Ducati
Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. is themotorcycle-manufacturing division of Italian company Ducati, headquartered in Bologna, Italy. The company is owned by German automotive manufacturer Audi through its Italian subsidiary Lamborghini, which is in turn owned by the Volkswagen Group.[2]
History
The first Ducati logo, 1926–1930s[3]
In 1926 Antonio Cavalieri Ducati and his three sons, Adriano, Marcello, and Bruno Cavalieri Ducati; founded Società Scientifica Radio Brevetti Ducati in Bologna to produce vacuum tubes, condensers and other radio components. In 1935 they had become successful enough to enable construction of a new factory in the Borgo Panigale area of the city. Production was maintained during World War II, despite the Ducati factory being a repeated target of Allied bombing.
Ducati Factory
Ducati "Cucciolo", 1950
Meanwhile, at the small Turinese firm SIATA (Societa Italiana per Applicazioni Tecniche Auto-Aviatorie), Aldo Farinelli began developing a small pushrod engine for mounting on bicycles. Barely a month after the official liberation of Italy in 1944, SIATA announced its intention to sell this engine, called the "Cucciolo" (Italian for "puppy," in reference to the distinctive exhaust sound) to the public. The first Cucciolos were available alone, to be mounted on standard bicycles, by the buyer; however, businessmen soon bought the little engines in quantity, and offered complete motorized-bicycle units for sale.
In 1950, after more than 200,000 Cucciolos had been sold, in collaboration with SIATA, the Ducati firm finally offered its own Cucciolo-based motorcycle. This first Ducati motorcycle was a 48 cc bike weighing 98 pounds (44 kg), with a top speed of 40 mph (64 km/h), and had a 15 mm carburetor (0.59-inch) giving just under 200 mpg‑US(1.2 L/100 km; 240 mpg‑imp). Ducati soon dropped the Cucciolo name in favor of "55M" and "65TL".
When the market moved toward larger motorcycles, Ducati management decided to respond, making an impression at an early-1952 Milan show, introducing their 65TS cycle and Cruiser (a four-stroke motor scooter). Despite being described as the most interesting new machine at the 1952 show, the Cruiser was not a great success, and only a few thousand were made over a two-year period before the model ceased production.
In 1953, management split the company into two separate entities, Ducati Meccanica SpA and Ducati Elettronica, in acknowledgment of its diverging motorcycle and electronics product lines. Dr. Giuseppe Montano took over as head of Ducati Meccanica SpA and the Borgo Panigale factory was modernized with government assistance. By 1954, Ducati Meccanica SpA had increased production to 120 bikes a day.
In the 1960s, Ducati earned its place in motorcycling history by producing the fastest 250 cc road bike then available, the Mach 1.[4][5][6] In the 1970s Ducati began producing large-displacement V-twin motorcycles and in 1973, released a V-twin with the trademarkeddesmodromic valve design. In 1985, Cagivabought Ducati and planned to rebadge Ducati motorcycles with the "Cagiva" name. By the time the purchase was completed, Cagiva kept the "Ducati" name on its motorcycles. Eleven years later, in 1996, Cagiva accepted the offer from Texas Pacific Group and sold a 51% stake in the company for US$325 million; then, in 1998, Texas Pacific Group bought most of the remaining 49% to become the sole owner of Ducati. In 1999, TPG issued aninitial public offering of Ducati stock and renamed the company "Ducati Motor Holding SpA". TPG sold over 65% of its shares in Ducati, leaving TPG the majority shareholder. 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.
In April 2012, Volkswagen Group's Audisubsidiary announced its intention to buy Ducati for €860 million (US$1.2 billion). Volkswagen chairman Ferdinand Piëch, a motorcycle enthusiast, had long coveted Ducati, and had regretted that he passed up an opportunity to buy the company from the Italian government in 1984. Analysts doubted a tiny motorcycle maker would have a meaningful effect on a company the size of Volkswagen, commenting that the acquisition has "a trophy feel to it," and, "is driven by VW's passion for nameplates rather than industrial or financial logic". Italian luxury car brandLamborghini was strengthened under VW ownership.[7][8] AUDI AG's Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. subsidiary acquired 100 percent of the shares of Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. on 19 July 2012 for €747 million (US$909 million).[2]
Ownership
Since 1926, Ducati has been owned by a number of groups and companies.
- 1926–1950 – Ducati family
- 1950–1967 – Government Istituto per la Ricostruzione Industriale (IRI) management
- 1967–1978 – Government EFIM management (control over day-to-day factory operations)
- 1978–1985 – VM Group
- 1985–1996 – Cagiva Group
- 1996–2005 – Texas-Pacific Group (US-based) ownership and going public
- Headed by CEO Federico Minoli, 1996–2001; returning for 2003–2007
- 2005–2008 – Investindustrial Holdings S.p.A.
- 2008–2012 – Performance Motorcycles S.p.A.[11]
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- An investment vehicle formed by Investindustrial Holdings, BS Investimenti and Hospitals of Ontario Pension Plan
- 19 July 2012 – present – Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A.[2]
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- AUDI AG acquired 100% of the voting rights of Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. via Audi's Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. subsidiary
Ducati's old logo used from 1997 to 2008[12]
From the 1960s to the 1990s, the Spanish company MotoTrans licensed Ducati engines and produced motorcycles that, although they incorporated subtle differences, were clearly Ducati-derived. MotoTrans's most notable machine was the 250 cc 24 Horas (Spanish for "24 hours").
Motorcycle designs
Ducati is best known for high-performance motorcycles characterized by large-capacityfour-stroke, 90° V-twin engines,[13] with adesmodromic valve design.[14] Ducati refers to this configuration as L-twin because one cylinder is vertical while the other is horizontal, making it look like a letter "L". 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 springsused in most internal combustion engines in consumer vehicles. 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 causes a loss of power that is likely when using a "passive" closing mechanism under the same conditions.
While most other manufacturers use wet clutches (with the spinning parts bathed in oil)[15] Ducati previously used multiplate dry clutches in many of their motorcycles. 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, but the clutch plates can wear more rapidly. Ducati has converted to wet clutches across their current product lines.
Ducati also extensively uses a trellis frame, although Ducati's MotoGP project broke with this tradition by introducing a revolutionary carbon fibre frame for the Ducati Desmosedici GP9.
Product history
The chief designer of most Ducati motorcycles in the 1950s was Fabio Taglioni(1920–2001). His designs ranged from the small single-cylinder machines that were successful in the Italian 'street races' to the large-capacity twins of the 1980s. 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. Taglioni used the Cavallino Rampante(identified with the Ferrari brand) on his Ducati motorbikes, Taglioni chose this emblem of courage and daring as a sign of respect and admiration for Francesco Baracca, a heroic World War I fighter pilot who died during an air raid in 1918.[16]
1950s
1960s
1970s
In 1973, Ducati commemorated its 1972 win at the Imola 200 with the production model green frame Ducati 750 SuperSport.
Ducati also targeted the offroad market with the two-stroke Regolarità 125, building 3,486 models from 1975 to 1979, but the bike was not successful.[17]
In 1975, the company introduced the 860 GT, designed by noted car stylist Giorgetto Giugiaro. Its angular lines were unique, but raised handlebars made for an uncomfortable seating position at high speeds and also caused steering issues.[18]
1980s
Ducati's liquid-cooled, multi-valve V-twins, made from 1985 on, are known asDesmoquattro ("desmodromic valve four"). These include the 851, 916 and 996, 999 and a few predecessors and derivatives.
The Ducati Paso was introduced in 1986 with the Paso 750, followed in 1989 with the Paso 906. The final version came in 1991 with the 907IE (Iniezione Elettronica), now without the name "Paso". The design was from the hand of Massimo Tamburini, who also designed theDucati 916 and MV Agusta F4. The Paso was a typical "you love it, you hate it" bike. However, at that time it looked like that all-enclosed bodywork would be the future for all motorcycles. The Paso design was copied for the Moto Morini Dart 400 and Cagiva Freccia125. Together with Tamburini's Bimota DB1, they were enormously influential in terms of styling.
1990s
In 1993, Miguel Angel Galluzzi introduced theDucati Monster,[19] a naked bike with exposed trellis and engine. Today the Monster accounts for almost half of the company's worldwide sales. The Monster has undergone the most changes of any motorcycle that Ducati has ever produced.
In 1993, Pierre Terblanche, Massimo Bordi and Claudio Domenicali designed the Ducati Supermono. A 550 cc single-cylinder lightweight "Catalog Racer". Only 67 were built between 1993 and 1997.
In 1994, the company introduced the Ducati 916 model designed by Massimo Tamburini,[20] a water-cooled version that allowed for higher output levels and a striking new bodywork that had aggressive lines, an underseat exhaust, and a single-sided swingarm. Ducati has since ceased production of the 916, supplanting it (and its progeny, the 748, 996 and 998) with the 749and 999.
2000s
In 2006, the retro-styled Ducati PaulSmart 1000 LE was released, which shared styling cues with the 1973 750 SuperSport (itself a production replica of Paul Smart's 1972 race winning 750 Imola Desmo), as one of aSportClassic series representing the 750 GT, 750 Sport, and 750 SuperSport Ducati motorcycles.
- Monster: 620, 695, 696, 750, 796, 900, S2R, S4R[21]
- Street fighter S[21]
- ST2, ST3, ST4[21]
- Paul Smart 1000LE and SportClassicvariants[21]
- SuperSport 750, 900, 1000[21]
- 748, 749, 848[21]
- 996, 998, 999, 1098, 1098S, 1098R,[21] 1198
- Desmosedici RR[21]
Current lineup
- 797
- 821
- 821 Stripe
- 1200
- 1200 S
- 1200 R
- 950
- 1200
- 1200 S
- 1200 S Pikes Peak
- 1200 Enduro
- Diavel
- Diavel Carbon
- XDiavel
- XDiavel S
- 959 Panigale
- 1299 Panigale
- 1299 Panigale S
- Panigale R
- 1299 Superleggera
- Supersport
- Supersport
- Supersport S
- Hypermotard 939
- Hypermotard 939 SP
- Sixty2
- Icon
- Classic
- Full Throttle
- Cafe Racer
- Desert Sled
Current engines
- Desmodue: Desmodromic two-valve, air-cooled, L-Twin, 60° included valve angle (Scrambler, Monster 797)
- Testastretta 11°: Desmo four-valve, liquid-cooled, L-Twin, 11° valve overlap angle (Supersport/Supersport S, Hypermotard/Hyperstrada 939, Multistrada 950, Monster 821)
- Testastretta 11° DS: Desmo four-valve, liquid-cooled, L-Twin, 11° valve overlap angle, dual ignition (Monster 1200, Diavel)
- Testastretta 11° DVT: Desmo four-valve, liquid-cooled, L-Twin, variable valve timing,dual ignition (Multistrada 1200 DVT, XDiavel)
- Superquadro: Desmo four-valve, liquid cooled, L-Twin, 157–205 bhp (117–153 kW) (Panigale 959 & 1299)
Past engines
- Desmodue Evoluzione: Desmo two-valve, air-cooled (Hypermotard 1100 Evo, Monster 1100 Evo)
- Desmodue DS: Desmo two-valve, air-cooled, 56° included valve angle, dual ignition(Hypermotard 1100, Multistrada 1000/1100, Monster 1100, Monster S2R 1000, SportClassic GT 1000, SuperSport 1000)
- Desmodue LC: Desmo two-valve, liquid-cooled (ST2)
- Desmotre DS: Desmo three-valve, liquid-cooled, 40° included valve angle, dual ignition (ST3)
- Desmoquattro: Desmo four-valve, liquid-cooled, 40° included valve angle, (851, 888, 916, 996, 748, Monster S4, Monster S4R, ST4, ST4s)
- Testastretta: Desmo four-valve, liquid-cooled, 25° included valve angle, (996R, 998, 999, 749, Monster S4R Testastretta)
- Testastretta Evoluzione: Desmo four-valve, liquid-cooled, 24.3° included valve angle, 41° valve overlap angle (848, 1098/1198, Streetfighter 1098)
Motorcycle design history
Ducati 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 itsV-twin engine, called a L-twin by the company, 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 small diesel engines, many of which were used to power boats, generators, garden machinery and emergency pumps (for example, for fire fighting). The engines were the IS series from 7 to 22 hp (5.2 to 16.4 kW) air-cooled and the larger twin DM series water- and air-cooled. The engines have been found in all parts of the globe. Wisconsin Diesel even assembled and "badge engineered" the engines in the USA. They have also produced outboard motors for marine use. Currently, Ducati makes no other engines except for its motorcycles.
On current Ducati motors, except for the Desmosedici and 1199 Panigale, 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 thecamshaft drive pulleys indexed. On older Ducati motors, prior to 1986, 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 oldersingle-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 the firm has 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 1970s, Ducati produced a wide range of small two-stroke bikes, mainly sub-100 cc capacities. Large quantities of some models were exported to the United States.
Ducati has produced the following motorcycle engine types:
- Single-cylinder,
- pullrod actuated, 48 cc and 65 cc (Cucciolo)
- pushrod actuated, 98 and 125 cc
- two-stroke, 50, 80, 90, 100, 125 cc
- bevel actuated, spring valved: 98 cc, 100 cc, 125 cc, 160 cc, 175 cc, 200 cc, 239 cc, 250 cc, 350 cc, 450 cc
- bevel actuated, desmodromic valved : 125 cc, 239 cc, 250 cc, 350 cc and 450 cc
- belt actuated, desmodromic valved : 549/572 cc Supermono, only 65 made.
- Two-cylinder,
- bevel actuated, spring valved (V-twin): 750 cc, 860 cc
- bevel actuated, desmo valved (V-twin): 750 cc, 860 cc, 900 cc, 973 cc (Mille)
- bevel actuated, desmo valved (parallel twin): 125 cc,
- chain actuated, spring valved (parallel twin): 350 cc, 500 cc (GTL)
- chain actuated, desmo valved (parallel twin): 500 cc (500SD)
- belt actuated, desmo valved (V-twin): Almost all motors since 1986.
- Four-cylinder,
- gear actuated, desmo valved (V4): Prototype Desmosedici, and Low volume Production Desmosedici RR, 1,500 made
- pushrod actuated, spring valved (V4): Prototype Apollo, only two made.
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