Sportbike attitude with a cafe racer soul
It’s safe to say that Radical Ducati is, well, was a favorite builder around the Bullitt garage and I have to say I was shocked to find out that we had never featured the 7 ½ Sportiva by the Spanish garage. I went to look it up on the blog here to show to a buddy and couldn’t believe we hadn’t featured it. Sure, we shared a picture of it when Radical Ducati closed their doors but this one is deserves its own feature.
This to me is a modern cafe racer. Taking a (relatively) modern bike, in this case a 2004 Ducati 749R, and stripping it down to the bare essentials. Clip-ons, a fiberglass bum stop, 2-into-1 upswept exhaust and you’ve got yourself a recipe for a fun little café.
![](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XixzWLLGyRM/VxHDgsUC4cI/AAAAAAAAS1I/aoZ3bJZpJBgm7Q5V__Ybx0_GkIRMdsXxwCLcB/s1600/Radical_Ducati_Sportiva_5_700.jpg)
With performance always top of mind, Pepo and Reyes removed anything unnecessary and upgraded any component on the 7½ Sportiva to top notch materials. Öhlins suspension front and rear keeps the forged Marchesini wheels planted, and the upgraded Brembo braking system helps slow things down when need be.
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-noO6NLaascw/VxHDf8zmTKI/AAAAAAAAS04/8VT014ximmU-liL_2PzW7ngkVO1HK24AgCLcB/s1600/Radical_Ducati_Sportiva_3_700.jpg)
As usual, lots of the components like the subframe, seat & front fairing, are all Radical Ducati bits.
![](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WVhxS3t95zk/VxHDgVkBwyI/AAAAAAAAS1E/BgkTV1eBX78mgiIsiuDkZoZ0UuZ6VIi6gCLcB/s1600/Radical_Ducati_Sportiva_4_700.jpg)
A Wolfman 2-into-1 exhaust is finished off with a Spark megaphone. Aside from the magnesium head covers, the motor is the stock Ducati 749R unit.
![](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xonhXvurckk/VxHJT2dFzFI/AAAAAAAAS1g/BfcUFdk2Sn0SrBzg_ndB73JspY-NSyELACLcB/s1600/Radical_Ducati_Sportiva_8_700.jpg)
I recall when I first saw the offset, endurance-style single front headlight it wasn’t my favorite. Now I’ve come to really appreciate the uniqueness of it.
![](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0H7ES7D-tLY/VxHDg_JQvhI/AAAAAAAAS1Q/jz54ijpLXkUq64HiIqkL94Sm-k60H9gNwCLcB/s1600/Radical_Ducati_Sportiva_6_700.jpg)
I’ve got a buddy thinking about getting rid of his 749 at the moment and have to say that the 7½ Sportiva has me thinking twice. Is this a bike you’d like to have in your arsenal?
Radical Ducati: Web | Facebook | Instagram
Images by delPerro