Rounding out their Sport Classic lineup, Ducati’s previously introduced Paul Smart 1000 and Sport 1000 have now been joined by the GT1000. All three models combine updated styling from the ’70s with modern components and engineering.
From the Ducati Press release:
Ducati GT1000 – The evolution of the species
The essential beauty and timeless style of the Ducati GT models of the 1970’s now comes to life again with this bike. The new Ducati GT1000 is a bike to be ridden everyday, with a balance of two-up comfort and Ducati Desmo Twin performance. The classic tradition of Italian Grand Touring returns in a successful mix of style and performance.
Style
The shapes of the GT1000 are modern interpretations of the classic lines of the original GTs of the 70’s. The rather slim fuel tank features knee cut-outs on the sides and deep sculpting that allows for a comfortable riding position. Full fender front is mounted with elegant aluminium tubing braces. The trim side covers remind us of the 70’s originals, and feature small venting holes for accent. Many of the details like the top crowns, fork caps and handlebar mounts are finished in polished aluminium, and are complimented with the chrome surfaces of the wheels, instrument trim, handlebars and horn covers. Finally, the classic look is completed with chrome full-length exhaust pipes and mufflers, one per side.
Ergonomics
The rider’s position on the GT1000 is one of comfort and control. The chromed tubular steel handlebars enables an upright riding position to be maintained. A well-padded dual seat is sewn in a classic pattern and features ‘Ducati’ printed in white proudly on the back. Rider footpegs are placed conservatively forward allowing comfort and good ground clearance at the same time.
The GT1000 is a true two-seater, so the passenger’s footpegs are also sensibly placed for “all-day†comfort.
Engine
The advanced Desmo 1000 Dual Spark engine powers the GT1000. The torquey air-cooled L-Twin is the perfect match for the GT1000’s comfort and performance attributes. Alloy cylinders, with their traditional cooling fins form the classic “L†configuration, reminding us of the original Taglioni design. Slim between the legs and exposed for all to see, the latest two valve Desmo system, fuel-injection, computer controlled engine management and Ducati Testastretta technology ensure that the 1000 DS engine is powerful, dependable and thrilling to ride.
Technical Specifications
Engine
Type L-twin cylinder, 2 valve per cylinder Desmodromic, air cooled
Displacement 992 cc
Bore x stroke 94 x 71,5 mm
Compression Ratio 10:1
Power 67.7 KW – 92 HP @ 8000 rpm
Torque 91.1 Nm – 9.3 Kgm @ 6000 rpm
Fuel injection Marelli electronic fuel injection, 45 mm throttle body
Exhaust Chromed, stainless steel exhaust system
Transmission
Gearbox 6 speeds
Clutch Wet multiplate with hydraulic control
Chassis
Wheelbase 56,1 in
Rake 24°
Steering Angle 32°
Front suspension 43 mm Marzocchi upside-down fork
Front wheel Spoke wheel with chromed steel rim, 3.50 x 17
Front tyre 120/70 – 17 with air tube
Rear suspension Twin shock absorbers, with frontal cam system spring preload
Rear wheel Spoke wheel with chromed steel rim, 5.50 x 17
Rear tyre 180/55 – 17 with air tube
Front brake 2 x 320 mm semi-floating discs, floating caliper 2-piston (30-32 mm diameter )
Rear brake 245 mm disc, 1-piston (34 mm diameter) floating caliper with sintered pads
Fuel tank capacity 15 lt (of which 3,5 reserve)
Weight 407 lbs
Seat height 32,6 in
Instruments Electronic panel: speedometer, rev counter, warning light for low oil pressure, indicators for high beam, fuel reserve, turn signals, LCD clock, trip fuel, immobilizer
Versions
Tank and fairing colours Metallic dark grey, Ducati red
Frame colour black
Wheel colour aluminium
Dodgy says
That’s the ugliest Ducati I’ve seen since the Multistrada.
You can instantly see the influence Massimo Tamburini leaving had on it…
doug says
It probably looks much better in person. I’ve seen a Paul Smart in person and there is a positive difference (details like the aluminum brackets for the fenders) . These details add a lot to the overall package and will stand the test of time.
The spoke rims will probably add a lot standing next to it, too.
This picture looks as though the tank and seat have been slanted downward, from back to front more so than previous pictures….which detracts for this style of bike (normally that slant helps, but not here)
Even if you dislike this bike, cheers to Ducati for an impressive line-up of models, especially since many of them use the air-cooled motor.
todd says
I think they’ve designed it with the average weight american rider in mind. Sit a 250 pound man on the thing and it will level out.
I’ve never seen a standard type motorcycle with motocross clearance between the rear fender and the tire. What was that all about? I think most people that buy it will probably fit shorter rear shocks to level the thing out.
The GT looks pretty good if you can imagine lowering the rear end. I’ve also been asking for smaller capacity bikes as well since there isn’t much room here in our crowded city (SanFran) to get much fun out of 1000cc.
-todd
John McDowell says
So, you have the 45@ twin of the Harley Sporster 883 and the 90@ twin of
the Ducati. but which one costs the most? I hope the Ducati succeeds in the nostalgia “race”. Let’s see if it out sells the Triumph Bonnevile or Scrambler!!
mark says
I haven’t seen one of these in person, but I have seen (and sat on) the Sport 1000, and I believe it’s the most beautiful motorcycle in current production. It’s also very comfortable and plenty roomy for me (6’4″/240).
But no, it won’t outsell the Bonneville line. It’s much too expensive for that.
Brian says
I’ve been looking at the prototype photos for more than a year now… drooling.
They’ve changed some things for the production bike. Not a lot, but the proportions don’t seem to be quite as perfect anymore. The fuel tank now is widest near the bottom, as opposed to closer to the centre. The seat on the production bike is shorter, and the rear fender drops down quite a bit further. Lastly, the pipe beneath it going to the left muffler seems awkward. Not big changes, and obviously for production reasons…
…but I still feel like kicking somebody.
Bobert says
The Paul Smart Replica looks great in real life, and the MH900e was brilliant, but this one just looks wrong. It’s like the chassis is level, but the bodywork is somehow slanted forward 30 degrees or so. I really think Ducati might be due for a new designer.
Battleaxe says
I loved all the previous Sport Classic Ducatis and I think this one is also gobsmackingly good looking! Ducati are on to yet another winner!
Mayakovski says
Take this bike, remove all the bodywork and un-needed bits, Design new bodywork and such, you could have a fantastic bike quite easily.
This could be the beginning of a new wave of customization.
Theunissen says
As an older (>40 yers of age) European, I can say it is a classic Eutropean mid ’70 sports design. As such I think the bike is beautiful. Why on earth would you lower the rear end, you should understand it ads to the design wanted. Only thing I dislike is the strange 180 degrees bend in the left manifold
aaron says
like it or not, the design *IS* fairly true to the original gt750…and most positive changes would sacrifice the practical, two up nature they’re going for.
DaveO says
I just placed an order last Friday. This will be my first motorcycle and I must say there is NO other bike I would have considered. It’s classic lines are great and it is much larger than the Bonneville which is the bike I would have purchased had this not been brought to market.
One other thing to appreciate is the limited number that will be brought to market. I’ll be pulling up next to Sportsters all day long and this only ran me $300 more than the 1200 Sportster.
Allen Peat says
Put a deposit down on the bike 2 yrs ago, never waited this long for a new bike before, just rode a sport 1000 and think the GT will work fine for 2 up riding with my wife! This will be Duc #5 and if it is as much fun as the others I think it was worth the wait! Hope to receive the bike around the end of the mo in RED.
david old ducati racer says
Oh no Ducati you missed IT!!! I was going to buy a GT but the bodywork
is STUPID. REALLY STUPID. Raise the bars (at least 3 inches), FLATTEN that stupid seat out like the original GT 750 (or Darmah?), create a straight line with the bottom of the Tank and Seat. Make the LINE Horizontal. Give us 5 inches of travel front and rear. DO NOT DETUNE the motor from the S model. I Rode a GT750. Yours is no GT. You just made an UGLY SPORT BIKE. Could I do 200 miles hunched over these low bars? Nope. Do I like Ducati’s? Not this one, and as I get into my 50’s I want a low seat, high bars, comfort, power, & speed available from the Bikes now my Garage. Your Mutlistrada sits way high. I should have known you would screw the GT up.
CVF says
David,
Buy a Harley.
Rob says
I’ve been looking to get rid of my cruiser and have been drooling over the Bonneville T100 and Thruxton and really torn between the 2. But today after seeing the gt and the Sports I’d say I’ve found a perfect compromise in the GT1000. Looking forward to taking one for a test ride and hoping I like it as much as sitting on it tells me I will. This classic line are fantastic looking bikes. I hadn’t considered a Ducati before and I’ve spent my entire Sunday till 2am thinking about the Gt and looking for anything on the web I can find on it. Excellent.
Return of the Cafe Racers says
Want a cool Cafe Racer? Save 2k by buying the GT1000 rather than the Sport 1000. Grab a set of Ace Style Bars ($40) and pair of bar end mirrors ($50), chrome mud guards and a single seat ($300) and vouila! 1 very cool looking racer…with out the ugly Sport 1000 plastic junk at the back.
ahem.
Brian says
David, the handlebars are available in three different heights. Also, there’s optional hard bags, windshield and centre stand. (I was asking my dealer a couple weeks ago…) I’m going to decide I see one in the flesh.
Steve says
I also ride a 74 750 GT that would be the one bike I’d keep if I could only have one. I think the GT1000 looks great! I’ve ordered the Termingnonis and a set of saddlebags and as soon as available, I’ll add some adjustable rear shocks. I plan for this to be a daily rider and would prefer a lower seat height but I’ll only modify a bit so as not to upset the handling. I agree the styling is classic European and I love it. This may not be a bevel, but I think Ducati has done an excellent job of recreating the spirit of the original 750 GT.
Benjamin Wilson says
muh…muh…muh… ME WANT!
I must say, this has got to be the classiest production bike that I have seen in some time. I, for one, am digging the naked styling… the classic lines… and that fact that, with the sport1000 being a single and the gt1000 being a double, I can fit my wife on the back.
She tells me I have to buy this one; If I buy the sport1000 I might leave her for the bike;) which, though tempting, doesn’t seem like a course which would lend itself to longevity.
The bottom line? A comfortable daily rider, looks good for the trip to the cabin, looks easily customizable, got one sexy engine with the 1000ds, and of course it stands out from the standard crowd of rice bikes in the states.
RH says
Ducati is saying June 23, 2006 is when the GT 1000 will be in the showrooms in the US. Check with your local dealer regarding events that weekend.
Marshall says
I’m glad to see some in this form have some taste. This is the sexiest Ducati this side of the soon-to-be produced Hypomotard, and you can put an even sexier girl on the back. I’d rather look at Kandinsky, Franz Marc, Chagall, the Ghery’s Bilbao Museum and the GT1000.
Keith says
David why are you looking at sporting bikes when your mentality says “OLD”! Get a….ummm….hardley (maybe with some ape hangers), the old technology suits you.
I am an older rider, well in age anyway. I currently have a Ducati Superbike and a Triumph Bonneville Speedmaster. Got the triumph for everyday riding but still not totally into the cruiser ergos and low slung setup. I am now thinking of getting one of these beautiful machines to round out my riding. I think this is one of the nicest bikes to be produced in many years. After seeing one in person I am convinced. Who is talking about expensive, for what you are getting this is a pretty affordable bike imho. Can’t wait to ride one. And I would not sacrifice rear wheel travel for a lower fender. Thats is one of my biggest dislikes of cruisers, not enough rear suspension travel.
Anyway great job and huge props to Ducati for getting a bullseye in the retro race.
Todd D. says
Anybody who thinks this gt is ugly probably doesn’t score very often. They couldn’t come up with a more attractive style and classic sport design. This machine will catch the babes’ attention in no time. Hats off to Ducati and I can’t wait to plant myself on one.
Ed O says
Seeing the pics from the Tokyo Motor Show in 2003, I swore I’d have a GT as soon as it was available; I remember the original 750 when I was stationed in Germany and lusted after it. I bought a new std Bonnie in 2004 and with a few minor mods (front brake pads, progr. fork springs, rear shocks), it is a wonderful ride and conversation piece, and I’ll never sell it, but fast forward to June 2006 and the GT arrived at my local dealership.
The GT is stunningly beautiful in the flesh; the pics don’t do it justice. I went three times with my wife; all were sold by the time we got there, but we got to sit on it. Walked in again on July 22 and a red one had just come in that morning. I rode it home that evening.
Rode the first 600 miles nice and easy; the past few Saturdays I’ve been knocking out 200+ miles in the early dawn hours, and could keep going even farther. Big grins with every (s)mile and twist of the wrist. BTW, the back end settles when you’re on it.
Higher bars would be nice (pushing 60 years old and 34 yrs riding experience) and I’ll look into them, but not all that problematic as it comes. The riding position and feel reminds me of when my ’76 R90S was new (now 30 years old, and I still have it), but the GT is even better.
This GT is another “keeper” and absolutely no regrets in buying it. Plus, I was able to get a zero percent interest deal through Dec ’07 with a flip flop on my credit card. Nice.
If you can get a GT, buy it (and keep it). You won’t be disappointed now or in another 30 years. Enjoy!
kyle says
If you’re like me (and my wife), and not in love with sportbike looks OR cruisers, you only have so many choices. Triumph makes some fine retro bikes, but none are EFI’d yet.
Enter the GT1000. We can both sit comfortably, it has enough grunt to keep it interesting, it can handle hard bags, it looks GOOD, and it has a thoroughly modern engine. This may be the one bike my wife and I both smile at.
Jared says
I do like the GT1000. I’m still riding my original bike a 1980 cb900 and am looking to get something similar but newer. The only thing I don’t like about the GT is the antenna like mirrors. They should have kept the bar end mirrors like the sport 1000. As far as the space under the fender… this was the style of the 70’s and 80’s. If it didn’t have that it wouldn’t look the part nor have the cornering clearance that it enjoys currently.
Redline Phil says
Call me crazy, tell me to go buy a Harley (the ultimate insult, apparently), but I think I smell a rat. The low bars, the jacked-up rear-end, the 32-degree steering angle, all this makes me think some afterthought took place. As it is, this GT1000 is quite wheelie-prone (I test rode it last week), so if it had the classic proportions of the old GT750, it might be close to unrideable, hence the desperate attempt to get that front-end more planted on the cheap (i.t., without redesigning the whole geometry). And when you’re done, you have a bike that sits higher than you intended, especially for its market, so you flatten the seat like a pancake. But hey, I still like the bike, that’s how crazy I am.
todd says
Bikes don’t wheelie people, people wheelie people.
-todd
Ed O says
Update to my earlier posting…Coming up on 11 months ownership. Have 9k on it now; will likely get 10k out of the rear tire. Changed out the shocks for fully-adj Ikon’s. This stopped the pogo effect over rougher roads/bumps and negated needing to mod the front end for better control. Had an idling issue which required replacing the “stepper” motor under warranty. Runs much smoother now (my wife confirms it). Keep it at 4k RPM or higher and its sweet. Big grins every time I ride it and it still draws a crowd when parked. “Love Bug” season here in FL is coming to an end and I’ll be able to crank up my weekend mileage back to near 300 per.
DaveT says
I’m vacillating between the Triumph T100 and the GT. My test ride is next week. The T100 has a lot more accessories available but the GT has 25 more HP! Anyone get the bags fitted yet? 11 Liters per bag is pretty skimpy.
I think the GT is a great looking bike. It reminds me of my 85′ R/80 Beemer, a solid motorcycle with classic looks. The 2007 black and cream is awesome!
Dan L says
Test rode the GT 1000 this weekend. I almost bought one last spring, but instead bought and ride a Ducati Monster 620. I’m 6’1″/180lbs. so the 620, while a hoot to ride, is a little cramped. The GT 1000 was also great fun and much more comfortable than the Monster. In an effort to compare a more powerful Monster to the GT 1000, I rode an S4R afterwards. I must say, the result was a bit of a toss up. The S4R is more agile and quicker (duh!), but a little awkward at low speed. I had no such problem at lower speed with the GT 1000 and careful handling of the clutch and throttle produced consistently smooth acceleration. Despite trying some fast starts, I had no inadvertent wheelie problems, as has been reported elsewhere. Also, I had no problem with high seating position (my 33″ inseam liked it, actually), and I did not experience being nudged forward to the tank nearly as much as with any Monster. It is so comfortable that it is easy to enter too quickly into turns, and so caution is in order there. I only have two criticisms. Cosmetically, bar end mirrors are a no-brainer. As for performance, the front end seemed to dive a bit in the corners. It did not affect ease of handling, but is noticeable. Some adjustment of tire pressure and/or shock fluid is in order. I do a lot of straight-road riding, and I so cornering is not hugely important to me. Still, the GT 1000, with a conscious push of the bars, changed lanes quickly when needed, and gives a lot of thrills when you twist the throttle. I commute 60 (mostly freeway) miles a day and have also been wanting to do some longer rides. With bags and wind screen, the GT 1000 would seem to really fit the bill. Style and practicality! If I can scrape up the cash, I will buy one.
steffen says
hey! im 41. this is my first street bike. ever. i walked into john valk ducati/bmw in vancouver canada, and poked around. ive always wanted a motorcycle, just never got around to getting my liscence. anyway, there was a gt 1000 in the back corner, along with a sport 1000. ive never seen such a cool set of bikes, they were gorgeous. i came back the next day and bought the gt. I DONT EVEN HAVE MY LISCENCE YET !!
(im taking a bike course) cant wait to ride this bike. i wont pretend to know anything about bikes, i just know that this thing is beautifull!