My Ducati is a 1991 400ss Junior. It is a very rare bike in Australia as they were only imported into the country for 2 years. There are 100 in Australia. There are a few "grey imports" here too. I believe some of them are in Darwin. I aquired my Ducati in Broome. First time I saw Junior was in Feb 1996. I went down to Broome for an interview. A friend had a 900 SD Darmah with an SS motor in it. He just had to show me his bike. He said a mate (Mark) was coming for a ride too. As soon as I saw Junior I fell in love instantly.
Mark got a job in Adelaide hanging out of helicopters. He took my car (a sad old Suzuki Sierra soft top) to Adelaide as he could carry more stuff in the car. The car proved to be rather cold in Adelaide in winter so he sold it. I got the rego papers for the Ducati. I have owned Junior for a few years now and we have had some fun together too. I had to get the swing arm repaired as it had a crack in it. I have replaced all the electrics on Junior too. He's pretty conservative on the tyres too which is good. I have had the suspension done as well. The only modifications that have been done to the bike is a Staintune pipe and a 42 tooth rear sprocket. Every thing else is original. The pipe makes him sound fantastic.
Broome was pretty boring to ride a Ducati but Cairns was much better. I rode him on the Cook hwy more than once and that was the scene of my crash too. I rode up and down the Kuranda hwy as well as the Gillies hwy too. The longest ride I have done has been Cairns to Sydney (June 2000). A distance of 2900 km. I did this over 5 days. It was in the middle of winter and if it wasn't pouring with rain (first 2 days) it was freezing. I am so glad I had invested in a very good jacket. I have done a few good rides in Sydney. Of course I have ridden along the "old road" Pacific hwy to Mt White and I have done a good ride to Scone as well. I tend to avoid the freeways as they are a bit boring.
As you may have gathered I am now living in England. Junior is about to be registered here. The 400ss was never imported here so it is pretty rare. I am looking forward to riding him again.