Revival Cycle Hughes Ducati in Jay Leno's Garage

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Known as the "Fuse," the bike recently appeared on an episode of "Jay Leno's Garage" where owner Edward Boyd and Revival Cycles founder Alan Stalberg explained how it came to be built.

Although the Fuse was ultimately completed as a Ducati, its origins were quite different. Boyd initially wanted to base it on a Yamaha Virago, Stalberg explained. However, based on his wishes, Stalberg decided it would be easier to start over with a Ducati engine.

That motor was a 1,100cc V-twin from a mid-2000s Ducati Monster he bought on eBay. The rest of the bike was built around it. Everything else was either aftermarket or fabricated, including a custom-made frame that bore no resemblance to Ducati's stock frame.

Like many Ducati factory bikes, the engine is a stressed member of the frame. Such a design helps to reduce weight, and the total weight of this bike is approximately 400 pounds. Boyd notes that this is impressive because the bike is intentionally over-engineered in many areas.

The frame is not the only custom-made component. The brake calipers and swingarm were made specifically for Hughes, along with the triple clamp elements that hold the front forks in place. The triple clamps, made from solid aluminum blocks, hide the wiring for a clean look. In addition, instead of bending the exhaust tubes, Stalberg opted for individually welded sections to emphasize that they were handmade.

Before the metal was cut out, Boyd says the entire bike was designed over a period of about two years using CAD. He wanted to learn about motorcycle design on this project, but he also wanted to use his prototyping experience at Dell to help build the parts.

Stalberg did not reveal the price of all this custom work, but said the cost of duplicating the fuse was too high even for Leno.

Watch the full video to learn more about this unique bike and to see it riding down the streets of Los Angeles.