Ducati Monster S2R Custom by Bernard Mont

Looking at the pictures of this custom Ducati Monster S2R never made me think that this bike was totaled in a crash. But it did, so Belgian brewer Bernard Mont had nothing to loose when he decided to rebuild this Duc. And he wanted something else. Well, he succeeded: he created a custom Monster with a very odd front suspension system and a hub center steering.

Bernard is a man with an impressive engineering CV and has a racing history in the rally scene. Most of his time is spent on repairing and tuning Ducati’s.

It’s not the first wild creation of Bernard; a couple of years ago he surprised the custom motorcycle scene with his Ducati TT3 Difazio 900ss, which was featured here on Bike EXIF and was an award winner on the World Ducati Week in 2014. This S2R custom is also named “Difazio”.

About that crazy front end: it’s a one-off, special designed front, based on the “Hub Center Steering” principle. Which separates steering, braking and suspension.

Some parts and the setup was borrowed from his previous TT3 build. The setup is a combination of high end engineering and TiG welding. In order to give the bike some stopping power, Bernard added the radial Tokico calipers with laser cut discs. The suspension is based on a double shock setup, which are from a 996’s rear (yes, they used 2 of them).

The engine also got some attention and he used a spare Ducati Desmodue 1000 Dual Spark engine. This was completely overhauled and got a very light 240g flywheel, re-profiled cams, velocity stacks and a custom exhaust with SuperTrapp disc assembly. In order to get the most out of it, the ECU got remapped.

Cosmetic modifications include a custom rear end with removable seat cover and custom upholstery, a custom front fender which housed the lights and tiny Motogadget speedo. The bike is finished with a silver/orange paint job.

And why that name? Bernard:

It’s named in honor of English engineer Jack Difazio who was the brains behind the hub center steering phenomenon back in the 60s and 70, who passed away back in 2012.

I have one word for this build: sensational!

Here are some action photo’s, shot by Sébastien Nunes: