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| Luxury Lifestyle: Autos & Vehicles, Motorcycles, Ducati Moto |
| cars - motorcycles - vintage |
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| The Ducati story starts in 1926 when Ducati brothers founded a company in Bologna, Italy to produce radio components. In 1935 was opened a new factory in Borgo Panigale, where is presently located the Ducati Motor Holding. During the war Ducati starts developing a small engine to be mounted on a bicycle, called Cucciolo. It was the most innovative vehicle on the market in Europe, the motor could be attached by the owner to a normal bicycle. Thanks to the success of Cucciolo, in the 1950 Ducati offered its clients a complete motorcycle based on a 60cc engine and a top speed of 64km/h (40mph). |
| Then the market required bigger engine motorcycles, and Ducati's management started diversification and producing several models. In the ’60, Ducati become worldwide known for high performance motorcycles thank to the 4 stroke, 2 cylinders at 90 degree, engines with desmodromic valve design.Still today the desmodromic valve design allows Ducati motorcycles to be a leader in Moto GP race. |
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| In all combustion engines valves are opened and closed thanks to springs. Ducati engine uses a dedicated cam lobe and lifter to open valves. The opening and closing of the valves is more quickly without the risk of floating, it allows to reach higher engine speeds (rpm) compared to traditional engines. An other big difference between Ducati engine and other engines is the “dry clutches” eliminating the loss of power due to oil viscosity, rather than wet clutches mostly used by motorcycle manufacturers. Most Ducati motorcycles were designed by Fabio Taglioni, a young designer that worked in Ducati from 1950. In 1979 he introduced a very innovative engine, nowadays still used on all Ducati Super Sport motorcycles. In 1993 was introduced the Ducati Monster, an high performance naked bike probably the most popular Ducati round the world. |
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