.

In the 1960s, Ducati earned its place in motorcycling history by producing the then fastest 250cc road bike available, the Mach

In the 1970s Ducati began producing large-displacement L-twin motorcycles and in 1973 released a L-twin with the trademarked desmodromic valve design. In 1985, Cagiva bought Ducati and rebadged many of the Ducati motorcycles with the lesser-known Cagiva name (at least outside of Italy). The original intent was to use Ducati engines in Cagiva motorcycles. By the time the tortuous purchase was completed, Cagiva had decided to keep Ducati intact. In 1996, Texas Pacific Group bought for US$325 million a 51% stake in the company and in 1998, bought the remaining 49% and became the sole owner of Ducati. In 1999, TPG issued an IPO of Ducati stock and renamed the company Ducati Motor Holdings SpA. TPG sold over 65% of its shares in Ducati. In December 2005 Ducati returned to Italian ownership with the sale of Texas Pacific's stake (minus one share) to Investindustrial Holdings, the investment fund of Carlo and Andrea Bonomi.

Ducati is best known for high performance motorcycles characterized by trellis-style frames and large capacity four-stroke, 90-degree L-twin[1] engines featuring a desmodromic valve design[2]. Modern Ducatis remain among the dominant performance motorcycles available today partly because of the Desmodromic valve design, which is nearing its 50th year of use. Desmodromic valves are closed with a separate, dedicated cam lobe and lifter instead of the conventional valve springs used in most internal combustion engines. This allows the cams to have a more radical profile, thus opening and closing the valves more quickly without the risk of valve-float which is likely when using a "passive" closing mechanisms under the same conditions.

While most other manufacturers utilize wet-clutches (with the spinning parts bathed in oil)[3] Ducati uses multiplate dry clutches in almost all of their motorcycles. (BMW and Moto Guzzi use a single plate car type dry clutch. Some competition bikes use multiplate dry clutches.) The dry clutch eliminates the power loss from oil viscosity drag on the engine even though the engagement may not be as smooth as the oil bath versions, and the clutch plates wear more rapidly. Although the higher than average cost of servicing the Ducati's finicky engine can shock some owners, many people believe that the improved ride quality, performance, and styling of Ducatis is worth the extra cost.

In 2001 the Ducati Multistrada was first shown at the Milan Motorshow.

2006: Ducati manufactures several lines of motorcycles: naked sport bikes: Ducati Monster, faired sport bikes: Ducati 1000DS Supersport and Ducati 800SS superbike 749 and 999, adventure-tourer Multistrada 620 and 1000DS, sport tourers Ducati ST3, and retro-replicas SportClassic.

On September 12, 2006 Ducati announced the Ducati Multistrada 1100 and Ducati Multistrada 1100S motorcycles, with a new Dual Spark 1078 cc engine producing 95 bhp (claimed) at 7750 rpm and 76 ft·lbf of torque at 4,750 rpm, and both have a wet clutch. The 1100 S features an Öhlins suspension.

* Motors used in 2006:

* Desmodue: Desmo two valve air cooled, 40° included valve angle, (800SS, Multistrada 620, Monster 620 695 803 992)
* Desmodue Double Spark: Desmo two valve , air cooled, 40° included valve angle, (1000DS, Multistrada 1000DS)
* Desmotre Double Spark: Desmo three valve, liquid cooled, 40° included valve angle, (ST3)
* Desmoquattro Testastretta: Desmo four valve, liquid cooled, 25° included valve angle, (999, 749, Monster S4RS)

Future

In 2005, Ducati introduced its concept supermotard motorcycle, the HyperMotard.[5] The company has announced this bike will enter production in time for delivery by spring 2007.[6]

In 2006 the Ducati 999R Xerox appeared.

In 2006 Ducati announced that they will produce road versions of their Desmocedici MotoGP (GP6, 235-256 bhp) race bike, called the Desmosedici RR (RR for "Race Replica"). These machines will have more than 200 bhp (149 kilowatts) and will cost US$65,000 and initially will be offered only to owners of the 999R.

Ducati has begun testing of the Desmosedici GP7, the next version of Ducati's MotoGP entry. The GP7 will comply with new regulations requiring a maximum of 800 cc (as compared with the 989 cc of the GP6). Horsepower is also down to about 225 bhp.