides a handmade fender and revised brackets, we also notice a custom saddle enveloped in suede leather.

Additionally, the motorcycle's creator disposed of its bulky stock headlight setup to make room for an aftermarket module that accomplishes the desired look. To top it all off, the powertrain components were refurbished and an upgraded exhaust system was installed. Lastly, JC Paintworks were tasked with finishing the bike's bodywork in a splendid white base, along with red, yellow and orange stripes.

And that concludes it. Personally, I find Jerry Missin's custom Ducati 749 to be a truly spectacular work of art!

The level of refinement that's gone into his build is simply astonishing, and I'm certainly hoping to see more projects from this talented guy in the future.