Custom Rumble - Meet the Delicious Ducati Hyper Scrambler by Untitled Motorcycles

Love at first sight.

One of my favourite customs from the Handbuilt Motorcycle Show in Austin, TX is a bike that called out to me with purpose. Custom bikes, for me, fall into two categories; the ones that are a real treat to look at, with details that leave you tracing every inch of the bike and standing back as if soaking up a magnificent painting; and the ones that beg to be ridden, where keen attention has been paid to the performance and real-world rideability aspects of the design. Sometimes, a bike will fall into both of these categories and the UMC-38 Hyper Scrambler by Untitled Motorcycles is one of those bikes. I was first drawn in by the Rosso Corsa painted trellis frame (a nearly neon orange colour used on the Ducati MotoGP bikes), but it was the fact that it looked like a bike ready to be taken out for a good thrashing that really sucked me in.

My first question to designer Hugo Eccles, who heads up Untitled’s operations in San Fransisco, was "what’s it like to ride?" He grinned widely and I could tell from the look on his face what the answer was going to be. This is a bike that was built to be ridden.

The design approach.

The UMC-38 Hyper Scrambler is a combined effort between Untitled Motorcycles and Marin Speed Shop for Ducati’s ‘Custom Rumble’ contest, a worldwide dealer build-off. The most striking aspect of the Hyper Scrambler is the trellis frame, a signature Ducati detail but an element that’s mostly hidden on a stock Scrambler. The swingarm was replaced with a unit off of a Ducati Monster S2R, it’s tubular construction matches the frame beautifully and I love the paint choice that further ties the two pieces together. The UMC custom slim, tapered fuel tank further accentuates the focus on the frame and provides some “breathing space” for the front end of the bike from the original. Overall, it’s a noticeably clean and stripped down build, and there are hard numbers to back that up. Hugo said he set out to remove as much as possible that wasn’t, in his opinion, necessary. Essentially, just keep removing things until the bike doesn’t work, and then add that last component back in. Ha! In total 85lbs was trimmed from the bike, bringing it down to a svelte 325lbs. The stance and ergonomics are very tracker / supermoto-esque.

It’s all in the details.

The engine has been stripped down and some mechanical components exposed giving it a lovely raw look with a more vintage Ducati vibe. Up front the turn signals are integrated into the levers, with the rear units nicely laid into the loop under the seat (and also function as tail lights). The headlight follows the lines of the fuel tank and is narrow enough to take nothing away from the airy front end. The instrument cluster has been replaced with something so minimal you barely notice it’s there. Finishing things off underneath, the aluminium belly pan with mesh front and cutout for the tips of the exhaust hugs the bottom of the engine and underscores the bottom of the bike with the same clean lines as the top. In short, every attention to detail has been paid and the result is a Scrambler custom that looks good enough to be factory built.

Want one?

Hugo discussed the potential for building more Hyper Scramblers. He’d like to delve further into the Ducati colour palette for paint schemes, a great way to celebrate the heritage of the brand and certainly there’s lots of great possibilities — Paul Smart themed Hyper Scrambler anyone? I got the impression the idea would be to offer an “off-the-shelf” Hyper Scrambler with perhaps a few options and, of course, a unique paint scheme for each.

Tech specs.

Donor Bike

2015 Ducati Scrambler ‘Icon’ 803cc air-cooled V-twin

Frame, Suspension, Wheels

– Original frame, de-tabbed, original shock mount removed.
– Ducati Monster S2R swingarm, Ohlins monoshock.
– New sub frame with welded-in LED channels, fabricated by Turk’s Shop
– Ducati ‘Rosso Corsa’ neon orange race paint by Motojrefinish
– Original 18″ front wheel replaced with Ducati Monster M796 17″ front wheel.
– Original 17″ rear wheel replaced with Ducati Monster 1100 17″ rear wheel.
– Continental RaceAttack Rain tyres (120/70-17 front, 180/55-17 rear).
– EBC brake discs, customised by UMC
– GSXR Showa big piston forks, stripped and custom-anodised to match the frame by Ano-Tech.
– OEM foot pegs and levers, customised by UMC.
– Custom fork guards, designed and fabricated in-house by UMC

Electrics, Lighting

– Rear LED strips, integrated into the rear hoop, act as both brake lights and turn signals (Custom Dynamics).
– Motogadget M-Unit control module and M-Button
– LED headlight, modified and machined in-house, mounted to a custom bracket welded to the headstock.
– Antigravity XPS SC-1 lithium battery installed under custom seat.
– Simplified loom, re-wrapped in neon orange fabric tape.
– Original ignition retained and relocated to right hand side of frame, under custom petrol tank.

Controls

– Motogadget motoscope mini speedometer and lights, machined into modified top fork bracket.
– Brembo brake master cylinder with 2-into-2 braided stainless steel lines.
– Brembo clutch master cylinder with braided stainless steel line.
– Custom throttle with braided stainless steel cable.
– Custom levers, with integrated LED turn signals, by HugeMoto.
– Renthal lo-rise handlebar with custom switchgear.

Engine & Exhaust

– Reprogrammed ECU by Rexxer
– Oxygen sensors and air injectors removed
– Stock plastic airbox removed, Uni snowmobile air filter installed
– Original Bing single throttle body retained, machined to accommodate air temperature sensor.
– Clear high-pressure braided fuel line by Helix Racing
– Billet oil filler cap and sprocket cover by Slingshot Racing
– Hydraulic clutch conversion, Ducati clutch slave with braided stainless steel line
– Ducabike wet clutch cover with polycarbonate observation window, OEM clutch plates machined and finished by UMC
– Original stator cover machined and modified by Turk’s Shop
– Rear sprocket changed to 41-tooth to improve top-end speed
– QD ex-box exhaust and headers, modified by UMC

Bodywork

– Custom-fabricated 10L steel petrol tank, original fuel pump, nickel plated and painted (range 95 miles, 115 miles on reserve)
– Aluminium headlight housing, brushed and polished in-house, 1300LM LED spotlight
– Aluminum belly pan with mesh front panel and exhaust header cutout detail by Nate Diepenbroek.
– Seat upholstered in motocross grip vinyl by Acker Leather Works.

More info.

For more info on this and other Untitled Motorcycle builds, check them out at untitledmotorcycles.com.

Check out Ducati's Scrambler Garage for everything related to the world of custom Scramblers, scramblerducati.com

Read about my visit to the Handbuilt Show:

Additional photo credits: RC Rivera, Erik Jutras.