10 Most Iconic Ducati Motorcycles Ever Made

The Bologna-based manufacturer has become a household name in performance bikes, producing some of the most iconic sportbikes and superbikes ever.

The name Ducati has become synonymous with the fastest motorcycles ever made, the Italian company utilizing racing competition at the highest level to aid in developing some of the most sophisticated bike technology ever seen on two wheels.

In producing some of the world's most incredible superbikes ever, Ducati drew on knowledge gained from previous models, building on a strong foundation of racing discipline and road competence. One huge factor in Ducati's sustained success is they just plain make some of the coolest motorbikes in existence, with style and flair that come to embody the Ducati experience.

This list outlines some of the most iconic motorcycles designed by the Italian marque, starting with some of the early bikes that set the stage for what would become the ultra-modern, ultra-high performance Ducati motorcycles as we know and love them today.

RELATED: Here’s Why The 240+ HP Ducati Panigale V4 R Is Not For The Faint Hearted

Production Years

1969-1974

Configuration

Single-Cylinder

Displacement

436 cc

Power

27 hp

Model Variants

Scrambler 250, Scrambler 350, 450 R/T

In 1968, Ducati built what they later called the first "real" Ducati scrambler bikes. These bikes had wider engine cases than their predecessors and got aimed primarily at the American market, which was undergoing a dirt bike craze at that time.

436 cc was the largest displacement possible with the single cylinder, bevel gear driven OHC design engine at that time. The bike was not known as the fastest motorcycle, but got points for being well-rounded as well as literally possessing clean rounded body lines considered very sexy.

Fast-forward 40 years on, and the new, next-gen Ducati Scrambler combines classic looks with modern features. The Ducati Scrambler website also features an entire bike model line of what they call the Scrambler family.

Production Years

1971-1974

Configuration

V-Twin

Displacement

748 cc

Power

60 hp

Model Variants

750 Imola Desmo, 750 Super Sport

Italian designer Fabio Taglioni gets credited for drawing sketches of the first Ducati V-twin ever in 1970. Prior to 1971, Ducati only manufactured single cylinder bikes up to 450 cc, but with an eye on racing glory, the higher-ups at Ducati commissioned Taglioni to develop the V-Twin which eventually made its way into the Ducati 750 GT bike.

The production 750 GT got based on the iconic Ducati 750 Imola Desmo racebike. That bike launched Ducatis early racing success and, in hindsight, was an early foreshadowing of Ducati's unforseen racing dominance in the years to come.

The Ducati 750 GT is an iconic bike as it was the first Ducati ever to feature the now infamous 90-degree V-twin engine, with the model featured at the Ducati Museum in Borgo Panigale, Italy, where the manufacturer still has its headquarter and factory today.

Production Years

1972-1981

Configuration

V-Twin

Displacement

748 cc

Power

72 hp

Model Variants

750 GT, 750 Imola Desmo

The Ducati 750 Super Sport was the first production bike to use desmodromic valves, with Ducati using the 750 GT model as its basis. This makes the 750 Super Sport one of the most important and iconic bikes in Ducati's history, as the Desmodromic system is still a defining technology that sets Ducati apart from the crowd.

The 748 cc 90-degree, air-cooled V-twin engine closed the valves with cams instead of the conventional springs and made 72 hp for the 1973 model year. The 1974 Ducati 750 Super Sport "round case" is one of the rarest classic bikes ever made, with a past auction on BringATrailer.com getting bid up to $151K and still not meeting the reserve price set.

Production Years

1987-1992

Configuration

V-Twin

Displacement

851 cc

Power

93 hp

Model Variants

851 SP, 851 Strada

In 1987, Cagiva (parent-company of Ducati at that time) funded a new engine design with designer Massimo Bordi at the helm. The result was Ducati's first liquid-cooled 4-valve V-twin engine with desmodromic heads. The engine dubbed the "Desmoquattro" set the stage for legendary future Desmoquattro models to come in the form of the 888 and the infamous 916.

Featuring electronic fuel injection and spitting out 93 hp, the 1989 Ducati 851 SP saw all issues with the Ducati 851 initial model ironed out, and was an incredible, modern superbike of that time. The bike was succeeded by the SP2 which saw the 851 motor bored out to 888 cc and then replaced by the legendary Ducati 916. ​​​​​​​

Production Years

1994-1998

Configuration

V-Twin

Displacement

916 cc

Power

112 hp

Model Variants

996, 998

In 1993, designer Massimo Tamburini laid pen to paper and one of the most beautiful motorcycles ever created was born. The Ducati 916 debuted as a 1994 model and featured one of the best motorcycle engines ever made, arguably, with the 916 cc 90-degree V-twin Desmoquattro engine being an evolution of the 888 motor.

The 916 also introduced several functional and aesthetically-pleasing features that went on to become Ducati's iconic trademarks such as the steel trellis frame, single-sided swingarm, and dual-pipe under-seat exhausts. - The clean, round body lines and simple but modern look of the superbike set the bar for what a beautiful sporting motorcycle could be. On top of that, the 916 started an era of dominance for Ducati in the World Superbike Championship with the Ducati 916, as well as the Ducati 996 and 998 model variants going on to win titles successively. ​​​​​​​

Production Years

1993-present

Configuration

V-Twin

Displacement

904 cc

Power

73 hp

Model Variants

M600

The 1993 Ducati Monster M900 represented a big change philosophically from Ducatis past sportbike heritage. According to the Ducati.com website, the M900 intended to be a "masterpiece of visual minimalism", meaning they stripped the motorcycle down to its essential parts.

What was born was the iconic Ducati Monster line of bikes that essentially created the naked bike segment as we know it today. Other manufacturers followed suit, blessing the motorcycle world with bikes like the Suzuki SV650 and the Yamaha FZ/MT line.

The 1993 M900 used a trellis frame from the Ducati 851 and the 904 cc engine from the Supersport model which made 73 hp from the 90-degree 2-valve desmodromic V-twin motor.

The Monster has sold in huge quantities and evolved over 25 years, with the 2023 Ducati Monster SP's Testastretta engine making 111 hp, while still retaining the naked sportbike character originally based on the first model.

RELATED: The Ducati Monster SP Is The Best Thing We Have Seen In A Long Time

Production Years

2007-2009

Configuration

V-Twin

Displacement

1,099 cc

Power

160 hp

Model Variants

848, 1098S, 1098R

Following the Ducati 999s failure to capture the Ducatisti fanbase, the Ducati 1098 got designed from the ground-up by Gianandrea Fabbo for the 2007 model year. The Ducati 1098 was a high-performance motorcycle like the 999 but went back to roots with the 1098 featuring dual-pipe under-seat exhausts, a single-sided swingarm, and an old-style headlight design harkening back to the 916 model.

The 1,099 cc 90-degree V-twin EVOluzione engine sported 4-valves per cylinder, desmodromic-actuation, and dual overhead cams. At time of release, it was the most powerful production V-twin ever made and saw immediate success in WSBK with Troy Bayliss winning the title in 2008 with the 1098R.

RELATED: This Is How Much A Ducati 1098 Costs Today

Production Years

2011-present

Configuration

V-Twin

Displacement

1,198 cc

Power

195 hp

Model Variants

959, 1199, 1299

The Panigale debuted in 2011 and represented an entirely new family of top-shelf sportbikes and superbikes. Ducati introduced a huge design change with a monocoque frame using the engine as a stressed member of the chassis, replacing Ducati's iconic steel trellis frame.

The all-new look of the Panigale was widely regarded with praise, as the aggressive lines and sexy body shape underlined that this new superbike meant business. With each new model drop, Ducati touted the Panigale as the most powerful production V-twin motorcycle ever made as well as boasting the highest power-to-weight AND torque-to-weight ratios for a production motorcycles at the time.

​The 1198cc Testastretta EVOluzione-based V-Twin engine delivers 195 hp and 97 lb-ft of torque which would only get surpassed by the uber special 1299 Superleggera model and the Panigale V4 that succeeded it.

​​​​​

Production Years

2017

Configuration

V-Twin

Displacement

1,285 cc

Power

220 hp

Model Variants

None

Standing for "Superlight", the Ducati 1299 Superleggera is the ultimate expression of the Desmodromic V-Twin that made Ducati famous. The bike is an icon in its own right as the last Ducati superbike to don the V-twin engine before Ducati switched to the V4 motor. The only Ducati with a two-cylinder engine is the middleweight Ducati V2 (previously known as the 959).

Essentially a street-legal hyperbike by all definitions, the 1299 Superleggera got loaded with trick everything, with no expenses spared to make every single part the lightest weight possible. This includes but is not limited to a carbon fiber monocoque mainframe, subframe, single-sided swingarm, and wheels.

Weighing in at an astonishing 364 lbs with a full tank, it's a dream bike. That is, if you can ever ride one, let alone see one. Ducati produced only 500 bikes which sold out immediately, and with the cost of a Ducati 1299 Superleggera today selling for well over the $80K MSRP, one can quite literally only dream. ​​​​​​​

Production Years

2018-present

Configuration

V-4

Displacement

1,103 cc

Power

214 hp

Model Variants

V4S, V4R, V4 SP2

In 2018, Ducati took the plunge and made a huge shift, moving away from their iconic V-twin motor and committing to a new V4 engine design. The new motor dubbed the Desmosedici Stradale is a 1,103cc 90-degree V4 engine with a revised Desmodromic valve train and semi-dry sump lubrication.

Making 214 hp and 91 lb-ft of torque, the V4 was an instant hit among Ducatisti, world-championship level racers, and motorcycle riders at large.

For that specific type of human that requires the most extreme, outrageous, fast-to-the-point-of-being-ridiculous motorcycle, the 2023 Ducati Panigale V4R is as crazy as a motorcycle gets. Pushing out 240 hp with the optional race exhaust fitted and some special oil, production motorcycles don't get any crazier than this!​​​​​​

Eric King is a motorcycle enthusiast at heart but loves all things with a motor and wheels. From watching racing to riding and racing roadbikes as well as dirtbikes, he loves it all! He has experience writing articles for a motorcycle publication and enjoys the process of writing about one of his greatest passions. Along with a deep knowledge of bikes, he also enjoys working on, driving, and writing about cars and trucks.