Ducati Road 350

Ducati Road 350
Manufacturer	Ducati/MotoTrans
Production	1973-1976
Successor	Ducati Forza; Ducati Vento
Class	Standard
Engine	Air-cooled bevel drive SOHC single cylinder four stroke
Bore / stroke	76 mm × 75 mm (3.0 in × 3.0 in)
Compression ratio	10:1
Top speed	130 km/h (81 mph)
Power	29 bhp (22 kW) @ 7,000 rpm
Transmission	Multiplate wet clutch, 5 speed
Frame type	Single cradle
Suspension	Front: telescopic forks; Rear: swinging arm
Brakes	Drum front & rear
Tyres	Front: 325x18; Rear: 400x18
Wheelbase	1,320 mm (52 in)
Weight	122 kg (269 lb) (dry);
Fuel capacity	9 L (2.0 imp gal; 2.4 US gal)
	Footnotes / references;

The Ducati Road 350 is a 340 cc (21 cu in) single cylinder bevel drive SOHC motorcycle produced by the Spanish manufacturer MotoTrans, who were licensed by Ducati to produce motorcycles under the Ducati brand name and was produced from 1973 to 1976.^[2] The model was intended to be for the Spanish domestic market although it was also exported to the US in 1973.^[3]

History

In post-Civil War Spain, the Franco regime banned the import of motorcycles^[4] and also forbade foreign nationals from settling in Spain, or stating a business there.^[5] MotoTrans was set up to manufacture Ducati motorcycles under licence in Barcelona in 1957.^[3]^[6]

The Road 250 was introduced in 1972 as a Spanish version of the 250 Scrambler^[7]^[8] and the 350 version introduced a year later in 1973.^[2] The 350 used the 'wide case' engine.^[1] A locally built Amal carburettor and Spanish Telesco front forks were fitted.^[3] The bike was finished in Black with a metallic burnt orange tank and mudguards and chrome headlight.^[1]

The American Ducati importers, Berliner Motor Corporation, were in dispute with the Italian factory over pricing from 1971 to '73 and chose to import from MotoTrans instead during this period. Amongst the models imported in '73 was the Road 350.^[3]^[9]^[10]

Technical details

Engine and transmission

The single cylinder bevel drive OHC engine was of unit construction and had an alloy head and alloy barrel with cast iron liners. Bore and stroke were 76 mm × 75 mm (3.0 in × 3.0 in) giving a displacement of 340 cc (21 cu in). A 10:1 piston was fitted. Claimed power output was 29 bhp (22 kW) @ 7,000 rpm, giving the machine a top speed of 130 km/h (81 mph).^[2]

Fuel was delivered by a Spanish made^[3] 30 mm^[1] Amal Concentric carburettor.^[11] The engine used wet sump lubrication and ignition was by battery and coil.^[1]

Primary drive was by gears to a multi-plate wet clutch and 5 speed gearbox. Chain drive took power to the rear wheel.^[1]

Cycle parts

The single cradle frame used the engine as a stressed member. Rear suspension was by swinging arm with twin adjustable shock absorbers. At the front telescopic forks were fitted. Brakes were drums, the front being 180 mm (7.1 in) diameter and the rear 160 mm (6.3 in).^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Mototrans Modelos.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Svenson 2013.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Walker 2002, p. 51.
^ Cloesen 2014, p. 52.
^ Svenson 2013b.
^ Herreros & Aznar 1998, pp. 88–90.
^ Mototrans.
^ Font 2009.
^ Falloon 2016a, p. 239.
^ Falloon 2016b, p. 114.
^ Lacey Ducati.

Bibliography

Cloesen, Uli (15 August 2014). Italian Café Racers. Dorcester: Veloce Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-1-84584-749-4.
Falloon, Ian (18 March 2016). The Book of the Ducati Overhead Camshaft Singles. Poundbury, Dorchester: Veloce Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-1-84584-566-7.
Falloon, Ian (July 2016). The Complete Book of Ducati Motorcycles: Every Model Since 1946. Minneapolis, MN: Motorbooks. ISBN 978-0-7603-5022-5.
Font, L (14 May 2009). "Motos Ducati españolas, las Ducati Mototrans". www.moto22.com (in Spanish). Spanish Ducati motorcycles, the Ducati Mototrans. Archived from the original on 13 February 2010. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
Herreros, Francisco; Aznar, José Luis (1998). "1945: Cataluña". Historia del motociclismo en España [A: History of motorcycling in Spain] (in Spanish). RACC Club. ISBN 978-84-920886-5-2.
Svenson, Enrique (2013). "Club de Motos Antiguas Granada - Ducati". motosantiguasgranada.es.tl (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 November 2021.
Svenson, Enrique (2013). "Club de Motos Antiguas Granada - MV Agusta". motosantiguasgranada.es.tl (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 November 2021.
Walker, Mick (2002). Illustrated Ducati Buyer's Guide. MotorBooks International. ISBN 978-1-61059-045-7.
"1973 Ducati 350 Road". laceyducati.com. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
"La historia de Ducati Mototrans, Ducati Clásica" [The history of Ducati Mototrans, Classic Ducati]. Mototrans (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 12 August 2010. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
"Modelos Road 250 (and 350)". Mototrans. Archived from the original on 24 February 2013. Retrieved 8 November 2021.