1971 Ducati 750GT

The work of the famous Fabio Taglioni, the 90-degree v-twin with the front cylinder sitting at 15º to the horizontal was a breath of fresh air when Ducati really needed it. Utilizing similar thinking to the single cylinder models, (and even the ill-fated V4 Apollo) the new 750GT and the 750 Sport of 1972 had conventional valve springs with bevel drive to the camshafts, while the later SS variants used desmodromic valve operation. Early hand-built versions of the 750GT varied in specification, using a Lockheed front disc and Amal Concentric carbs. Only 82 complete machines were built in 1971, the frame based on the Seeley chassis used on the short-lived 500cc GP racer. In 1974 the range was extended with over-bored 860cc versions.