Who had a Ducati café racer on their 2026 wishlist? Not me, for sure. The Italian bikemaker is celebrating its 100th year, and what better motorcycle to do it with than the one that was pivotal in its historical journey: the Super Sport 750 Desmo.
The new bike is called the Formula 73 – the 73 being an ode to the 1973 750 Super Sport Desmo. It’s an original interpretation of the first Ducati road bike that came fitted with desmodromic valve timing back in the day.
But we have to take another quick step into the history of the motorcycling world to truly credit the origin of this motorcycle. The 750 Super Sport Desmo itself was essentially a road-legal replica of the 750 Imola Desmo, which saw Paul Smart and Bruno Spaggiari win the 200 Miglia di Imola in 1972.
That race was so instrumental that it paved the way for what was later known as the Superbike formula. Heck, it also started Ducati’s dominance in production-based racing that has helped shape the brand’s identity to this day.
Back to the motorcycle in question. The Formula 73 boasts a sleek and understated design. With a vertical gold stripe that echoes the useful fuel-check strip on the original Imola racer, the silver-and-aqua-green paint scheme stays true to Ducati’s roots.
Bolstering its café racer profile are clip-on bars, bar-end mirrors, and a short fairing. There are also plenty of billet aluminum parts, including footpegs, brake and clutch levers, and the Rizoma fuel cap. But I was really hoping that Ducati had added a proper front fairing to it. But I guess that’s just me nitpicking.
Departing from the styling, and you’ll see the recognizable 803cc air-cooled Desmodue L-twin motor in there. It gets a compression ratio of 11.0:1, an 88 mm x 66 mm bore and stroke, with official specs stating that it produces 73 hp at 8,250 RPM and 48 lb.ft (65.2 Nm) of torque at 7,000 RPM.
A six-speed gearbox and a hydraulically operated slipper clutch provide power, and a chain drive transfers it to the rear wheel. You get electronic fuel injection with Ducati’s staple Ride-by-Wire control.
The original Super Sport Desmo layout is carried further in the aqua green steel trellis frame. It sits on a 41-mm upside-down Kayaba fork and a preload-adjustable Kayaba rear shock with 5.9 inches (150 mm) of travel.
The bike rolls on Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV tires on spoked 17-inch aluminum wheels. A 330-mm radial four-piston caliper front disc and a 245-mm rear disc are in charge of bringing the bike to a halt. As for the exhaust, you get a stainless steel Termignoni system that’s designed especially for this bike.
It sports a total weight (minus fuel) of 403 lb (183 kg) – rather appreciable for a bike that has a fuel tank that can hold 3.8 gallons (14.5 liters). The seat height, though, is at the taller end of the spectrum, at 31.8 inches (808 mm).
And even though it’s an ode to the bygone times, the Formula 73 still boasts a relatively modern host of electronics. That includes Bosch cornering ABS, traction control, Road and Sport riding modes, power modes, and an up/down quickshifter. You also get a 4.3-inch TFT color display with the Ducati Multimedia System that supports turn-by-turn navigation.
A hundred years is a long time, and the Formula 73 is indeed a nice start to the celebrations. Sure, in this day and age, those power figures may seem paltry compared to most modern motorcycles, but you’d be completely missing the point if power was the only reaon you were eyeing this particular bike.
The Formula 73 is meant for the numbered folk who appreciate Ducati’s history more than anything. It’s understated, and effectively the only café racer-styled bike Ducati is currently offering.
Speaking of which, the Formula 73 is a limited-edition model with only 873 numbered units to be produced globally. Each model will carry its own serial number and come with a certificate of authenticity alongside archival material from the Ducati Style Center.
It's expected to arrive at European dealerships first. That should be in the [Northern Hemisphere] spring of 2026, after which it will be distributed worldwide before the end of the summer. Pricing has been set at £15,095 (which is US$20,360 per direct conversion).
Source: Ducati
