Just 500 of the classically-proportioned Ducati Paul Smart 1000LE bikes were imported to the US, with silver half-faired bodywork and a blue-green frame intended to recall the bike ridden to victory by Paul Smart at the Imola 200 in 1972, a win without which Ducati might not exist. Modern retro-styled bikes often use their throwback…
Built between 1994 and 2004, the Aprilia RS250 has justifiably developed a cult following among dedicated corner-carvers and track rats. It’s the quintessential “giant killer,” wrapping an impossibly lightweight frame and sleek bodywork around a very compact, 250cc powerplant yanked straight out of Suzuki’s RGV250, with brakes designed to stop a much heavier motorcycle. That…
Introduced in 1987, the 851 was a huge leap forward for Ducati, adding four-valve heads, liquid-cooling, and fuel-injection to their 90° v-twin. The resulting engine was good for a claimed 93hp at the rear wheel and was dubbed the “Desmoquattro” for obvious reasons. The new bike allowed Ducati to again be competitive in racing, and…
Introduced in 2008, the Bimota DB7 is yet another collaboration with Ducati and has been one of their most successful bikes in terms, not only of sales numbers, but in terms of function. While they’ve always offered on-paper advantages over the bikes from which they borrow their engines, many Bimotas, right out of the box,…
One of the things I love about old bikes is the detailing. Even simple oil lines and brackets are often beautifully crafted, even if they leak or quickly corrode… But with modern bikes, so much is molded from cheap plastic, or hidden behind overstyled panels. Sure, it all works, but where’s the art? Well, apparently,…
The oldest European manufacturer in continuous production of motorcycles, Moto Guzzi has an impressive history, from their founding in 1921 by two Italian Air Force pilots and their mechanic, championship-winning 250, 350, and 500cc racing machines, to the present-day large displacement fuel-injected street bikes. Long a technical innovator, the company developed a 500cc engine with…
The Paso has long been the low-cost entry into Ducati ownership, an often overlooked bike maligned for its slab-sided styling. Shockingly different when introduced and unfairly shunned by the oddly conservative Ducatisti, sales were disappointing. But in spite of its red-headed-stepchild reputation, the bike has the usual Ducati pedigree: it was designed by Massimo Tamburini,…
Okay, I know you guys are going to jump on the non-standard paint, asking just what damage the shiny, orange-scented paint is hiding… This particular Aprilia RS250 definitely isn’t for purists, but might make a great bike for the right buyer. The RS250 is a famously agile, although this bike features the front end from…
