“Don’s Vincati turned out all right, but imagine building one today” GIVEN the reverence the Ducatisti hold for the bevel-drive V-twin, especially the early round-case models, it’s barely conceivable that there was once a time when anyone would consider replacing it with an engine from another make.
The early 1970s saw motorcycling redefined as the once-dominant British bike industry was steamrolled by Japanese models like the Honda CB750, Yamaha XS650, Suzuki GT750 and Kawasaki Z1, all of which offered an unheard-of blend of performance, reliability and ease of ownership. And then there was the Ducati GT750.
Released in 1972, Ducati’s first big bike was a genuine grand tourer, comfortable and stable, and handled like it was on rails. It was powered by a smooth, fast, weird-looking engine that seemed to…
