When Paul Smart rode a green-framed 750 to victory at Imola in 1972, Ducati history was made. No longer a bit player with smaller bikes, Ducati proved that they could compete on the world’s stage. And since that 1972 victory, Ducati has hunted down championship after championship. They have also reached back into the land…
Update 10.31.2017: SOLD! Congratulations to buyer and seller! -dc Ducati’s line of SportClassic retro-inspired motorcycles generated plenty of buzz when they were released in 2006, marrying retro styling cues and modern performance. The original Sport 1000 and Paul Smart/1000S versions were solo-seat only, but got revised rear suspensions and exhaust systems that allowed for a…
Update 9.15.2017: Bike has been sold. Congratulations to buyer and seller! Contact information removed. -dc Unlike some retro-styled motorcycles that sacrifice performance for style, Ducati’s SportClassics really allow you to have your cake and eat it too: they look great, with a nice blend of classic and modern styling cues, excellent handling, and enough power…
Different motorcycle manufacturers have different ways of mining riders’ nostalgia and their own history: Triumph makes motorcycles that look like they rolled straight out of the 1960s but perform like modern machines, while Harley Davidson makes actual 1960s motorcycles, only heavier and with 1980s brakes and electronics. Ducati’s retro bikes manage to straddle the…
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…
Lovely as they are, and sweet to ride, the 2006-only Ducati Paul Smart commemoratives are in a funny corner – too collectible to be riders, but the urge to customize can be irresistible. Many times they appear after a few years on the display stand, generally asking serious bucks, this one with some premium bits…
For some people building their dream bikes, the ideal is to create something that’s truly new, something that’s never been seen before. Others take a different approach, building something that looks basically original, but is just subtly different. They’re asking, “What if the factory kept building my favorite bike, but updated it to keep it…
While the world is quick to deride designer Pierre Terblanche for what he possibly got wrong at Ducati (arguments over the 749/999 series come to mind), the creation of the Sport Classic line was something he certainly got right. Invoking Ducati’s rich history with modern mechanics and the utter ride-ability and reliability of the fabled…