Length: XL / TL: 2160 mm / 85.0 in. SL: 2150 mm / 84.6 in
Width: XL / TL: 710 mm / 28.0 in. SL
670 mm / 26.4 in
Wheelbase
1450 mm / 57.1 in
Seat Height
XL / TL: 760 mm / 29.9 in
SL: 740 mm / 29.1 in
Dry Weight
XL / TL: 177 kg / 390 lbs
SL: 176 kg / 389 lbs
Fuel Capacity
18 L
/ 4.8 US gal / 4.0 Imp gal
Top Speed
XL / TL: 170 km/h / 106 mph
SL: 180 km/h / 112 mph
The Pantah XL was a simplified
version of the fully faired Pantah SL 350, aimed mainly at the Italian market.
It was sold in Spain and Greece as well but I am not aware it ever reached the
bigger English-speaking markets.
The Italian law offered several advantages to 350 cc bikes: lower VAT purchase
tax, lower insurance and road tax, and they could be ridden at 18 years of age,
while one had to be 21 to ride a bigger capacity bike. So, most Italian bikes
that were born 500 cc were also made in 350 cc versions: the Laverda 8 valve
twin, the Guzzi “small block” series and the Ducati parallel twin among them.
With the XL Ducati went a little further than just fitting an underbored engine
to a big bike: the fixed fairing was removed and a small nose fairing identical
to that of the TL model was fitted, some accessories were removed or replaced
with cheaper ones to lower the price: there wasn’t the pillion seat cover, the
brake discs were solid, the rear shocks were the cheaper Paioli without external
reservoir, slightly raised handlebars took the place of the clip-ons… All in all
a good bike with a powerful little engine that loved to rev high: max power was
claimed to be 38 hp @ 11500 RPM!
But it was more expensive than the Morini 3 1/2 Sport and of the Guzzi Imola,
and it wasn’t all that quicker after all. But most of all it was very heavy to
be a 350… so sales were never outstanding. Despite being less sophisticated,
The Morini was a “proper” 350 and not a bored down 500, so it offered the kind
of performance 18 years old wanted (it was nearly 20 kg lighter than the
Ducati XL!!). And the Guzzi Imola had that “little Le Mans” aura around it
that gave it that extra appeal
The TL was the first attempt to make a touring bike from the Pantah. Although
the Pantah was launched as a “sport touring” bike to be ridden two up, it
certainly wasn’t and the need for a more sedate and comfortable bike was felt.
So a more comfortable riding position and milder cams were designed for the
“Touring L model”. Unfortunately, also a new bodywork was designed. The most
positive definition that comes to my mind for this bike’s cosmetics is
“perplexing”. The seat and tank are ordinary looking at best, the little nose
fairing is something already seen on some Japanese bike of the time. But the
long sidepanels that hide the top cylinder are a designer’s bad dream. They hide
the vertical cylinder so that motor looks like a horizontal single, Aermacchi
style, and the whole bodywork looks heavy and tall. The whole bike reminds of a
large semi-bodied scooter. Removing the sidepanels, or hiding them under a
proper fairing made things a little better.
It’s a real pity that the TL was so ugly, because it was a good bike. Despite
being tuned down from the SL 600, it was fast enough to compete in its class
(which included the Guzzi V65, the BMW R60 and the Yamaha XZ 550) and had all
the stability and handling virtues of the SL600. The TL was built in 350 and 600
cc versions and was the starting base for the Alazzurra with which it shares
more than one can imagine. For example the whole footpegs and pedal compartment
is identical.