DUCATI MUSEUM
I first visited the Ducati factory in 1977. The opening of the new
museum prompted me to pay another visit. The main differences today
are that many components are bought in, some such as front fork
assemblies already fitted with brakes and wheels etc. and that all
the old lathes and milling machines have been replaced with state of
the art computer controlled equipment. This and the introduction of
Japanese production methods ensure a consistent build quality and a
large amount of component standardisation across the model range.
This is a contrast to the seventies when no two bikes were the same,
suspension components, brakes and electrical equipment often being
different on bikes with adjacent frame numbers.
The museum is biased towards the race machines with
only a few road bikes on display, but number and quality of the
exhibits more than compensate for this.
Here's a few snaps as a taster.
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Developed during the later part of World War 2 the Cucciolo (little puppy dog) engine was designed to provide cheap reliable transport for post-war Italy, but they were soon used for racing. |
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Details about visits are on the Museum Website
The factory and museum are at
Via Cavalieri Ducati, 3
Borgo Panigale (Bologna) - 40132 Italy
Tel. (39) 051 - 6413312, Fax (39) 051 - 6413342