Description
Author: Ian Falloon, Photography by Jame Mann, ISBN: 9780760345443, 239 pages, hardback, published in 2014
IN THE 60-PLUS YEARS since Ducati's inauspicious start manufacturing cheap 50cc motorcycles—really no more than a two-stroke powered bicycle—it has evolved to become a manufacturer synonymous with technical and performance excellence.
Ducati built its reputation on racing success, exclusivity, and performance. It was the first manufacturer to successfully deploy its now-signature desmodromic valve system in production machines. It used that syslem to great advantage in the 1974 750 SS, a motorcycle that went on to considerable racing success both in Europe and in the United States, cementing Ducati's reputation as a top-flight sports machine. Other classic bikes followed on from that formula, including the 900SS, Darmah, and Mike Hailwood Replica.
Ducati design and technology continuously evolved, and racing success and commercial interest surged beginning in the late 1980s with the introduction of the 851, a race bike that would dominate World Superbike results and lead to
the development of the MotoGP bikes that are dominant even today.
Success on the track led to improved sales in the showroom, and Ducati leveraged interest in its brand in the 1990s with a succession of exciting street machines, including the stunning 916 (so beautiful it was immortalized on an Italian postage stamp!), brutish Monster, 900SS, and ST series of sport tourers.
Recent history has been particularly rich for Ducati fans with championships in World Superbike and MotoGP and enticing motorcycles such as the Desmosedici Grand Prix racer, Panigale sport bike, Multistrada adventure bike, revised and update Monsters, Hypermotard, and Diavel power cruiser.
The Art of Ducati provides a beautifully photographed overview of Ducati's milestone machines. It's the ultimate tribute to Italy's most exciting motorcycle manufacturer.
Synopsis
OVER 60 YEARS AGO, a small company called Ducati began manufacturing simple, inexpensive 50cc motorcycles in Bologna, Italy. Since then, Ducati has evolved into one of the most storied names in motorcycling. Enthusiasts revere its lineup of beautiful machines for their technical excellence, extreme performance, and unparalleled style In The Art of Ducati. Ducat expert Ian Falloon teams with renowned photographer James Mann to present a gorgeously illustrated, thoughtfully curated review of more than six decades of Ducati excitement. From the single-cylinder bikes of the 1950s and 1960s to the bevel-drive twins of the 1970s and early 1980s to the high-performance bikes of the twenty-first century, The Art of Ducati showcases a motorcycle marque that has never rested on its laurels. Ducati's constantly evolving style and technology have spawned timeless classics such as the Mach 1, 750 SS, and Mike Hailwood Replica through today's cutting-edge models including the Panigale superbike, Multistrada adventure bike, and Diavel power cruiser. While there's no end in sight for Ducati's dominance, The Art of Ducati pays homage to its past six-plus decades of masterful motorcycle engineering.
