Oh, another unpublished piece I came across, also written more than a year ago...
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Selected Ducati dealers in the country has received the fisrt batch of SportClassics recently. The range features the Paul Smart 1000 Limited Edition, the Sport 1000, while the GT 1000 will follow later in the year. These bikes pay tribute to the three 750cc models at the beginning of the seventies that started the Ducati heritage as we know it today.
The first real Ducati superbike is arguably the 1974 750SS, built to commemorate Paul Smart’s unexpected win of the prestigious Imola 200 race in 1972. Only 200 were built, and all were snapped up and raced successfully. Surviving examples one of the most expensive and collectable Ducatis today. That 1972 win marked the racing pedigree that is almost synonymous with the brand today.
More than three decades later, Ducati sees it fit to repeat that commemoration. Retro only in appearance, complete with green and silver colurscheme of the original bike, the Paul Smart 1000 is, in fact, very advanced.
The café racer styled 1000 Sport is reminiscing the 1973 bike, the 750 Sport. The original Sport with its naked appearance and bright paintwork was a development of the 1791 750GT (which inspired the upcoming GT1000 SportClassic), Ducati’s first V-twin, featuring a 750 cc capaitu with bevel-driven, single-overhead camshafts, and of course, the firm’s renowned Desmodrmic valve-gear that utilises the camshaft rather than springs to close the valves. Up till then, Ducati built singles only, and the V-twin was created by combining two singles as the crank at a 90 degree angle.
The Paul Smart 1000 retailes for R123 000, but are produced in extremely limited quantities (about 2000), while the Sport 1000 will be more widely available, and is also cheaper at R92 000.
The GT 1000 will be more touring oriented, and has provision for a pillion, unlike the other bikes in the range.
All three bikes feature the same air-cooled 992cc Dual Spark engine that also does duty in the 1000DS Super Sport, Monster S2R and Multistrada 1000.
Ducati has done this before, not too long ago. The year 2000 MH900e was modern intepretation of the 1979 Hailwood Replica, which honoured Mike Hailwoods emotional win a year earlier of the Isle of Man Fomula One TT. Hailwood came out of retirement, which is partly why the win was is memoritive.
The MH900e was unveiled as a concept bike only, but public response was so good, Ducti put the bike into limited production. One thousaned units was put up for sale on the company’s website on the fisrt day of the new mellinuim, and was sold in a few hours.
These emotive machines appeal to the older Ducatisti that was around when the original versions were tearing up back roads and race-tracks, but also to the younger generation that has an appreciation for the heritage of the marque.
Either way, Ducati has learned that nostalgia sells.
The first real Ducati superbike is arguably the 1974 750SS, built to commemorate Paul Smart’s unexpected win of the prestigious Imola 200 race in 1972. Only 200 were built, and all were snapped up and raced successfully. Surviving examples one of the most expensive and collectable Ducatis today. That 1972 win marked the racing pedigree that is almost synonymous with the brand today.
More than three decades later, Ducati sees it fit to repeat that commemoration. Retro only in appearance, complete with green and silver colurscheme of the original bike, the Paul Smart 1000 is, in fact, very advanced.
The café racer styled 1000 Sport is reminiscing the 1973 bike, the 750 Sport. The original Sport with its naked appearance and bright paintwork was a development of the 1791 750GT (which inspired the upcoming GT1000 SportClassic), Ducati’s first V-twin, featuring a 750 cc capaitu with bevel-driven, single-overhead camshafts, and of course, the firm’s renowned Desmodrmic valve-gear that utilises the camshaft rather than springs to close the valves. Up till then, Ducati built singles only, and the V-twin was created by combining two singles as the crank at a 90 degree angle.
The Paul Smart 1000 retailes for R123 000, but are produced in extremely limited quantities (about 2000), while the Sport 1000 will be more widely available, and is also cheaper at R92 000.
The GT 1000 will be more touring oriented, and has provision for a pillion, unlike the other bikes in the range.
All three bikes feature the same air-cooled 992cc Dual Spark engine that also does duty in the 1000DS Super Sport, Monster S2R and Multistrada 1000.
Ducati has done this before, not too long ago. The year 2000 MH900e was modern intepretation of the 1979 Hailwood Replica, which honoured Mike Hailwoods emotional win a year earlier of the Isle of Man Fomula One TT. Hailwood came out of retirement, which is partly why the win was is memoritive.
The MH900e was unveiled as a concept bike only, but public response was so good, Ducti put the bike into limited production. One thousaned units was put up for sale on the company’s website on the fisrt day of the new mellinuim, and was sold in a few hours.
These emotive machines appeal to the older Ducatisti that was around when the original versions were tearing up back roads and race-tracks, but also to the younger generation that has an appreciation for the heritage of the marque.
Either way, Ducati has learned that nostalgia sells.
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