Summary
From sporting single-cylinder bikes of the 1950s to high-performance sportbikes of today, this updated edition of The Complete Book of Ducati Motorcyclesshowcases Ducati’s entire output. Though legendary today, Ducati motorcycles began rather modestly, selling motorized bicycles to impoverished residents of post-World War II Italy. Today, Ducati is Europe’s premier manufacturer of high-performance street motorcycles whose recent sales have risen year after year. Its svelte,
hyper-accelerating sportbikes are two-wheeled wonders
fluent in the language of speed.
The Complete Book of Ducati Motorcycles, 2nd Edition details the
Bologna-based company’s amazing chronology, from the 1950s to present day. Presented chronologically and in encyclopedic form with
gorgeous photography and insights from Ducati expert Ian Falloon, the book offers motorcycle enthusiasts a close look at the craftsmanship, power, and beauty of these extraordinary motorcycles. The book
features all of the motorcycles from Ducati’s storied history through 2022, including:
- Sporting singles of the 1950s and ’60s
- The groundbreaking Desmodromic 750 Super Sport
- The iconic Mike Hailwood Replica
- The stunning, Superbike-dominating 916
- Today’s hip Scrambler and epic Panigale superbike
This information-packed, lushly illustrated oversize volume is a must-have for all Ducatisti and a great gift for any motorcycle enthusiast.
Author Biography
Ian Falloon was born in New Zealand and studied engineering and music at Victoria University, Wellington. After a motorcycle accident brought an end to his career as a symphony orchestra oboist, he began writing articles about motorcycles for magazines including Classic Bike, Cycle World, Motorcyclist, Two Wheels, Motorcycle Sport, and Australian Motorcycle News. His first book, The Ducati Story, has run to several editions and has been published in three languages. The success of The Ducati Story led to a series of Ducati books and histories of Honda, Kawasaki, BMW, and Moto Guzzi motorcycles including Motorbooks titles The Complete Book of Ducati, The Complete Book of Moto Guzzi, The Complete Book of Triumph Motorcycles, and The Art of Ducati. With an interest and passion spanning decades, Ian now concentrates on collecting and restoring older Italian motorcycles, particularly Ducati, MV Agusta, Laverda, and Moto Guzzi. He lives in Melbourne, Australia, and is ably supported in his projects by his family.
Table of Contents
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1 After the War: Cucciolos and Overhead-Valve Singles, 1946–1954
CHAPTER 2 Taglioni’s Arrival: The Gran Sport and Desmodromics Overhead Camshaft and Overhead-Valve Singles, 1955–1960
CHAPTER 3 Dubious Proliferation: Overhead Camshaft, Overhead-Valve Singles, and Two-Strokes, 1961–1970
CHAPTER 4 Ducati’s First Superbike: The 750, Singles, and Twins, 1971–1974
CHAPTER 5 Economic Rationalization: The 860, 900, Parallel Twin, and Pantah, 1975–1984
CHAPTER 6 The Cagiva Era: The Paso, 851, and 888, 1986–1993
CHAPTER 7 Groundbreaking New Models: The 916 and Monster, 1994–2002
CHAPTER 8 Confused Directions: The 999 and Sport Classic, 2003–2006
CHAPTER 9 Grand Prix Success: MotoGP, Desmosedici, 1098, 2007–2011
CHAPTER 1 0 A New Lease on Life: Panigale, MotoGP Resurrection, the Scrambler, and V4 2012–2022
INDEX
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