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[December 4, 2001]
Las Vegas and La Bella Macchina
Article and Photos by Michael T. Lynch
Seen at Ducati Revs America, Ducati Designer Pierre Terblanche's latest, the MH900e.
Like it or hate it, it makes a strong statement.
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Most Veloce Press Magazine readers are familiar with the post-World War II racing successes of Italian marques like Alfa Romeo, Maserati, OSCA and Ferrari. Fewer may know that during this period, Italian manufacturers Moto Guzzi, Gilera, Benelli and Mondial all won motorcycle road racing World Championships. Despite the efforts of these storied firms, most of the glory brought to Italy on two wheels during this era came from the screaming MV Agustas. These thoroughbreds from Cascina Costa di Verghera established a competition record that even Italian automobiles couldn't equal. From 1952 until 1974, MV Agustas won thirty-eight Riders and thirty-seven Manufacturers Championships in Grand Prix racing. This led to the MV being called the "Two-wheeled Ferrari". After MV withdrew in 1974, the spoils of GP racing were left to be picked over by the Japanese.
While MVs were winning over 2,000 races around the world, another Italian motorcycle maker was establishing its reputation. From the time of Marconi, Bologna was a hotbed of experimentation with radio. Ducati was founded in 1926 to commercialize patents on equipment for radio transmission held by Adriano Ducati. By the 1930s, the company had been built into a diversified international manufacturer of radio transmitters, cameras, toasters, radios and razors. During the hostilities of the 1940s, the factory in Bologna was bombed and the family began casting about for new endeavors. The plant was rebuilt and in 1946, and some of the old lines were revived. In 1946, Ducati introduced the Cucciolo, a tiny 48 cc motor intended to be attached to bicycles. It was an immediate success and versions were made into the 1950s, by which time the product had evolved into a complete moped of Ducati manufacture. In March 1950, the 60 became Ducati's first full-fledged motorcycle and the firm concentrated on ever-larger single-cylinder machines cumulating in the 450 cc of 1968.
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