Ducati is a world-famous name in the world of motorbikes. Originating in Italy, they are best known for their street bikes and sports bikes that use L-Twin engines. The company started life in 1926 in the town of Bologna but originally weren’t in the motorbike business but produced radio equipment instead.
World War II bombs took out all of the production facilities of the Borgo Panigale plant, but like many other famous brands, the name Ducati rose from the ashes like a phoenix in the post-war world.
Initially, Ducati motorcycles were simple motors attached to normal bicycles. By the early 1950s, the firm were making motor scooters and by the end of the decade, Ducati were making a name for themselves in the world of racing.
A lot of the racing success was down to their chief engineer, Fabio Taglioni. He was the one who created the firm’s desmodromic valve set-up. For those who have never heard that name before, a desmodromic valve is an engine valve system that is closed by a cam and leverage system, rather than by a more traditional spring. In a normal four-stroke engine, the valves are opened by a cam and then closed by return spring. The desmodromic system consists of 2 cams with 2 actuators, each one used for positive opening and closing without the need for a return spring.
One of his most notable creations was the Ducati 250 Twin which was raced by the legend Mike Hailwood.
The next twenty years saw Ducati rise to stardom in the racing world. Rider Paul Smart won the Imola 200 in 1972 on a desmodromic 750 Twin. Mike Hailwood came out of retirement to win the Isle of Man TT in 1978 on a 900cc Supersport Twin.
During the early 1980s, the company was bought by the Castiglioni family and then merged with the Cagiva Group. Success didn’t end there though, with further triumphs on the racetracks with the 851 and 916 superbikes. One notable event during the Castiglioni era was the introduction of one of their most popular lines – the Monster. This was a pure street bike designed by Miguel Galuzzi of Argentina.
The middle of the 1990s saw further change due to a tough economic climate. Ducati was sold to the U.S investment firm, Texas Pacific Group. The popular lines continued production and Ducati carried on winning at the World Superbike Series with Carl Fogarty.
For street bikes, Ducati decided to extend the lines available with the 916 being evolved into the controversial 999 styles. The 1098 came next, followed by the 1198. The firm’s Superbike racer is undoubtedly the 1098R high spec with traction control. The mid-range offering is the 848, evolved from the 749. However, Ducati’s most impressive machine in the sportbike category must be the Desmosedici RR – a production model based on the Ducati GP racer.
One of Ducati’s best-selling lines remains the Monster range. The current models include the 696 and 1100 which were recently joined by the 2009 Streetfighter – a stripped down version of the 1098 Superbike. Make sure you get your Ducati taken care of at a ducati repairs and servicing specialist.
Some other Ducati bikes include the Multistrada and the Sportclassics lines. The Sportsclassics lines are based on classic Ducati bikes and come with a Desmo 1000 air-cooled L-Twin engine. They are styled along the traditional lines of the GT1000, GT1000 Touring and the Sport 1000S.