| Three brothers from Bologna in Italy started a | | | | Ducati's in the 50s and 60s |
| company that was to become one of the most world | | | | As the customer appetite for bigger bikes grew, |
| famous producers of motorbikes ever; Ducati. | | | | Ducati stepped out at the 1952 Milan Show and |
| Ducati in the early years | | | | unveiled their first cruiser. It had similar looks to a |
| Adriano, Bruno and Marcello Ducati founded the | | | | Vespa scooter and was heralded as the most |
| Societa Scientifica Radio Brevetti Ducati in 1926. Initially | | | | interesting bike at the show. However, this same |
| the firm went to work on making parts for radios and | | | | success was not to be accomplished in the sales |
| they proved so successful in this field that just nine | | | | market and only a few thousand ever hit the streets |
| years later they were to open another factory in | | | | before production ceased. |
| Bologna. The onslaught of WWII did not deter the | | | | The following year the company decided it was best |
| brothers from continuing to run their business and | | | | to divide the interest of electronics and motorbikes into |
| despite their factories being targeted by allied bombing | | | | two separate ventures and the Ducati Meccanica |
| missions they came out the other side relatively | | | | SpA was created. The factory in Bologna was |
| unscathed. Specialised Ducati motorbike insurance | | | | brought up-to-date and in just a couple of years it was |
| entered the playing field many years later and has | | | | producing 120 bikes each day. It was around this time |
| proved to be a huge success. | | | | that the need for Ducati motorbike insurance became |
| Motorised bicycles? | | | | fierce as bikes grew faster and more deadly. |
| The first contact the Ducati brothers would have with | | | | In the late 1960s the firm made the history books by |
| motorbikes came not long after Italy's liberation. The | | | | producing the Mach 1. It was an awesome 250CC |
| Ducati's decided they would purchase small engines in | | | | motorbike that took the honour of fastest road bike |
| bulk and sell readymade bicycles with engines | | | | when it won the Isle of Man TT and clocked a speed |
| attached to them. Soon the speed and technology led | | | | of 107.2mph. This was the start of the love affair that |
| to the motorbike sector introducing the need for Ducati | | | | would continue with Ducati bikes and Ducati bike |
| bike insurance. | | | | insurance was by this time a must. |
| Over the next five years the firm sold 200,000 | | | | More recent times |
| bicycles fixed with SIATA engines mounted on them | | | | Nowadays, Ducati's boast a desmodromic valve |
| and shortly after this the world welcomed the birth of | | | | design that allows the engines to produce more power |
| the Ducati motorbike. The year was 1950 and the bike | | | | with less flat spots. In the past 20 years, Ducati's have |
| was named the Ducati Cucciolo (Italian for puppy), later | | | | won no less than 13 Superbike World Championships, |
| changing its name to 55M and 65TL. It had a 60CC | | | | showing after more than 80 years in the business they |
| engine and was capable of reaching speeds of | | | | are still going strong and with Ducati bike insurance |
| 40mph. | | | | widely available; you can be protected while you ride. |