Ducati’s tribute to a pair of legendary motorcycles
We recently wrote about some motorcycles debuting this year that caught our eye. Some we hope to ride, others are what we categorized as, “unobtainium”. Either way, all are beautiful, and we love beautiful motorcycles. This latest offering from Ducati is another example, both historic-looking and drop-dead gorgeous, as well as out of reach for the majority of us proletariat. Nonetheless, it caught our eye, so we felt compelled to share a little bit about the Formula 73, as the Italian motorcycle manufacturer has dubbed it.
In their own words, “In its centenary year, the Borgo Panigale manufacturer presents the Formula 73, a motorcycle that revives, in a modern version, the spirit of a model and an era that helped create the Ducati legend and inspired the principles that still guide it today. The Formula 73 celebrates the 750 Super Sport Desmo, the first Ducati V-Twin road bike equipped with a desmodromic valve timing system.”
The Ducati 750 Super Sport Desmo model debuted in 1973, itself a replica of the 750 Imola Desmo with which Paul Smart and Bruno Spaggiari triumphed in the 1972 Imola 200 endurance race. That bike set the tone for Ducati’s philosophy of production-derived racing and design, for competition machines and street bikes. The ’73 750 SS Desmo captured the essence of the ’72 750 Imola Desmo, and the all-new Formula 73 captures the essence of both predecessors. Beautifully, we might add.
This 2026 tribute bike isn’t just eye candy. The Formula 750 is built to run, and run hard. Sporting an 803 cc L-twin making a robust 73 hp at 8250 rpm and just over 48 ft lbs at 7000 rpm, the Formula 73 is quick and clean in design. Running on totally modern KYB suspension elements, a state-of-the-art Brembo brake system with cornering ABS and traction control, and rolling on Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV rubber, the bike also comes with the expected array of features and options in its electronic package.
The lines and design cues of the Formula 73 just knock us out. The trained eye might truly mistake this motorbike for a 1970s era restoration, rather than the gorgeous throw-back tribute it is. The steel trellis frame hearkens back to the 1973 SS Desmo street bike, while the paint scheme and livery pay homage to the 1972 Imola-winning 750 Desmo. Ducati is long known for designing and building “rolling moto art”, emphasis on rolling. They certainly encapsulated two legacy motorcycles in this newest tribute model.
Unfortunately for most of us, this bike is a limited run series, with only 873 numbered models being built this year. So while we longingly gaze upon this beautiful bike, we acknowledge it falls into the “unobtainium” category for all but a precious few. The price isn’t unusually high, however, as we read they will MSRP around $19,995 USD when they make it stateside late this summer. So hey, if this is your vibe and you’ve got the quid, lay down your deposit ASAP to get your hands on one. If you succeed, drop us a line in the comments, shoot us an email or hit us up on social media with some photos.
For more info on the Formula 73, click here:
*All photos courtesy of Ducati.
Looking for a great place to stay while touring the Southern Smokies this year? Visit our friends at Iron Horse Motorcycle Lodge! Tell them Road Dirt sent you.
0 Comments