Ducati has just introduced the latest version of their SportClassic line, the GT 1000 Touring. It has all of the 1970s flavor you could want and to my eyes, it looks pretty sweet. A 2 valve, 992 cc, fuel injected, desmo L-twin with 92 hp and 67 foot pounds of torque runs through a 6 speed box. The bike weighs 407 pounds.
The bike is black with a white stripe, there are chrome wheels and fenders plus a chrome luggage rack/passenger grab rail combination. The windshield looks big enough to be very effective.
A nice 2 up bike with plenty of power, great handling and good looks. Nothing over the top, just a nice, enjoyable bike. I like it.
More photos below:
Link: Ducati
Kickboxer Subaru WRX Powered Motorcycle Concept
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Gorgeous.
Nice! Very nice!
1000cc Ducati and only 67 torque, and it weighs in excess of 400 lbs?!?! i like the fact it has a 6 speed, but not enought power for a two up cruiser. with two people over 200 your lookin at around 800 lbs.
could they have got that any more wrong?
It needs a RWU fork, for starters, that sail on the front is fugly, there is waaaaaay too much air between the rear tyre and the rear guard, and having the D in Ducati lower than the I looks wrong wrong wrong. it should be horizontal like the SD and SS 900 it was modelled on.
I’m sure it goes well enough (that motor is gooood) but given its just a styling exercise, it does not light my fires.
Tim,
The space between the rear fender and tire will reduce itself once someone/two people sit on it.
Overall, I like it. The windscreen isn’t that great, but I’m sure it comes off
I think it looks like a good revision of the line. Less clunky. Kind of looks like the new bonnevilles. Wonder what it feels like up in the twisties.
Derek,
You and your girlfriend need to lay off the Big Macs.
2 2oo lb people?
Very cool bike, and I weigh over 200lbs
It’s a crazy world we live in when 92 hp and 67 ft lb is not enough for 2 people.
I have had cars weighing a little more than a ton with 100hp and the same torque. Not blazingly fast, but they never felt slow. I would be interested in seeing the torque curve and finding out how tractable the engine is. In the 60s, 70s, or 80s this bike would have been considered a dream.
There’s some real similarities between Ducati and Pixar. Ok work with me on this….
Even when they both have an off day, it’s still what most other companies would consider great.
Pixars worst? Cars? Still a blockbuster.
Ducatis worst? 999? The damn things still turn my head on the street.
And I have to say, that the styling of this GT1000 is growing on me everytime I look at it.
My 1973 R75/5 has half of what this bike has and it tours on the open highway two-up just fine; no problem with passing power and breaking speed limits. My Beemer also handles great even without 1 foot between the tire and the fender. I can’t even see the top of my tire. This thing is as tall as my XR650 in the back. Real nice looking except for the super rake stance. Almost made the perfect bike list if it wasn’t for that.
-todd
A “Touring” model that doesn’t have saddlebags? What’s up with that?
“touring” is for “italian touring”, like a sunny weekend day spent in the twisties around a nice lake in the Alps or Tuscany, not “german touring” with 800 lbs of luggage on a beemer going to the elefants, and not “american touring” like a HD loaded with 800 lbs of passengers on a straight flat road …
We’re talking about dolce vita here, riding with style and still having the Ducati’s “kick in the butt” TM and superior rideability. It’s not my cup of tea, but it still looks liek a damn good ride.
Never was a fan of this style of bike with the tall sail of a screen up front and chrome rack in the back — until now.
Ducati is like the really talented singer who can make a shitty song about nothing sound like the best thing you’ve ever heard.
Beautiful.
I just checked out the current GT version a week ago. The nice sales lady mentioned they have a bag kit for $800 (sigh) that matches the vintage style. I’d bet you could fit a set if Givi’s too. I love the riding position and look, except for the huge rear tire clearance. What’s with that? Having a rear fender back there just emphasizes the high rise look.
The idea behind RETRO is to build a modern interpretation of a classic… like the New Beetle. The best example in a motorcycle is the Yamaha XS-V1 Sakura concept. In contrast to that bike, this motorcycle simply looks OLD as if they raided the used parts bin at the back of the warehouse.
Wow that high bum looks odd, but the twin shocks on this bike do break it up a bit compared with the previous GT 1000’s mono shock.
Of the Italian retro bikes I think that the ‘guzzi v7 classic has a better look, though a fair bit less power. Who needs buckets of power to cruise around lake como taking in the sights whilst trying to find the next trattoria?
I am shopping for my very first bike. My needs: easy to handle around town (reasonably lightweight), includes at least some basic touring attachments, a great look including a spartan “dark” or black finish, a bike that I can ride all day comfortably (touring), and of course overall high quality. I found the Ducati GT1000 Touring recently on a website and have been researching it ever since, as the bike meets my general criteria and looks great. I first wanted a Harley, but anything from them that even resembles a touring bike is so expensive it’s beyone absurd. So my research will continue and a test ride should happen soon. I’ll be back here often to read new comments from other folks.
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