ducati

Ducati Motor Holding (NYSE: DMH) is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer located in Bologna.

Ducati motorcycles have long been known for their excellence in design and performance. From the first post-Second World War bicycle-like low-displacement motorbikes Ducati has grown over the years into a racing giant that is consistently competitive in both the racing arena and the world motorcycle marketplace.

In the 1960s, Ducati earned its place in motorcycling history by producing the then fastest 250cc road bike available, the Mach 1.

In the 1970s Ducati began producing large-displacement L-twin motorcycles and in 1973 released a L-twin with the trademarked desmodromic valve design. In 1985, Cagiva bought Ducati and rebadged many of the Ducati motorcycles with the lesser-known Cagiva name (at least outside of Italy). The original intent was to use Ducati engines in Cagiva motorcycles. By the time the tortuous purchase was completed, Cagiva had decided to keep Ducati intact. In 1996, Texas Pacific Group bought for US$325 million a 51% stake in the company and in 1998, bought the remaining 49% and became the sole owner of Ducati. In 1999, TPG issued an IPO of Ducati stock and renamed the company Ducati Motor Holdings SpA. TPG sold over 65% of its shares in Ducati. In December 2005 Ducati returned to Italian ownership with the sale of Texas Pacific's stake (minus one share) to Investindustrial Holdings, the investment fund of Carlo and Andrea Bonomi.

Company history

Ownership

• (1950 - 1967) Government IRI management years (In 1953 split into Ducati Meccanica, and Ducati Elettronica, now called Ducati Energia SpA)
• (1967 - 78) Government EFIM management (control over day-to-day factory operations)

(1967 - 73) Headed By Montano

(1973 - 78) Headed by De Eccher.

• (1978 - 85) Subsidiary of state-subsidised VM Group
• (1985 - 1996) Cagiva Group ownership
• (1996 - 2005) Texas-Pacific Group ownership and going public

Headed by Federico Minoli, 1996-2001 and returning in 2003

• (2006 - present) Investindustrial: Back in Italian Hands

Beginnings

In 1926, two brothers Adriano and Marcello Ducati founded Societa Scientifica Radio Brevetti Ducati in Bologna. The company producing tubes, condensers and other radio components. The cornerstone of a new factory in Borgo Panigale was laid in 1935. During the war, the factory was a target for Allied bombing. Although badly hit more than once production was maintained. About this time Aldo Farinelli began working with the small Turinese firm SIATA (Societa Italiana per Applicazioni Tecniche Auto-Aviatorie) with the idea of developing a small engine that could be mounted on a bicycle. The noise of the engine's short stubby exhaust inspired the name "Cucciolo" (Italian: "little puppy"). Barely one month after the official liberation of Italy, SIATA announced their intention to sell Cucciolo engines to the public; it was the first new automotive design to appear in postwar Europe. The first Cucciolos were available only as a motor to be attached by the owner to a normal bicycle. Some businessmen bought the little engines in quantity, installed them in frames and offered these complete units for sale.

By 1950, with 200,000 Cucciolos already sold, Ducati finally offered its own complete motorcycle based on the successful little pushrod engine. The collaboration with SIATA resulted in a well designed little 60 cc bike. This first Ducati motorcycle weighed 98 pounds and had a top speed of 40 mph. Its 15 mm carburettor gave a little under 200 mpg. In the 1950's, Ducati officially dropped the "Cucciolo" name, replacing it with "55M" or "65TL".

The market was moving though, towards bigger motorcycles and Ducati's IRI management felt diversification was the only answer. Ducati made an impression at the early 1952 Milan Show, introducing the Ducati 65 TS cycle and the Cruiser, the world's first four-stroke scooter. Despite being described as the most interesting new machine at the 1952 show, the Cruiser was not a great success. A couple of thousand were made over a two year period before being withdrawn from production.

In 1953, management decided to split the operation into two separate entities, Ducati Meccanica SpA, and Ducati Elettrotecnica, under separate management. (Ducati Elettrotecnica became Ducati Energia SpA in the eighties.)

Dr. Guiseppe Montano took over as head of Ducati Meccanica SpA and the old Borgo Panigale factory was modernized with government assistance. By 1954, Ducati Meccanica SpA was producing 120 bikes a day, but cheap cars were entering the markets, and sales for many motorcycle manufacturers would decline.

Motorcycle designs

Ducati is best known for high performance motorcycles characterized by trellis-style frames and large capacity four-stroke, 90-degree L-twin^[1] engines featuring a desmodromic valve design^[2]. Modern Ducatis remain among the dominant performance motorcycles available today partly because of the Desmodromic valve design, which is nearing its 50th year of use. Desmodromic valves are closed with a separate, dedicated cam lobe and lifter instead of the conventional valve springs used in most internal combustion engines. This allows the cams to have a more radical profile, thus opening and closing the valves more quickly without the risk of valve-float which is likely when using a "passive" closing mechanisms under the same conditions.

While most other manufacturers utilize wet-clutches (with the spinning parts bathed in oil)^[3] Ducati uses multiplate dry clutches in almost all of their motorcycles. (BMW and Moto Guzzi use a single plate car type dry clutch. Some competition bikes use multiplate dry clutches.) The dry clutch eliminates the power loss from oil viscosity drag on the engine even though the engagement may not be as smooth as the oil bath versions, and the clutch plates wear more rapidly. Although the higher than average cost of servicing the Ducati's finicky engine can shock some owners, many people believe that the improved ride quality, performance, and styling of Ducatis is worth the extra cost.

Product history

The chief designer of Ducati motorcycles from the 1950s was the late Fabio Taglioni (1920-2001). He designed most Ducatis during this period, ranging from the small single cylinder machines that were successful in the Italian 'street races' up to the large capacity twins of the 80s. Ducati introduced the Pantah in 1979; its engine was updated in the 1990s in the Ducati SuperSport (SS) series. All modern Ducati engines are derivatives of the Pantah, which uses a toothed belt to actuate the engine's valves.

1950s

see Ducati Singles,

1960s

1964 Ducati Berliner 1260 Apollo

1970s

see also Ducati Two Valve V Twins (1970 on)

In 1973, Ducati also commemorated its 1972 win at the Imola 200 with the production model green frame Ducati 750 SuperSport.

(In 2006 the retro styled Ducati PaulSmart1000LE, which shares styling cues with the 1973 750 SuperSport (itself a production replica of Paul Smart's 1972 race winning 750 Imola Desmo ) was released, as one of a SportClassic series representing the 750 GT, 750 Sport, and 750 SuperSport Ducati motorcycles.)

1980s

Ducati Liquid-cooled Multi-valve V Twins (1985 on)

1990s

In 1993, Miguel Angel Galuzzi introduced the Ducati Monster^[4] , a naked bike with exposed trellis and engine. Today the Monster accounts for almost half of the company's worldwide sales. The Monster, which has been out since 1994, has undergone the most changes of any motorcycle that Ducati has ever produced. After more than a decade of manufacturing, Ducati continues to create innovative changes to this classic motorcycle.

In 1995, the company introduced the Ducati 916 model designed by Massimo Tamburini, a water-cooled version that allowed for higher output levels and a striking new bodywork that featured aggressive lines, underseat exhausts, and a single-sided swingarm. Ducati has since ceased production of what many called the bike of the 1990s, supplanting it with the 749 and 999.

Current lineup

In 2001 the Ducati Multistrada was first shown at the Milan Motorshow.

2006: Ducati manufactures several lines of motorcycles: naked sport bikes: Ducati Monster, faired sport bikes: Ducati 1000DS Supersport and Ducati 800SS superbike 749 and 999, adventure-tourer Multistrada 620 and 1000DS, sport tourers Ducati ST3, and retro-replicas SportClassic.

• Motors used in 2006:

• Desmodue: Desmo two valve air cooled, 40° included valve angle, (800SS, Multistrada 620, Monster 620 695 803 992)
• Desmodue Double Spark: Desmo two valve , air cooled, 40° included valve angle, (1000DS, Multistrada 1000DS)
• Desmotre Double Spark: Desmo three valve, liquid cooled, 40° included valve angle, (ST3)
• Desmoquattro Testastretta: Desmo four valve, liquid cooled, 25° included valve angle, (999, 749, Monster S4RS)

Future

In 2005, Ducati introduced its concept supermotard motorcycle, the HyperMotard.^[5] The company has announced this bike will enter production in time for delivery by spring 2007.^[6]

In 2006 the Ducati 999R Xerox appeared.

In 2006 Ducati announced that they will produce road versions of their Desmocedici MotoGP (GP6, 235-256 bhp) race bike, called the Desmosedici RR (RR for "Race Replica"). These machines will have more than 200 bhp (149 kilowatts) and will cost US$65,000 and initially will be offered only to owners of the 999R.

Ducati has begun testing of the Desmosedici GP7, the next version of Ducati's MotoGP entry. The GP7 will comply with new regulations requiring a maximum of 800 cc (as compared with the 989 cc of the GP6). Horsepower is also down to about 225 bhp.

Motorcycle design history

Ducati (in its various incarnations) has produced several styles of motorcycle engines, including varying the number of cylinders, type of valve actuation and fuel delivery. Ducati is best known for its "L-Twin" motor which is the powerplant in the majority of Ducati-marqued motorcycles. Ducati has also manufactured engines with one, two, three or four cylinders; operated by pull rod valves and push rod valves; single, double and triple overhead camshafts; two stroke and even at one stage manufactured a stationary diesel engine, many of which were used as emergency pumps (eg for fire fighting). Currently, Ducati makes no other engines except for its motorcycles.

On current Ducati motors, the valves are actuated by a standard valve cam shaft which is rotated by a timing belt driven by the motor directly. The teeth on the belt keep the camshaft drive pulleys indexed. On older Ducati motors, prior to 1981, drive was by solid shaft that transferred to the camshaft through bevel-cut gears. This method of valve actuation was used on many of Ducati's older single cylinder motorcycles - the shaft tube is visible on the outside of the cylinder.

Ducati is also famous for using the desmodromic valve system championed by engineer and designer Fabio Taglioni though they have also used engines that use valve springs to close their valves. In the early days, Ducati reserved the desmodromic valve heads for its higher performance bikes and its race bikes. These valves do not suffer from valve float at high engine speeds, thus a desmodromic engine is capable of far higher revolutions than a similarly configured engine with traditional spring-valve heads.

In the 1960s and -70s Ducati produced a wide range of small 2-stroke bikes, mainly sub-100cc capacities. Large quantities of some models were exported to the States.

Ducati has produced the following engine types:

• Single cylinder,
  • bevel actuated, spring valved: 160cc, 250cc, 350cc, 450cc
  • bevel actuated, desmodromic valved: 250cc, 350cc and 450cc
• Two cylinder,
  • bevel actuated, spring valved (L-Twin): 750cc, 860cc
  • bevel actuated, desmo valved (L-Twin): 750cc, 860cc
  • chain actuated, spring valved (parallel twin): 350cc, 500cc (GTL)
  • chain actuated, desmo valved (parallel twin): 500cc (500SD)
  • belt actuated, desmo valved (L-Twin): Almost all motors since 1986.
• Four cylinder,
  • belt actuated, desmo valved (L-quattro): (Desmosedici)
• bevel actuated, spring valved (L-4):

in the last case only the Apollo motorcycle of 1260 cc has been built. It was too powerful for the tires and only 2 were made.

Ducati products other than motorcycles

Ducati Meccanica (as the company was previously known) has its marque on non-motorcycle products as well. In the 1930s and 40s, Ducati manufactured radios, cameras, and electrical products such as a razor. The Ducati Sogno was a half-frame Leica-like camera which is now a very rare collectors' item.

Currently, there are three Ducati companies: Ducati Motor Holding (the subject of this article), Ducati Corse (which runs the Ducati racing program) and Ducati Energia, a designer and manufacturer of eletrical and electronic components and systems. All are based in Bologna, Italy.

Racing History

The company has enjoyed twelve World Superbike championships since the series' inception in 1988. The company also races its motorcycles in MotoGP where it returns from a hiatus of over 30 years.

World Superbike Championships

• • 1990 Raymond Roche - Ducati 851
  • 1991 Doug Polen - Ducati 888
  • 1992 Doug Polen - Ducati 888
  • 1994 Carl Fogarty - Ducati 916
  • 1995 Carl Fogarty - Ducati 916
  • 1996 Troy Corser - Ducati 916
  • 1998 Carl Fogarty - Ducati 996
  • 1999 Carl Fogarty - Ducati 996
  • 2001 Troy Bayliss - Ducati 996
  • 2003 Neil Hodgson - Ducati 999
  • 2004 James Toseland - Ducati 999
  • 2006 Troy Bayliss - Ducati 999

See also

• List of Italian companies
• List of motorcycle manufacturers
• List of Ducati motorcycle models

External links

Official Ducati links

• Ducati main website The manufacturer's main website; current model info, including online information, history, manuals and race team info (Italian/English)
• Ducati North America website Ducati NA information for USA and Canada.
• Ducati Japan website Ducati NA information for Japan (Japanese).

Enthusiast and owner resources

• Ducati Meccanica Website Information, photos, and resources for all classic Ducati Bevel drive motorcycles (manufactured 1954 to 1985).
• duc.nu>> Ducati pictures, manuals, movies, racing and more (Dutch/English).
• Ducati Webring Webring of approx 130 Ducati related websites.
• Ducati Monster List Ducati Monster Owners resource and community forum site (USA based)
• The Ducati Owners Club GB The largest and oldest Ducati club worldwide, (UK based)
• Ducati Multistrada List Ducati Multistrada pictures, discussion, technical assistance, owner feedback forums, ride stories, links, manuals, movies, marketplace, racing and more (English).
• BevelHeaven - Classic Bevel Drive Ducati Forum Ducati Singles and Twins through until 1985.
• Wheels Of Italy Ducatis and other Italian Motorcycles
• Ducati Owners site and home to the largest MH900e registry
• The Ducati Porta - Ducati owners discussion site
• 1996 900SS/SP Registry

Regional enthusiast websites

• The Monster Owners Club UK-based club for Ducati Monster Owners
• UK Ducati Forum UK: Free forum for chat and technical help, pictures, videos, classifieds, meets, ride-outs and more!
• The Ducati Sporting Club UK: Home of the UK's newest club for Ducati owners and enthusiasts.
• Ducatistas.com Spain's biggest Ducati fan club, free chat, forums, meetings, events, and more.
• DESMO USA: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut owners' group
• Central Florida Ducati Group USA: Central Florida group of owners and enthusiasts.
• US DESMO Southeast US Ducati Club, Web site with forum, listings of up coming events and reviews of past events. Quarterly club magazine, track days, and weekend rallies.

Ducati technical reference sites

• Desmo Times This site includes DIY information and resources for Ducati Enthusiasts to be able to maintain their own Ducatis.
• Desmodromic Valve Gear What does desmo mean?

Other

Ducati Sogno(photo)

References

1. ^ 90-degree L-twin
2. ^ desmodromic valve design
3. ^ Paragraphs 3 & 4 of Transmissions
4. ^ Ducati Monster
5. ^ HyperMotard
6. ^ HyperMotard