Ducati’s SportClassic line made a big splash when it was introduced in 2005 and included today’s Paul Smart 1000LE. Powered by Ducati’s torque-rich L-twin with modern suspension at both ends, they were mature sportbikes for riders with a sense of history, an eye for design, and an appreciation for accessible performance. Many will complain about…
Although the mid-1980s 750 F1 may not have represented the very best from Ducati, the TT2 and later TT1 race bikes that inspired them certainly did. Lightweight, perfectly formed, and highly effective, they epitomize Ducati’s racing ethos of the period. The original TT2 displaced 587cc and used the belt-drive Pantah motor, with the later TT1…
A practical, naked standard, the DB6 Delirio is a pretty far cry from Bimota’s roots. The company made its name building barely streetable racebikes with lightweight trellis frames, wild styling, improved suspension, and a raft of racebike details. The DB6 definitely has top-shelf suspension and innovative details, but it was designed as Bimota’s “entry-level” model.…
The 90s iteration of Ducati’s famous SuperSport wasn’t exactly a fast bike, even by standards of the day. And by the time the Ducati 900SS “Final Edition” rolled around, it likely appealed mostly to die-hard Ducati fans and collectors. Which is a shame because, although the 900SS didn’t offer cutting-edge performance, it did offer plenty…
The DB1 was the quintessential Bimota, packaging a reliable Italian powerplant into a lightweight package with excellent handling… Wait, what? Actually, in spite of what you might expect, the belt-driven, SOHC Pantah engine is very reliable when properly maintained, and can be tuned to make good power. Sure, the 75 claimed horses don’t sound like…
Built between 2002 and 2004, the Ducati 998 was the last hurrah for Tamburini’s masterpiece. It might look like Ducati simply bumped the displacement and changed the graphics, compared to the 916 and 996, but there was a subtle evolution that took place throughout production, with Ducati developing race specials with revised engines and frames that…
Update 2.21.2016: We last saw the LoudBike DB1 SR listed in October of last year. Back on the market with an opening bid of $16k. -dc We featured this bike a while back and my post generated a bit of, ahem… Controversy in the comments. Mainly because one of our readers felt I was possibly…
Update 2.15.2016: Now on eBay. Good luck to buyers and seller. -dc Designed to bring sex appeal and sales success back to Ducati after the aesthetically disappointing 999, the 1098 was a visual restyle and mechanical evolution of their four-valve superbike line introduced in 2007. Although styling is subjective, it’s pretty clear that the redesign…
