With a Master's degree in English Literature and six years of writing experience, Aayush has been contributing to TopSpeed for over two years. Since 95% of his personality is motorcycles, he goes beyond the spec sheet to explore the culture and spirit of motorcycling. Where do we begin with Ducati motorcycles — by calling them Ferraris of motorcycles, how they are wallpapers on thousands of devices (including the one this article is being written on), or its rich heritage that has given the world some of the best bikes ever ? Anything we say falls short of the Ducati legacy and reputation, but if you plan on purchasing a Ducati, you can already understand what we’re saying. Love is often difficult to put into words, and that’s what the fans of Ducati feel when they look at these bikes. Born out of Borgo Panigale, a city in Bologna, Italy , Ducati is an exotic motorcycle manufacturer known for producing brutal and beautiful machines, many of which have become the most sought-after and influential motorcycles ever. Yet, they have a reputation somewhat clouded in myth and misinformation — the misfortune of being a brand often inaccessible and misunderstood by many . One thing’s for sure, though: no one questions the Ducati character; it’s enthralling and dazzling, and Ducatis are unlike any other bikes. Ducati offers a wide variety of models and flavors, so it's important to find one that suits your preferences, riding style, and budget to avoid wasting money. Ducati motorcycles are known for their rich character, beautiful designs and powerful engines that create an enthralling and unique riding experience. While Ducatis may not be the most reliable motorcycles, proper maintenance and care can make them almost as reliable as their rivals, it is however, important to be aware of the expensive maintenance costs associated with owning a Ducati. Find Your Flavor: Paved To Unpaved And Everything In Between Picking The Wrong Ducati Can Be An Expensive Mistake Ducati motorcycles come in a wide variety, from power cruisers to superbikes and from scramblers to adventure bikes. Most individual models also come in many flavors, ranging from the cheapest mass-produced specimens to hyper-exclusive specials — think Panigale V4 and Superleggera V4 . So, you must find your flavor and pick a model that best suits your preferences, riding style, and budget. You don’t want to waste your money on a bike that doesn’t satisfy you. With Ducatis, the names refer to the general engine displacement of the bikes, and the larger the number, the faster and more feature-rich the motorcycle will be. The letters and numbers following the name denote special features, such as: EVO (848 EVO) is an acronym for “evolution,” denoting a second generation or evolution of a bike (or systems) S or Sport-Spec (Diavel 1260 S) refers to an upgraded variant of a motorcycle, and these usually come with better suspension (read: Ohlins) and some carbon fiber bits SP or Sport Production (Monster SP) denotes bikes with more technical upgrades for the track R or Race-Spec (Streetfighter V4 R) stands for the race version of the base variant, and these bikes are often homologation specials Superleggera (Superleggera V4) is reserved for the most extreme and lightest Ducati models — they’re the best that Ducati has to offer, only short of their MotoGP bikes So, pick a type of bike you like and its variant, from regular to fancy. And if you want to get more technical, you can even look at the engines — Desmosedici, Desmosedici Stradale, DVT, Testastretta, and more. More Character Than Your Favorite Novel They’ve Got A Personality You Can’t Resist Ducati motorcycles aren’t considered exotic simply because they are built in Italy but because of their rich character. What does this character mean, exactly? It’s hard to pinpoint what makes these bikes so characterful, but many things come together to produce an entourage effect. Of course, the most noticeable feature is the design; Ducati has always prioritized design as much as performance, and the brand is accredited for producing some of the most beautiful bikes ever . Ducati 848, anyone? This Italian flair makes you feel special, whether riding one or standing next to one. Let’s keep design aside and come to performance, where Ducatis are again quite unique. The V-twins and V-fours may not be the most refined or efficient engines, but they produce explosive power and a menacing growl, making the riding experience special even if you’re only riding to the nearest Starbucks. The chassis, the suspension, the electronics, everything comes together to make Ducatis enthralling motorcycles to ride. And don’t worry if a Ducati bike rattles; the dry clutch is loud and melodious. You’d be lying to yourself if you didn’t grin while riding one in its power band! In fact, many bikers claim that all Ducatis are unique and no two Ducatis ride the same. Most Influential Ducatis: Ducati Cucciolo Ducati Desmosedici RR Ducati Monster 900

Treat A Ducati Like Your Partner Owning Them Is As Engaging As Riding Them We asked a Panigale 1198 owner about his ownership experience, and he aptly said, “I have to treat it like my girlfriend; it demands attention and love,” and we couldn’t agree more. If you’re someone who rides and forgets or doesn’t want to bother getting your hands greasy, Ducatis are not for you; you should stick to Japanese bikes. But if you don’t mind giving your motorcycle some attention, love, and care, Ducatis are right up your alley. But what kind of attention are we talking about? Obviously, you don’t have to serenade your Ducati, but you do need to start it once a week and take it for a spin, be patient with warming the engine up if it’s an older model, learn to do basic maintenance on your own, and keep up with general maintenance. Ducatis have an attitude, and if you don’t respect them, they will throw tantrums. For example, some models won’t start if the battery is not fully charged, the older models’ tanks corrode if stored for a long time, and some bikes have electrical gremlins. And please don’t ride a Panigale in the city; it’s not a city bike. Most Beautiful Ducati Motorcycles Ever: Ducati Sportclassic 1000 S Ducati 1199 Panigale MythBusters: Reliability And Service Cost Not As Unreliable As You Might Think — As Long As You Are Rich Yes, Ducatis aren’t the most reliable motorcycles ever , but they aren’t as bad as some people make them out to be, especially the recent models. Perhaps this problem arises from misplaced expectations: you’re paying so much, so the bike has to be perfect and worry-free, but that’s not the case. Remember, these bikes are incredibly well-built and tuned for performance, so the parts will experience a lot of wear and tear. As long as you take care of the bikes, they are almost as reliable as their rivals (perhaps not BMWs). Regular service and general maintenance are the secrets of owning Ducatis. However, we can’t deny the maintenance cost of Ducati motorcycles — it’s expensive. Ducati does not produce as many motorcycles as Japanese brands, and Italy is known for many things but not cheap spares. So, servicing and repairing a Ducati will cost more than its rivals, mainly if you import any spares from another country. Then there’s the petrifying Desmo service, which can cost many dollars. You also need a good mechanic for your Ducati, who will charge more per hour; any random mechanic who doesn’t have experience working on these bikes will end up doing more harm than good. Lastly, you should know that Ducatis gulp more gas, the insurance is high, and you need to take special care of it when parking it anywhere — you can’t leave it on the street overnight. Common Problems With Ducati Motorcycles: Electrical malfunctions Faulty throttle control Faulty oil pressure sensor Engine overheating Starting troubles It’ll Be Unlike Anything You’ve Ever Owned They Don’t Have As Many Red Flags Despite Actually Being Loudly Red If the only bikes you’ve ever ridden are Japanese or American, you’re in for a treat, but here’s the thing: you can never fathom the stunning experience of riding a Ducati in a quick spin. For the whole experience, you’ll have to get to know the bike, understand its character and attitude, and spend some time working on it. When you do that, you’ll know why Ducatis are what they are and why people spend more money on maintaining their old Ducati money pits than getting a more “reliable” bike. Owning a Ducati will be one of the best decisions of your life — as long as you treat it with love and respect. It will make you a better bike and owner. Best Ducati Motorcycles To Own In 2023: Ducati Diavel V4 Ducati Hypermotard 950 RVE Multistrada V2 S Panigale V4 / V4 S / V4 SP2 / V4 R