.

Ducati Scrambler Scratch by Officine Mermaid

.  

Ducati has sent three bikes to three custom builders and asked them to go wild and creative with these machines. Deus Ex Machina with their "Hondo Grattan", Officine Mermaid with "Scratch" and Mr. Martini's "SCR" have been the lucky three workshops which have been chosen to deliver the first official custom Ducati Scrambler bikes. The custom shops received a Full Throttle, Urban Enduro and a Classic, respectively.

Scratch by Officine Mermaid

Officine Mermaid remained faithful to the rough, spartan and basic approach to any bike they built,  The metal fenders have been hand brushed and left as they were because they were going to get all dirty and scratched anyway. The fork received a 21” enduro wheel shod with an aggressive knobby tire, while a matching 18” rear unit was the natural complement.

Everything which was not essential for riding the Scratch in the dirt has been tossed away and Dario Mastroianni even decided to chop off the stock silencer to make the bike tidier-looking and lighter. The Scratch also received a nifty menacing black paint in neat contrast with the golden rims and hubs and the brushed metal accents.

"We decided to customise the Ducati Scrambler because we immediately earmarked it as a uniquely convertible Italian bike. We've infused it with our unmistakeable Officine Mermaid style, with a kind of rough-and-ready look that's spartan and basic. We named it using the English word Scratch, to convey the idea of it being scraped or damaged. This can be seen straight away from the fuel tank, which we stripped of paint and treated by hand – a procedure we use only on our most exclusive bikes. The metal mudguards have been left rough and then hand-brushed at the workshop. We've left only what is essential on the bike – anything that wasn't necessary has been eliminated. Even the exhaust, for example, while derived from the original, has been reduced to a minimum. For the front we've chosen a traditional stanchion fork with a wide 21'' wheel and an 18'' wheel at the back, while the saddle and handlebars are made of vintage green leather with a decidedly Western style. Our Scratch has a main rally-style headlight and a smaller lateral spotlight," says Dario Mastroianni, customiser at Officine Mermaid.