The man at the helm of Ducati South Africa, Jos Matthysen, sure knows how to promote the Ducati brand. He also knows how to give back. Not only to Ducati riders but also to the community at large. With the fourth Ducati Mystery Ride, most riders contributed to helping out with a local care home that was close to Jos’ heart: the JJ Watson home in George. The Mystery Rides themselves were not a small undertaking and yet he does them with enthusiasm and a glint in his eye. The fifth Mystery Ride is due to kick off in May.
Towards the end of 2020, Ducati hosted a family day to thank the Ducati owners for their loyalty, and I was there to cover the event. I arrived by car but packed my rider gear just in case an opportunity presented itself to ride on the track. True to Jos’ nature, when their demo bikes were all spoken for, he pointed to his own personal bike and said: “Take my Scrambler!” This sense of belonging and feeling like family is what makes the Ducati family here in South Africa so special. It was an easy decision the day Jos informed me that I am buying a Ducati Supersport 950.
My Supersport was approaching the 10 000 km mark when Ducati announced that they will be holding another family day out at Red Star, so this time I would be riding my own bike, and not have to wait for my turn on a demo unit. There was no cost involved in the day, but you did have to register beforehand.
I left home early to get to Red Star so that I would have time to take some photographs. With about a kilometre to go to the Red Star turnoff, I was passed by an immaculate Ducati 900 SS. The rider waved at me and I instinctively twisted the throttle so that I could ride behind this bike and listen to that sublime V-twin soundtrack!
I rolled into the pits just as my bike hit the 10 000 km mark, and got ready for the formalities. At the rider briefing, we were introduced to local racer Dorren Loureiro and asked to be on the lookout for him on his white Panigale V2. Jos made it abundantly clear that there was to be no racing, just good-natured family fun. Everyone nodded in agreement, knowing full well that when hand met throttle, things will be viewed differently.
There were quite a number of new riders that have never ridden on a track before and the wind was really pumping. So, to give the rookies the best chance of making it around safely, Jos sent out the intermediate classes first to gauge the condition of the track. As mentioned, this is not to be a white-knuckle balls-to-the-wall track day. It was meant to be an outing with the family and a personal training day. Except for Dorren of course. Watching him slide his V2 into a corner was a thing of beauty!
As I walked through the pits, I realised that the 900 SS I saw earlier was not the only older bike there. There were some older Monsters, as well as a beautiful yellow 748. To see the 748 lined up next to a Multistrada and a Panigale V4 really shows that owning a Ducati becomes a lifelong affair. These bikes age gracefully and can still hold their own on a track. The same can be said for the 80-year-old George Couperthwaite who was there on a brand new Ducati Monster. Once that helmet went on, his age disappeared and all we could do was try and keep up!
After circulating a few tentative laps on my own Supersport, it confirmed what a remarkably easy bike this is to ride. It inspired so much confidence that my pace increased with each lap. Jos also brought a few demo motorcycles, and I was curious to see what the new DesertX was like in an environment that it was certainly not made for – a track. It wants to be out in the wilderness, blazing new trails. Well, what a revelation it turned out to be! It handles extremely well, even with the knobblies, and certainly surprised many riders when a slow rider on a dual-sport bike passed them. Seeing the bike in the hands of experienced track riders makes you realise that this bike has been properly thought out!
While we were enjoying ourselves on the track, the Ducati team were preparing our lunch. Jos’ right hand, Lida, and a few Ducati regulars prepared tasty Prego rolls. We all gathered around the pool for lunch, sharing our experiences with our fellow riders. While I was making my way back to the pits, I walked past a beautiful, 1936 Velocette 250. The owner just completed the DJ rally that we reported on earlier and still had to make it to White River. He just popped into Red Star for a quick rest stop. Bikers never cease to amaze!
If you own a Ducati, keep a close eye on their Facebook page for the next family day. And if you are not part of the Ducati family yet, then go talk to Jos and his team. I’m sure they will be generous enough to inform you what bike you are buying!
