Tony Prust doesn’t do things in half measures. The man behind Analog Motorcycles took up track racing six years ago, piloting a modified KTM EXC530 in supermoto events. A year later, he was hunting for glory in the Battle of the Twins 2 class aboard a purpose-built Ducati, eventually claiming the national title in his third season.
In the years since, the series has become more competitive—as has Tony. So he’s parked that bike, replacing it with this wild Ducati 750SS and Monster 796 hybrid, which he’s dubbed Formula 840. As we’ve come to expect from Analog, every nut and bolt represents a considered choice, informed by years of experience.
The project was conceived when Tony and his teammate, Del Thomas, were spitballing ways to go faster. Del owns and finances the Analog race bikes, and was ready to pull the trigger on a replacement.
“The Hyper8 [Analog’s outgoing race bike] didn’t have good aerodynamics, we lost all of the weight we could, and it had some ground clearance issues,” Tony tells us. “It was determined that we needed to build something from the ground up.”
“We started the process at the end of last year, trying to sort out what chassis we were going to use. We considered some of the liquid-cooled four-valve Ducatis, but upon much investigation, it was decided that the SuperSport would probably be the best candidate. Then, in February, we crashed the Hyper8 on the last rainy race of the weekend.”
“Although it fared well, it’s sad to say, but the Hyper8 is now retired. We fast-tracked the Formula 840 project to get it ready for this season.”
The Battle of the Twins 2 class is for air-cooled twin-cylinder motorcycles under 904 cc. Set on sticking with Ducati, Del sourced a 1999 Ducati 750SS that had already been prepped for track use. With a Ducati Monster 796 engine, an Öhlins rear shock, and lightweight magnesium wheels already installed, it was the perfect starting point.
“Beyond that, we re-did everything,” says Tony, bluntly. He’s not kidding either—for starters, the engine was yanked out and shipped off to Al at Moto Corse Performance for a comprehensive makeover. While that was happening, Analog started shaving weight off the 750SS chassis.
First, the hefty steel subframe was hacked off to make way for a handmade bolt-on aluminum unit. An aluminum swingarm from Metmachex was installed lower down, while adjustable billet yokes from IMA were fitted up front, accommodating a set of Ducati 1098 forks. The forks were treated to race cartridges by Race Tech, while the shock went to Öhlins for a rebuild.
Custom wheel spacers were fabricated to match the front wheel to the new forks. For the brakes, Analog ordered a full setup from Beringer, finishing it off with Spiegler lines. An Öhlins steering dampener and Vortex sprockets were added too.
Moving to the bodywork, Analog drew inspiration from the Ducati sportbikes of the 80s. “The club that we race with is the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association,” says Tony. “They’re a historic racing club that has vintage and modern bike classes.”
“Technically, ours would be considered a modern bike class, but we decided it would be kind of cool to have a more retro-looking bike. So we decided to use the 80s Ducati 750 F1 bodywork and retrofit it to the SuperSport setup. Thus the name, Formula 840.”
Period-correct 750 F1 bodywork was matched to an ETI fuel tank and carbon fiber fenders. Analog had to jump through several hoops to make everything fit. The list of one-off parts includes the upper fairing bracket, additional panels that create a cohesive vibe, and spacers to stop the fairing from interfering with the underslung exhaust.
The tailpiece was modified slightly, too, before being topped off with a custom seat pan. Angie Dixon handled the upholstery, Shinobi Paintworks painted the bike in Analog’s usual racing colors, and Enamel Brand supplied the graphics. Southern Powder Coating handled the frame and subframe, finishing both in a hue taken from the Ducati 916 Senna.
Once the Monster 796 engine was back from Moto Corse Performance, it had been rebuilt with an 840 cc kit, oversized valves, upgraded cams, and ported heads. The intake was modified with oversized throttle bodies, Moto Corse intake stacks, and K&N filters. Also on the list were a Yoyodyne slipper clutch, a Dynojet quick-shifter, and an H2O oil cooler.
Analog rewired the Ducati from top to bottom, adding a Microtec ECU and AIM dashboard with data logging capabilities. Analog sponsor Wirecare supplied the braided wiring sleeves, heat shielding, and oil lines and fittings.
The team also treated the bike to Vortex clip-ons, Woodcraft rear-sets, and R&G Protection frame and axle sliders. Finishing the Ducati off is a stunning stainless steel exhaust system, terminating in a pair of Cone Engineering mufflers. The asymmetrical design takes inspiration from MotoGP bikes, with one muffler exiting low on the right-hand side and the other tucked under the tail.
“The entire package ended up at 340 lbs with half a tank of fuel, and our current tune puts us at 89 hp at the wheel with room for improvement,” says Tony. “Now, with the added aerodynamics, this should be quite the track weapon in its class.”
“We took it for its first shakedown weekend in August at Blackhawk Farms Raceway and came home with two hard-fought first-place trophies out of the gate. A huge shout-out to Del for trusting me with the project and allowing me to race his machines.”
Analog would like to thank their title sponsor Wirecare, as well as R&G Protection, Spectro Oils, Beringer Brakes, K&N Filters, and Enamel Brand for their support.
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