Ducati 85 Sport
Ducati’s entry into the bike world started in 1946 with the tiny however vastly essential Cucciolo, a 48 cc four-stroke clip-on engine constructed below licence from SIATA. The Cucciolo proved vastly fashionable in post-war Italy, providing inexpensive mobility to a inhabitants in want of sensible transport. By 1949, Ducati had moved from constructing auxiliary motors to producing its first full bike, the Ducati 60.
In 1952, the Bologna manufacturing facility unveiled an all-new four-stroke OHV design, the Ducati 98. This engine would underpin a sequence of machines starting from 85 to 125 cc, remaining in manufacturing till 1967. It was ultimately changed by the short-lived 125 Cadet/4 OHV (1967–1969), however the 98 and its derivatives fashioned the spine of Ducati’s small-capacity lineup for over a decade.
Among the many most tasty of those fashions was the Ducati 85 Sport, a light-weight roadster that mixed type with modest efficiency. The 85 Sport borrowed the double-downtube body from Ducati’s 125cc fashions and paired it with a revised model of the 98cc engine. Not like the extra fundamental 85T and the export-only 85 Bronco (constructed for the US market), which featured three-speed gearboxes, the 85 Sport was outfitted with a four-speed transmission.
Visually, the bike stood out because of its elegant “jelly-mould” gas tank, a design component additionally seen on the bigger 175 Sport. With its slim traces and vibrant paintwork, the 85 Sport regarded each bit the miniature Italian thoroughbred.
On paper, efficiency was modest: 5.5 hp, a kerb weight of simply 60 kg, and a prime velocity of round 76 km/h. However within the Fifties, that was a lot for metropolis commuting and Sunday rides. Importantly, machines just like the 85 Sport helped Ducati set up a popularity for combining engineering sophistication with trendy design.
As we speak, restored examples such because the one pictured are cherished by collectors as reminders of Ducati’s early post-war heritage, lengthy earlier than the corporate grew to become synonymous with Desmodromic valves, World Superbike titles and extra lately the domination of MotoGP.
Ducati 85 Sport Specs
| Ducati 85 Sport Specs | |
| Engine | Air-cooled, four-stroke, single-cylinder, OHV, pushrod, 84.6 cc |
| Bore x stroke | 45.5 x 52 mm |
| Compression | 7.5:1 |
| Induction | Dell’Orto ME15BS carb |
| Begin | Kick |
| Tranmission | 4-speed |
| Body | Pressed metal |
| Suspension | Telescopic forks, twin swingarms |
| Brakes | Drum, 116 x 25 mm entrance/rear |
| Wheels | 2.50 x 17, 2.50 x 17 in |
| Weight | 60 kg |
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