Ducati->ke622 has revealed the Scrambler-inspired race bike Troy Bayliss->ke1495 will ride in the 2015 AMA Pro Grand National Series, officially cementing Bayliss’ return to active competition after what could be very well be one of the quickest retirements in motorcycle racing history.

The 46-year old former World Superbike champion will be riding a saucy looking Scrambler prepared by Lloyd Brothers Motorsports in conjunction with Ducati and famed Ducati collector Jim Dillard. The bike itself was specially developed to fit the requirements of the racing series. The frame, for example, was specially built for Flat Track competition while the suspension, the 19-inch wheels, and the absence of a front brake were all added to acquiesce to the regulations set forth by the AMA.

Aesthetically, Bayliss’ new race bike has all the makings of a head-turner. The splashy yellow and black livery is a clear hat tip to the Scrambler Icon, even though the craftsmanship of the bike itself, specifically the wider flat handle and the rising exhausts on the right side of the bike, seems to have been taken from the Full Throttle version.

Either way, the bike looks ready to compete in the 2015 AMA Flat Track Championship. Bayliss even has a matching yellow-and-black racing uniform to complete his gear in time for his season debut in the third round of the series at Springfield Mile on May 24, 2015.

As I’ve mentioned in the past, Bayliss will be competing in five races for Lloyd Brothers Motorsports where he will be joined by teammate Johnny Lewis.

Continue reading to read more about Troy Bayliss’ new AMA Flat Track Championship ride.

Why it matters

So I guess Troy Bayliss' return to motorcycle racing is good to go. Wonder how long it took him to decide on making a comeback weeks after hanging up his racing gloves for sure.

All kidding aside, I’m pretty intrigued at how Bayliss will fare when he returns to racing. During his peak, he was considered as one of the best motorcycle riders in the world and he backed it up with a lot of impressive hardware from the World Superbike Championship. But the days when Bayliss was considered one of the best are long gone and I really don’t know what he stands to gain from competing in the 2015 AMA Pro Grand National Series other than scratch that competitive itch.

Maybe he’s doing Ducati a real solid, which is plausible considering that his best years as a motorcycle rider came with the Italian motorcycle team. Maybe he just really wants to race and the AMA Pro Grand National Series can give him that without the usual glare and spotlight coming from MotoGP or the World Superbike Championships.

Whatever his intentions are, Bayliss is ready to roll and Ducati was even nice enough to develop a Scrambler-inspired race bike for his perusal. I’m rooting for Bayliss to do well because I know that when he’s on his game, he’s still a threat in any racing series he’s involved in.

Hopefully, that translates to the AMA Pro Grand National Series too. It would be a shame to see him spend the twilight of his career struggling to keep pace with the young whippersnappers of today’s AMA series.