Ducati 125 Aurea

Make Model	Ducati 125 Aurea
Year	1958 - 62
Engine	Four stroke, single cylinder, OHV, pushrod
Capacity	124.4 cc / 7.6 cu in
Bore x Stroke	55.2 × 52 mm
Compression Ratio	6.8:1
Cooling System	Air cooled
Induction	Dell' Orto ME18BS carburetor
Ignition	6V, 28W, Flywheel magneto
Starting	Kick
Max Power	4.8 kW / 6.5 hp @ 6500 rpm
Transmission	4 Speed
Final Drive	Chain
Gear Ratio	1st 2.69 / 2nd 1.85 / 3rd 1.36 / 4th 1:1
Frame	Tubular steel, duplex full cradle
Front Suspension	Marzocchi hydraulically damped telescopic fork.
Rear Suspension	Non-adjustable twin hydraulic shock swingarm.
Front Brakes	123 x 25 mm Double shoe drum
Rear Brakes	123 x 25 mm Double shoe drum
Front Tyre	2.50 - 17
Rear Tyre	2.75 - 17
Dimensions	Length 1920 mm / 75.68 in Height 910 mm / 35.8 in
Wheelbase	1285 mm / 50.6 in
Seat Height	790 mm / 31.1 in
Dry Weight	90 kg / 198 lbs
Wet Weight	103.3 kg / 228 lbs
Fuel Capacity	15 Litres / 4.0 US gal / 3.3 Imp gal
Top Speed	86 km/h / 53.4 mph

Back in the late 50’s and the early 60’s, Ducati had the 125 Aurea, considered one of the best push-rod models in the Italian bike maker’s line-up. Carrying a 125 cc OHV single-cylinder engine that produced 6.5 horsepower and mated to a four-speed transmission, the 125 Aurea was capable of hitting a top speed of 53.3 mph.

The Ducati 125 Aurea was a Ducati motorcycle made from 1958 to 1962; it was only superficially different from the Bronco of 1960 to 1966.

The process that produced the Aurea, and the Bronco that followed, was a form of motorcycle marketing that was practiced with this marque at the time. Ducati's American importer, Berliner Motor Corporation would fly their US dealers to Italy to view the models in Ducati's lineup, alongside a choice of handlebars, seats, gas tanks and fenders that would fit on that model, and the dealers would pick which components in combination with which bike would most likely sell in the US market.

By this process, the 125 cc full-cradle framed 125 TV ended up with the stylish sporty fuel tank of the 125 Sport, a much higher spec model. Two years later, the Aurea would have its low, racing or "drag bar" style handle bars replaced with upright touring handlebars, and have added knobby, off-road tires, producing the 125 Bronco.[

The Ducati Story: Road and racing motorcycles from 1945 to the present day (4th ed.), p. 37, "At the request of Berliner in the US, the 98 cc Bronco appeared in 1959, and by 1960 the ohv model range was the 85T and S, 98 Bronco, Cavallino and TS, and 125 Aurea. The Aurea was an unusual model in that it used the twin cradle frame of the 1956 125TV, with the more sporting headlight and petrol tank of the 125 cc overhead camshaft bikes. The overhead valve motorcycles were definitely budget Ducatis, as the 125 Aurea, despite looking like a 125 Sport, only developed 6.5 bhp at 6,500 rpm from its 55.2 x 52 mm engine. The compression ratio was 6.8:1 and an 18 mm Dell'Orto carburettor was used. Performance didn't match that of the contemporary 125TS with its 10 bhp."