graeme Barns
Ducati Triplette
2006 - Paul Smart PS1000
1978 - 900SS
1971 - 250 Silver Shotgun
A TRUE BARN FIND - A ‘BARNSY FIND’
The 900SS was laying dormant in a barn in Tasmania and was offered on a trade-in. This old bloke was trying to buy a race Ferrari and he was short a bit of cash. So he said to my old mate Mark Peebles who was doing the deal that he could throw in the 900SS to make up the shortfall. Thre deal was done and the new owner didn’t want it. So Peebs rang me and said “Barnsy… you’ve just bought a 1978 900SS that doesn’t go for $15k. Congrats mate.”
I took it to a bloke called Danny Garfield who treated all those kind of bikes like they were his children. And after a week with him it came back with a new exhaust, new brake and a whole new personality. Still really grotty, but running the way those bikes were made to.
DRAWING AND DREAMING
The story behind the Silver Shotgun has some real memories for me. When I was a little kid at school we’d be given butchers paper and carbon pencils and we’d always be drawing motorbikes. We’d draw Easy Rider ones and then we got into the Honda CB750s with the cowl seat. And then when I was about 10 the guy over the road bought a Silver Shotgun. His one was way more recalcitrant than mine. And you’d hear him trying to start it at 5:30am in the morning and from that moment I decided that was what I really wanted.
Down the track a few years I went in search of one. And eventually I found this one in Canberra. We took a midnight dash up to see it and it was in primo condition. Mint.
CONTI AND CARBI IN A CRATE
The thing about the 900 is that it was a race bike with a quieter muffler on it. You bought that bike new with the Conti race muffler and the bigger carbi in the box. That’s how they all came. So you literally bought the bike, then changed the pipe and carbi and that transformed it into the production race bike. They made 400 of them worldwide. And it was hugely successful on the track. Especially in Australia.
It's not so good around town and given its temperament I don’t like to risk taking it on too long a journey. It takes about twenty minutes to warm up so I usually choose it for a 1-2 hour blap.
SHOTGUN BY NAME…
The Silver Shotgun’s were all made in 1971. That was the only year they had this silver fleck. After that they went to the orange. There was a lot in Australia. Frasers did a big order. They ordered most of the 450s. The 250s were better for the tiny roads in Italy. But that’s what makes it quick and agile compared to my other bikes. I love that about it.
The 900SS is appealing because it is so, so long. In big sweepers it is just rock solid. As good as, if not better, than a modern bike. People say it is hard to turn in, but I find that once you’ve started the turn it just holds a line beautifully. Especially now that I’ve loosened up the suspension. And the torque! It just pulls at really low revs – from 3000 way up to 8000 it just keeps going. And then bang, you pull another gear and away it goes again.
LONG AND SOLID
The Paul Smart? I love it because it starts without needing to kick it. Ha!
It looks the goods and its made to be ridden fast. To be honest nothing really happens on that bike until you’re at 130km/h. It’s a pain below that speed and the bike giving the greatest pleasure when above.
SMART LOOKS. SMART TO START.
I’ve been on plenty of great roads around the world but I still really love the Fairhaven to Wye River run. I’ve done it so many times I know every bump. We go really early when there is no-one on the road and we just fang it. 6am from the surf club and we pull into the Greek coffee shop in Lorne at around 7:15 for an espresso and Greek donut.
And from there we can go up to Deans Marsh where the road opens up a bit and you can go a little faster. There’s a secret road. You can just do what you like and smile.
DOIN’ DONUTS
MOTO GIRO
I’d done the Moto Giro d’Italia in 2012 with our old mate Andy Gillott and everyone was on ex-race bikes from the 50’s. Those bikes are just made for the short, twisty stuff would only do 90 clicks at full throttle. I was on a ’57 Ducati 175 bored out to 250. and Andy was on a Moto Morini. It was fun but you can’t win it. Not unless you’re Italian of course.
MOTO CIGARELLO
We had the same polizia escort at the start of each day and the cop always had his helmet popped up so he could smoke his cigarellos as he rode. One day we were keen to go but he made us wait and more staggered start riders started to arrive. And he made us wait some more. And others turned up. And we waited. And then we realised he was creating a crowd so he could show us how magnificent his mono skills were. Only in Italy do the cops pop monos to rapturous applause. Bravissimo!
TRUE COLLECTOR
Yes I’ve got a few bikes and I’ve always ridden Italian. I read something a while ago that said you’re either a collector or an accumulator. If you’re a collector, you must collect a certain something. Not just anything. My something is old Ducati’s. And I’m just missing one bike for this collection. The ’72 Imola. The original green frame. If I can just scrounge up $200k U.S.!?!
Of course I’d love an MV Augusta, but then that would make me an accumulator.
THE ART OF IT ALL
If I could go on a road trip with anyone I’d love to go with Paul d’Orleans – the vintage gent. He knows his gear. It’s about the full journey for him. And that’s what I like. It’s not about getting there fast. Not about a doing a certain summit or whatever. It’s about getting out there and enjoying it. It’s an art for him. The culture and design is part of the art. So that’s the sort of person I want to go riding with.
He’s interested and that makes him interesting.
MOTO AMORO
The 250 is a tiny little bike that can really get along. It just loves the turns when they’re short and tight. You head down the Great Ocean Road and it thinks it is in Italy in the mountains. It goes as quick as the big road bikes in that scenario. That’s where it is best.
And that’s what I love about it.