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We visit Ducati in Borno Panigale to trace the 90-year history of the brand from its origins to the present day.

Few people know that the legendary Italian motorcycle manufacturer, Ducati, actually started out as a manufacturer of radio components. Founded in 1926 by the three Ducati brothers Adriano, Bruno, and Marcello, Ducati became very successful, and within 10 years the foundations of their company had grown tremendously. From having only two manual workers and a secretary, the factory in Borno Panigale opened in 1936 with a few thousand employees.

As I walked around the factory on a beautiful summer day in Italy, I could feel the sense of pride that all the current employees have for the Ducati brand. They all wear their bright red shirts with the Ducati name printed across their chests with respect. There is plenty to see and the history of the factory itself is amazing. Situated on the outskirts of Bologna, the Ducati headquarters is a must-visit for anyone. You do not have to be a Ducati fan or even a motorcycle enthusiast. Organizing a factory tour and a visit to the Ducati Museum is definitely a pleasant experience for anyone.

The Ducati headquarters is in Emilia-Romagna, famously known as ‘Motor Valley.’ This area between Bologna and Modena boasts the factories of some of the most famous automotive brands. Ferrari, Lamborghini, Ducati, Maserati, are all located here, as well as a few internationally renowned racetracks. There is plenty to do for the avid auto enthusiast and history buff as well. Bologna itself is a city of art, culture, and trade. It also goes by the name “The Fat” because of the delicious food on offer, and the city boasts one of the most extensive and best-preserved medieval historic centers in Europe.

A quick bus ride to the outskirts of the city will bring you to the hallowed grounds of Ducati’s headquarters. I got a private tour of the entire facility, and then, transported back in time to see some of the most historic and legendary motorcycles of all time at their one-of-a-kind museum.

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The Ducati Museum is right by the main gate of the massive Ducati facility. The moment you enter you are first welcomed by a beautiful layout of the current Ducati motorcycles. The DesretX, the Diavel, and the beautiful Panigale V4 SP2 show the present-day brilliance of the brand. From then on, it's an incredibly immersive experience into the brand’s history.

The Ducati Museum opened its doors in 1998 and was conceived as a way of telling the story of the brand using four different narratives – Moments, The Origins, History of Road Motorcycles, and History in Competitons. The 360-degree hall is specifically designed to guide visitors through the history of Ducati from its origins up until the present day.

Before you enter the circular hall, you are first introduced to a few of the very first products ever made by Ducati. On display are radios, micro cameras, projectors, calculators, and even Italy’s first-ever electric razor.

Next up is the very first Ducati motorcycle ever – the Cucciolo. The Cucciolo was actually a propulsion engine that could fit onto any bicycle. After the Second World War, Italy faced a mobility issue, and Ducati was in need of generating more income. That is when the company decided to manufacture engines. 1946 saw the birth of this practical and efficient engine and the Cucciolo could run on any fuel and could reach a speed of up to 31 mph. It became an international success thanks to Ducati’s vast sales network.

In 1949, the first complete motorcycle manufactured at Ducati’s factory was the Ducati 60. It used a modified version of the Cucciolo engine and marked Ducati’s entry into the world of motorcycle manufacturing. From the old posters on display, it was evident that this motorcycle was also targeted toward women riders.

There is an entire room dedicated to the birth of Ducati motorcycles, and it includes some original marketing campaigns as well, which are very cool to see.

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On the inner circle of the hall is the complete lineup of Ducati’s most historic race competition motorcycles. Although Ducati earned its first motorsport wins with the Cucciolo, it wasn’t until 1955 that Ducati created its first purebred sports motorcycle. Thanks to the help of a new engineer named Fabio Taglioni, Ducati developed its first race motorcycle – the Gran Sport Marianna. Taglioni went on to become one of Ducati’s most important designers of all time, and the Marianna became one of the most dominant motorcycles of the '50s, giving Ducati a reputation across Europe for producing high-performance and reliable motorcycles.

On display at the Ducati Museum are some of the most influential race bikes from the brand. You can get up close to these iconic machines and see the evolution of Ducati’s racing technology right before your eyes. Taglioni had also created the Desmodromic timing system, and you get to see the first bikes that ever used this technology, starting with the 125 GP Desmo and the 250 GP Desmo. Legendary racer Mike Hailwood raced on both of these bikes.

The history of Ducati in the world of racing comes to life through this amazing sequence of competition bikes, and each one of them tells the most fascinating story. The line-up of competition bikes goes all the way up to the most modern and high-tech MotoGP motorcycles. Some of my favorites were the 1975 750 SS Demo, the 1986 750 F1, and the 2008 1098 F08 ridden by Troy Bayliss in his last season of the SBK where he won his third title.

The lineup of these beautiful race competition bikes ends with the 2016 Desmosedici GP16, and from then on you also get a glimpse into the riding suits and gear of some of the most famous Ducati racers. It is then completed with a display of trophies belonging to those champions.

There are plenty of treasures to see at the Ducati Museum. Some of the rarest motorcycles include the Siluro, which translates to torpedo in English. Based on the Gran Sport Marianna, this unlikely motorcycle set 46 land speed records. Also on display is the 175 T used by Ducati employees Leopoldo Tartarini and Giorgio Monetti to ride 37,282 miles across the world. The trip took almost a year to complete and was a marketing campaign to promote the Ducati brand as a reliable motorcycle manufacturer. Another favorite of mine is the 1990 Cagiva Elefant, ridden by Edi Orioli who won the infamous Paris-Dakar rally.

Even though there are plenty of hidden gems to discover at the Ducati Museum, the most fascinating motorcycles to see are the original road motorcycles that have cemented Ducati’s name into history as the world’s best motorcycle manufacturer. Starting things off is the 1962 450 Scrambler Rebel Icon. Designed to be an off-road machine, the Scrambler became an instant icon in the US, which then spread across the world. It was also the first motorcycle to use yellow and orange color schemes that were not traditional for Ducati at the time.

The first bike to use the advanced trellis frame was the Pantah 500, and it was also one of the most successful motorcycles in the '70s. It merged the performance of Ducati’s newly developed two-cylinder engine with the agility of the trellis frame. The Pantah paved the way for a new generation of Ducati sports bikes, such as the 750 F1, which was the creation of the supersport category of bikes and was also the last motorcycle designed by Taglioni.

With Taglioni’s departure came the arrival of Massimo Tamburini and his first motorcycle design was the beautiful Paso 750. This was also the first road bike to feature a full fairing. It is also responsible for making red the official color of Ducati. This motorcycle looks absolutely amazing when you see it in person, but there is something even more spectacular to see – the 916.

The 1994 Ducati 916 is perhaps one of the most beautiful motorcycles ever created and is widely considered to be Massimo Tamburini’s best work. The detailing was immense and Tamburini even designed the heads of some screws himself. The 916 is a work of art and a privilege to see in person.

If you are a fan of the naked sports bike then you will be very happy to see the very first naked sports bike on display – the 1993 Monster 900. The Monster created a completely new segment of sports bikes that instantly became a global sensation.

In total, the twenty most iconic and exceptional Ducati models are on display and presented in an exhibition in four different halls of the museum. You can spend all the time you like in the Ducati Museum to admire these incredible machines and learn more about them.

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The Ducati factory itself has tremendous history and is also a must-visit if you get the opportunity. Inaugurated in 1936, this is Ducati’s main headquarters where its motorcycles are designed, assembled, and shipped all across the globe. The factory was once occupied by the Germans and also bombed heavily during World War II. Today though, it is bustling with life, and as I entered the factory thousands of employees were getting ready to start their day. I was greeted by a young and enthusiastic Ducati team and was happy to see many women working on the factory floor assembling engines.

The factory has many sections, with different assembly lines for each engine and model. I was lucky enough to see the new V4 engine assembly line. A Ducati motorcycle always begins with the assembly of the engine. After a complete engine unit gets assembled it is then tested and then carried by little automated robots to the main assembly line where the wheels and body panels get assembled onto the chassis. The Ducati Corse R&D center is also located here, but access is completely off limits for obvious reasons. Some of the most brilliant engineers are at work here every day. As you continue the tour you will be able to experience the birth of a Ducati motorcycle. It is a wonderful opportunity to witness, and you can feel the energy in the massive factory halls. Despite the pandemic, workers at the factory have been working extra hard and were able to deliver 60,000 motorcycles to customers in 2021, and they are showing no signs of slowing down in 2022. At the factory, you will clearly notice that the employees are very happy to be working there.

Ducati’s ownership might have changed many times throughout its 90-year history but in its current form, it’s still one of the most loved motorcycle brands, and it’s still making some of the most beautiful and sought-after high-performance motorcycles on the planet. Revisiting Ducati’s history at its original birthplace was an amazing experience, and I highly recommend it to anyone. For information on tickets, appointments, and visiting hours you can visit the Ducati website.

Jared Solomon is a top automotive journalist who has spent the last 12 years covering the Asian and European markets. Having worked as an editor for many leading publications across the world, Jared also offers his services as a consultant in new product development for auto makers. However, it's hardcore 4x4s and dirt bikes that really sets his heart racing.