VOL. 54 ISSUE 28 JULY 18, 2017 P79
After strolling into
the reception area and
past the desk, you go
through a doorway and
see a seemingly end-
less series of race bikes
disappearing out of
sight around a curved
wall. Their illusion of
procession draws you
inside. To your left, a
smaller room lit bright
white hosts individual
displays of the very earli-
est bikes. They stand
out clearly, restored to
perfect condition and
shining against the white
walls behind them. Most
are flanked and backed
by written information,
video screens and artis-
The Cucciolo engine
and fuel tank started
Ducati's path into
motorcycling. This
little kit provided
Italian bicycle riders
with a humble,
functional power plant
and it helped get the
war-damaged country
mobile again in the
late 1940s. Ducati
soon followed up with
its first full motorcycle,
the 60, but things
really got going in
the 1950s after Fabio
Taglioni brought his
engineering ideas to
the company. Taglioni
became a legend of
motorcycle design,
and the 125 Sport (left)
is part of his legacy.
When was the last time you saw this pristine an example of Ducati's first
superbike, the 750GT? After Fabio Taglioni created this machine, Ducati
didn't look back. The earliest V-twin had spring-controlled valves, but
Taglioni quickly added desmodromic operation—a system that opened
and closed the valves mechanically. Ducati still uses desmo valves to this
day. Meanwhile, bevel-drive Ducatis are among the most collectible bikes
in the world, and the early round-case models like this are right up there.
