The 25 Best Ducati Motorcycles Ever Made

Ducati has been a staple of the motorcycle world for a very long time now, to the point where we can’t even picture a world without their bikes rolling around and leaving everyone else in the dust.

The fact of the matter is that every year the legendary Italian bike maker released a new top-tier model that we couldn’t help but fall in love with, and for better or for worse, they never stopped or slowed down in the slightest.

They’ve been doing this for so long that it’s practically impossible to keep up with their newest releases right now simply because of how oversaturated the market is and how many quality bikes they’ve made already.

This is why for today we decided to help you with our very own top 25 of the best Ducati motorcycles they’ve ever made. We don’t like dwindling around nor wasting your time here so let’s just skip the formalities and jump right into our 25^th pick of the day:

25. 1974-77 Ducati 900 Supersport Twin

This is an all-time classic model right here, one that pretty much revolutionized the world as we know it by bringing in the tower shaft gear driven cams.

Many would argue that this was actually the first model to do so and while there are a lot of speculations behind this, what we can say is that they were definitely the ones to popularize it back in the day.

If you’re a fan of the simplistic style of the 70s then you’ve got to check out this classic Ducati model right here because it has everything you could ever ask for from a two-wheeler and that’s a fact.

24. 1958 Ducati 85 Sport Mini Elite

While there are definitely a lot of classics on this list, this is definitely one of our personal favorites. This isn’t because of its functionality per se but more so because it was one of the first Ducati bikes to actually break into the mainstream media.

There are even a lot of people out there that claim the fact that this was the bike to solidify Ducati’s place in the motorbike hierarchy and honestly, we can’t argue against that.

23. 1949 Ducati 60

But if we are going to talk about classics we can’t possibly forget about this model right here as this is arguably the very first model that made them who they are today.

It was a beautiful work of art back then and it still is a beautiful piece even to this day, all thanks to its OHV single cylinder factor and of course, the fact that it was the first of its kind to come from Ducati back in the late 40s.

22. 1954-55 Ducati Gran Sport Marianna

This is unmistakably one of Ducati’s greatest milestones as far as design and message goes. This motorcycle became a symbol of their work ethic and most importantly, it set the bar up extremely high for any of their future releases.

This was not only a gorgeous looking model but also one of the fastest bikes to have ever carried on the name Ducati. People nicknamed it the “queen of the track” and we have to say that we absolutely can’t get enough of it even to this day.

21. 1964 Ducati Berliner Apollo 1260 Prototype

This is by far the most ambitious model that Ducati have ever released, well, sort of. They tried their hardest back in the 60s to completely beat Harley Davidson at their own game, and this was their main front liner right here.

Sadly, this “dinosaur” didn’t work out in their favor as soon after Harley Davidson began releasing some of its most famous models of all time, and this soon led to it being discontinued altogether.

Even so, the Apollo 1260 remains one of the most unique bikes that Ducati have ever released, and even to this day we have to give it to them that it still holds up pretty well all things considered.

20. 1988 MY Ducati 851 Strada “Kit”

In case you didn’t know by now, the “MY” part of the name that this bike has is a direct reference to the fact that this is a special edition model, and as far as special editions go, this is one of the all-time favorites right here.

We’re talking about a dual disc alongside a Marzocchi mono-shock rear brake, this really is a one-of-a-kind model that continues to get better and better the more you look at it. It is also one of the rarest finds in the world simply because of how limited of a release this was.

19. 2008 Ducati 1198S

This may very well be one of the strangest and most unique bikes that we’ve ever seen, even though it may not look it from afar. It’s a 168 bhp at its stock, and on top of that it features data recording, Ohlins suspension and of course, because why not, traction control.

Produced between 2008 and 2011, the Ducati 1198S looks absolutely gorgeous as well and as far as general quality goes, this may very well be one of the top choices right here for any sport bike lover.

18. 2007 Ducati 1098S

As far as the general performance goes, this may very well be one of the most beloved models that Ducati have ever released and that’s a fact. Although it was not their most famous racing bike, the Ducati 1098S was the fastest one that they ever produced, and on top of that it was also one of their most affordable models.

Considering the high quality of the materials it’s honestly shocking to see that this model sells for less than $19,000 in most shops out there.

17. 2005 Ducati 999

Coming up next, we have the award winning 999 model that pretty much took the world by storm. This was actually one of the first models that they released that completely overtook its competition, leaving everyone else in the dust.

While this model was just chilling at the frontline of everyone’s wishlist that year, every other company was basically fighting for second place.

16. 2004 Ducati Desmosedici RR – The Firebreather

Only 1,500 of these models were ever released to the public back in 2004, and this immediately launched this bike as one of the most sought-after acquisitions of all time.

Not only that but this was also one of the most affordable racing bikes out there, and while that may not sound like it when you see the $56,000 price tag, remember, racing bikes usually go for a lot more than that out there.

15. 1994 Ducati 916 SBK

When this model hit the scene, nobody knew what to make of it. On the one hand, it was a much lighter bike than its predecessors, but at the same time, it was also one of their most powerful models yet.

Performance and maneuverability wise this was the perfect choice for most two-wheeler lovers out there, and when coupled with the trustworthy Ducati brand name you knew that what you were getting here was a top-level model to say the least.

14. 1987 Ducati 851

Looking back at their models at the time it’s actually really important to acknowledge the significance of the 851 bike simply because it completely revitalized their public image altogether.

Every other bike released at the time looked pretty much the same, they were all identical to one another but when this one came out everything changed all of a sudden.

This was an upgrade to say the least and as soon as it hit the scene it pretty much became one of the staples of the Ducati brand.

13. 1998-2007 Ducati 900cc Supersport Twin

In case you didn’t know by now, this is actually one of the most used bikes in motorsports history ever since it was launched, back in 1972, and that’s for good reason too. It is one of the most well-balanced bikes in the world, everybody knows that it is literally optimized to be the very best at it and so far, no other bike has managed to surpass it.

Thanks to its sporty look and of course, the 860-cc engine, you’re looking at what can only be described as one of the absolute best choices in the world if you’re looking for both quality and accessibility as well.

12. 1970 Ducati 750 GT

The funniest part about the 750 GT is the fact that when it was first designed it was actually benched for quite some time because its creator didn’t think that it was good enough to hit the market yet.

Little did Fabio Taglioni know though that this model would soon become one of Ducati’s most sought-after models and that even to this day it is still considered to be one of their most beautiful releases of all time.

11. 1959 Ducati 250 Twin

Most people out there that remember this classic know of it because of Mike Hailwood, one of the most famous bike riders of all time.

This was the actual bike that he rode around in when he first started burning up rubber, making both bike and himself famous at the same time. Thanks to its 37 horsepower and 11,600 revs the two became an iconic duo and before long it was impossible to mention Ducati without thinking of Mike Hailwood.

10. 2014 Scrambler Ducati

If you’re a hipster that absolutely can’t get enough of the 1960s look then you have got to get yourself this brand new 2014 Scrambler Ducati because it will definitely do the trick for you.

Sporting one of these is the best way to express yourself in public without even opening your mouth, and on top of that the affordable price tag is also worth the investment to say the least.

9. 2011 – 2015 Ducati 1199 / 1299 Panigale

The 916 was a classic and a half to say the least, so it was extremely difficult for Ducati to actually come up with a new model that could upstage it.

Luckily, they managed to bring their A game in 2011 when they brought out the 1199 Panigale superbike. This is one of the best bikes they ever manufactured as far as the performance level is concerned, and on top of that it is also one of the most advanced builds on the market as well.

8. 2010 Ducati Diavel

Another interesting choice right here is the 2010 Ducati Diavel simply because of how bold of a release this was. Back in 2010, Ducati were pretty much ruling the market with some of their safest models standing atop of the motorbike hierarchy.

This model though quickly turned things around for them as this was actually their riskiest release in a long time, being one of their first “dragster” models to hit the scene.

What’s even more interesting about it is that performance wise you’re looking at a superbike thanks to its V-twin engine and the chassis that pretty much took everyone by surprise back then.

7. 2007 Ducati Hypermotard

Being one of the slimmest models that they’ve ever released, let’s just say that people weren’t exactly thrilled to see this bike hit the scene back in 2007 but the more they looked at it, the more they realized just how incredible of a model this really was.

Thanks to its incredibly powerful 1,078cc Desmodromic V-twin engine and the power to move mountains with its roar, this model quickly became one of the staples of the brand, to the point where we can’t have a top 10 list without mentioning it.

6. 2009 Ducati Streetfighter

The interesting part about this model is that when it first came out it actually didn’t bring back the profits that Ducati were expecting at the time, quite the contrary actually.

Although it wasn’t a downright flop, this model still turned into somewhat of a cult classic choice especially amongst hardcore fans of the famed scarlet marque from Bologna.

5. 2006-2007 Ducati Desmosedici RR

Back in 2006, Ducati decided that the people actually wanted to ride around on their superbikes as much as they wanted to see them on the tracks, which is why they came up with the Desmosedici RR.

They manufactured and released 1,500 units in total and they immediately started selling despite their rather enormous price tag of $72,500.

This was the very first road-legal replica of a MotoGP bike though according to them, so honestly if you wanted to really feel like a pro racer this was the first step towards doing it right.

4. 2008 Ducati Desmosedici GP7

Back in 2008, Ducati finally had a taste of victory in the MotoGP scene when the Australian racer Casey Stoner decided to represent them.

He used the Desmosedici GP7 and this was a match made in heaven as it instantly sprung up to a whopping 225hp, even surpassing every other model in the MotoGP scene back then.

Couple this with the overall talent of Casey Stoner and you’ve got what could very well be the best year in Ducati’s history to say the least.

3. 2003 Ducati Multistrada

Back in 2003, Ducati decided to change its focus to the dual sport genre, and this was the first step they ever made towards this future filled with adventure. 

Although it didn’t fully take on at the time, it was the pebble that soon became a raging boulder as in 2011 the Multistrada 1200 hit the scene and it pretty much did everything that its 2003 predecessor hoped for back in the day.

2. 1994 – 1998 Ducati 916

Few bikes out there are as iconic as the Ducati 916 and for good reason. Even though it’s been over 18 years since it stopped production, this model is still considered to be one of their all-time best right here, regardless of whether we’re talking design wise, performance or any other aspect of it.

This was the model that propelled Ducati into the future and it was also one of the first bikes to fully take in the V-twin engine idea and bring it up to completely eradicate the competition altogether.

1. 1993 Ducati Monster

And now we have the absolute best model that Ducati ever made, and quite possibly the reason as to why we even have Ducati bikes out there today in the first place: the 1993 Ducati Monster.

Ducati was definitely facing off against a lot more than it could handle at the time, and they needed to pull through otherwise they’d be the ones being left in the dust instead.

Luckily this was the year that they decided to bring out their big guns, pushing out what can only be described as their most infamous and successful bike yet.

There isn’t a lot that we can say about the Monster that hasn’t been said already, just know that there’s a reason as to why this model is their most iconic one to this day.

Conclusion

While Ducati have definitely had their ups and downs, they never really backed down from a fight either and they continuously tried to keep up with the top dogs of the industry even if that meant that they had to think outside the box more often than not.

Luckily, that is exactly what Ducati is known for, and because of it they are now staring down on most other brands out there, showcasing the fact that you don’t need to always play it safe, that sometimes the risk is worth it even if it seems like the consequences could cost you millions.