Ducati 750GT

While origins are often cloaked in mystery, the precise evolution of the Ducati 750 GT is still discernible. The bevel-gear twin cylinders with a 90° V configuration, long known as an “L-twin” configuration, have a precise date of birth: March 20, 1970. British historian Ian Faloon relates that Fabio Taglioni drew the first sketch of what is perhaps his most famous and best loved engine, which over the years was to acquire the affectionate name of “pompone” (“big pump”), on the last day of winter 1970.

It was not long before the prototype was on the bench. It was a twin cylinder (really, a motorcycle engine’s ideal structure) arranged longitudinally and in a 90° V configuration. As far as balance went, this was also the best choice.

Taglioni’s method was direct, logical, and practical. He envisioned the bike as an essential sports machine. The distribution used the same single overhead camshaft driven by bevel-gear as the single-cylinders, while the capacity of 750 cc was obtained with a bore and stroke of 80 x 75 mm. The prototype was built rapidly. The result: a very personal sort of motorbike in which the engine played the central role, even stylistically.

The final bike was very similar to the prototype. The GT 750 appeared in June 1971. Its frame was more proportionate than that of the prototype, while the carburetors were 30 mm Amal Concentrics. It was also fitted with a front Lockheed disk brake. Its very name, Gran Turismo, immediately revealed that it was no sports bike, but the potential of this twin was immediately apparent to its enthusiasts.

The round case bevel engine is the loveliest piece of mechanical art ever put in a motorcycle frame. It looks like a slice of a 30's aviation radial! It had Contis which sounded like armageddon. The most wonderful sounding motorcycle I've ever heard.

The super torquey engine pulled beautifully and made it a joy to ride. In its day, this was the hottest motorcycle money could buy. After riding a 1967 Triumph Bonneville for years, it was an absolute revelation. It is on a whole other level in terms of handling stability and performance. The frame is the most solid of its era. It does feel very long and high, and with shockingly little steering lock, it's a real handful at low speeds. Until you get used to it, you are always whacking the steering to the lock and then having to stick out your leg to keep from falling over.

On the open road it's just a joy. It feels soooo stable on very high speed corners. Trying this on a contemporary Japanese bike would be absolutely terrifying. It really outclasses anything from the 70's, except maybe a Guzzi V7 sport or LeMans, but the Ducati engine is in a class by itself.

First introduced to the market in 1971, the 750GT was the personification of a flash-bang Ducati. It was flashy, to say the least. The first examples of the 750GT came with silver painted frames with the tank and side covers finished in a colorful blend of metallic colors that included gold, lime green, bright blue, or red.

Colors notwithstanding, the true highlight of the 750GT was its 748 cc SOHC V-twin engine that was capable of hitting top speeds in excess of 120 mph. The surest sign that Ducati went and invested a whole lot in the 750GT was because of the laborious and painstaking detail they took just to build one.

The construction of the engine was so precise that it took up to eight hours to assemble one unit, making sure that all the bevel-drive gears and bearings were correctly set up. If it was a racing engine, Ducati would take two days to build one. Initially, the bike’s sales lagged until Paul Smart won at Imola in 1972 with the 750GT, beating some of the best manufacturers this side of the galaxy. As a result, the 750GT became a legend of sorts, with Taglioni even saying that its engine was the best he ever designed.