RealClassic CONDOR A350
Some years ago in RC177, I wrote about the strange confection of Swiss and Italian ingredients that were used to make a very unusual motorcycle: the Condor A350. Those with better memories than me may recall a military machine from the early 1970s, designed to patrol the high alpine passes, carrying a pair of soldiers and all their equipment, including rifles, across a variety of terrains. These bikes needed to be tough – almost literally bulletproof – reliable, quiet enough not to disturb grazing animals nor alert potential foes and be durable enough to remain in service for at least two decades.
In order to meet this list of requirements, the engine chosen to form the basis of this mighty military machine was obviously going to be something of proven longevity, a byword for reliability. Inevitably, it was a Yamah… erm… Ducati.They chose