From time to time, we like to glance through some of the items going up for auction soon over at R.M. Auctions, just to see what life could be like if we had way more money than we actually do. Recently we looked at a couple of Lamborghinis -- both vehicular marvels, but for different reasons (Miura here, LM002 here).

Today we thought we'd broaden our horizons by looking for something with half as many wheels. (To save money on tire costs, you see.) And lo and behold, what did we find? A 1973 Ducati 750 SS Imola Desmo Recreation. Now, we don't need to work hard to convince you that this bike is a beaut -- just look at the thing, enough said. But you might want to hear a bit about its history.

The '73 Ducati 750 Imola Desmo is one of the most revered motorcycles of all time, rising to fame after Paul Smart rode it to victory in the 1972 Imola 200. The 5-speed beast could reach 155 mph on 84 horsepower. Sure, the model going up for auction is a recreation, but still, its inspiration was one sweet bike and its builders have done a marvelous job building a beautiful ride. And besides, you don't have to tell anyone its not an original, do you?

You can see more pics and read up in greater detail over at the R.M. Auction site. Asking price: $40,000-$50,000

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