The Ducati brothers, Adriano and Marcello began to produce motorcycles in 1946. The brothers had owned an electricals factory which was damaged during the Second World War. This was subsequently taken over by the government leaving the brothers to turn their attention elsewhere.

The first Ducati was the 50cc four stroke Cucciolo engine that was designed to be clipped onto a bicycle. This innovation was a huge success and allowed the company to moe on to produce complete motorcycles.

In 1954 Fabio Taglioni joined Ducati as it's chief designer. Taglioni was to produce some of the company's most memorable and legendary models. He adopted the desmodromic valve operation for which Ducati is now famed.

Taglioni's first production bike for the company was the 100cc Grand Sport or Marianna. The bike featured a single cylinder engine which would form the basis for Ducati's to this day. By 1958 this bike's succesors finished second in the world championship.

In the 1970s Ducati produced some of the bikes thats ecured it's sporting reputation. The 250, 350 and 450 Desmo Roadsters desgned by Leo Tartarini won fans all aover the world with their sleek racing style. The larger capacity models were capable of over 100mph, pretty fast for the time!

Later in the 1970s Ducati produce the 900ss. This bike is considered by many to be the best Italian sportsbike of the decade. The 900ss was a no compromise blend of powerful v twin engine and high quality components all bolted to a cutting edge tubular steel frame. The 900ss was the culmination of a devlopment process that began back in 1971 with the 750GT. Paul Smart's 1972 win at the Imola 200 inspired Ducati to produce the 750ss version which was later replaced by the 900ss. Smart's win is legendary and is still an inspiration for the company today.

Another win of the 1970s came from another Englishman. Mike Hailwood rturned from retirement in 1978 to win the Isle of Man Formula One TT. This win inspired a production model to commemorate the victory.

During the 1980s ducati continued development of the desmodromic engines and had many more racing successes with the 851. This beautiful machine and it's road based replica stood out amongst it's high revving four cylinder Japanese competitors in looks and in sound.

In the 1990s Ducati produced probably it's best ever bike. The 916 and it's successive variants dominated the superbike racing scene with riders such as Carl Fogarty and Troy Bayliss. The 916's distinctive looks, designed by Massimo Tamburini, and it's racing success ensured huge sales and a place in history. Many people believe the 916 to be the most beautiful motorcycle ever made.

The successor to the 916/998 was the 999. This model had a hard act to follow and predictably was rejected by many Ducati fans for not being as pretty as the 998. Racing success also became harder to come by as the rules of superbike racing were changed to enable the Japanse to enter 1000cc four cylinder bikes instead of 750s. The 999 was still hugely successful on track even if sales were a disappointment.

Other recent models include the Multistrada. This odd looking hybrid bike uses the 1000cc air cooled engine from the 1000SS. It's height gives great visibility in traffic and it's upright riding style make for more comfortable long distance riding.