Ducati Formula 73, homage to the legendary 750 Super Sport Desmo
The new Ducati Formula 73 celebrating the iconic Super Sport 750 Desmo of 1973 will be produced in 873 units
The Ducati 750 Imola Desmo, with its 748 cc and 82 hp L-twin engine with desmodromic distribution, is one of the most famous motorbikes in the world: it weighed only 163 kg dry and touched 250 km/h. It was prepared to take part in the Imola 200 Miglia on 23 April 1972, a race in which it achieved a resounding victory, in the hands of Britain's Paul Smart (first at the finish line) and Italy's Bruno Spaggiari (second) who ran out of fuel on the last lap: a race still remembered today as one of the most spectacular races ever.
That victory ushered in a period of success for Ducati in production-derivative racing that continues to this day, with a palmares of all respects: 400 victories, 16 rider titles and 21 manufacturer titles.
From the bike that triumphed at Imola came the 750 Super Sport Desmo in 1973, the first production road Ducati equipped with a desmodromic timing system.
To pay homage to that iconic model, in 2026, the year of its centenary, Ducati presents the new Formula 73, arriving this spring: it will be produced in a limited and numbered series of 873 units, with the model name and number engraved on the steering plate.
Café racer style
The Formula 73 is an Urban Café Racer, characterised by the fairing and the short and tapered tail which accentuate its personality and recall its ancestor; it is fitted with the Ducati Desmodue, an 803 cc L-twin engine with desmodromic two-valve distribution, Euro5+ homologated, 73 hp, combined with the Ride-by-Wire throttle that makes the engine response prompt, progressive and smooth even at low revs, and the Termignoni silencer, with a specially designed sound.
