This is the sort of bike that sets the offices of RSBFS buzzing. Feast your eyes on an actual *factory* race bike. Not an RS version of a street bike. An actual “we are the Ducati factory and we are going racing…” sort of race bike. And not just any factory bike, but one piloted…
I know what you’re thinking: Ducati Triple Eights never came from the factory in blue. In fact, they never came in any color other than “check me out, I’m hot and I’m Italian” red. Therefore, we are obviously looking at a repaint. And repaints tend to scare me simply because you don’t know what caused…
For some international flair, how about an Italian gem – in Italy? Bellissimo! Featuring the 851 race bike’s frame and ancillary bits but motivated by a 888cc mill, the SP4 was an evolution of the Ducati Superbike race-machine-turned-street-bike that added exclusivity to the promise of enhanced performance. For those shopping for the ultimate 888, however,…
If you want a machine with charisma, humane ergonomics, and a dash of tradition, the early 90s Ducati 900SS is a modern classic that offers a less frantic experience than similar bikes from Japan. Straight-line performance for the two-valve v-twin is modest, but these were all about midrange power and torque. Powered by a 904cc…
Known as the PS1000LE in geek speak, the Ducati Paul Smart 1000 Limited Edition was a throwback to the green-framed bevels of yore. Celebrating Paul Smart’s victory at Imola in 1972, this modern interpretation of the 750ss – itself an homage to the green-framed winning racer – was penned by the polarizing eye of Ducati…
Much ink has been spilled waxing poetic about Massimo Tamburini’s masterpiece, the Ducati 916. The bike was such a common sight throughout the 90s as the two-wheeled incarnation of lust, it’s become a bit… familiar, and it’s easy to forget just how shockingly sexy this bike was when it was introduced: the incredibly slim waist,…
This Monster S4RS was the ultimate incarnation of Ducati’s first-generation naked bike. The very first air-cooled Monsters were sporty and fun, but quickly outpaced by bikes like Triumph’s updated, bug-eyed Speed Triple, Aprilia’s Tuono, and the wild naked bikes from KTM. Luckily, Ducati already had the right engine for the job, and fitted their four-valve,…
Most Bimotas are about obsessive light weight as a path to improved performance, but their radical Tesi goes a step further. The name literally means “thesis” in Italian, and that’s what the series has represented from the start: an experimental alternative to traditional telescopic forks. Three-quarters of the Tesi looks pretty familiar: Bimota’s hybrid trellis/…