Ducati has this knack for designing motorcycles that make us, hardened bikers, feel things. And since we don't like to feel things, we're always skeptical of the Italian builder. We take it out on them by saying things like 'oh they're unreliable' and 'wait 'till you have to do the desmodromic valve service.' But we know, deep down in our V-twin (sorry, L-twin) hearts that all those things don't really matter. They are truly beautiful machines with engines that have heaps of character. Riding a Ducati is to be one with the road. Every shift, spin of the dry clutch and pull of the throttle reminds us why we love motorcycles.
But we are visual creatures first and foremost, and if we're being honest with ourselves, we, sometimes, tend to make split second decisions based on looks alone. Which is why all of those tasty riding characteristics would be moot, if Ducati motorcycles didn't look like works of arts. History is riddled with motorcycles that were amazing to ride, but were esthetically divisive and unpopular. But Ducatis are sculptures, seemingly created by a master artist. What's more, they are moving sculptures, an art form that we can all comprehend and experience first hand.
10 Ducati 999
Sometimes you have to take a big swing. Sometimes it's a homerun. And other times it's a swing and a miss. Ducati is kind of known for making big swings in their design language. Such was the case with the 999. It only lasted three measly years. That should tell you something about its popularity, but art is subjective, and should challenge those that experience it.
The 999 came after the very popular range of Ducati bikes, namely the 916, 996 and the 998, which were designed by Massimo Tamburini and were beloved the world over. But the controversy over the 999 styling can most likely be attributed to the way ahead-of-its-time headlight design. And if you look at what Suzuki is doing with their GSX-8S and Yamaha with MT-09, perhaps now is the time to give the 999 some overdue credit.
9 Ducati TT2 600
This racing bike, based on the Ducati Pantah, looks like it means business. The fairing, the screen, the livery and the seat cowl all have a very authentic early 80s design. There's the red paint, of course, indicative of it being a Ducati, but the retro Ducati logo, along with the racing number and yellow accents, give this beast a tough but soft brutalist look that's part Terminator, part supermodel. And we're not entirely sure how Ducati managed to pull that off.
8 Ducati 1199 Panigale
When Ducati designed the Panigale, they somehow were able to make it look minimalist with all of that busy work underneath the fairing, and it is perhaps the fairing that is the reason. It creates this very attractive, glossy red wedge that is immediately pleasing to the eye.
Even if you're not a fan of motorcycles, you can see that great thought was put into the design of it. And the best piece of the bike is the upswept rear seat which looks paper-thin. The single swing arm also cleans up a lot of the rear wheel area. It was one of Ducati's most deceptively simple designs that immediately set it apart from its Japanese competitors.
7 Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled
Ducati's Scrambler line of motorcycles was so popular, they spun it off into its own brand. There are now multiple models, with varying engines and styles, but the best looking has to be the Desert Sled. Here, Ducati embraced the scrambler esthetics wholeheartedly by raising the suspension and the front fender. It also gave it the best color schemes in the entire lineup. The whole package looks like it was thoroughly thought-out, and the knobby tires, single round headlight and the upswept seat produce an undeniably attractive silhouette.
6 Ducati 500 Sport Desmo
This vintage Ducati should look familiar to anyone with even a surface knowledge of flat track racing. No, it didn't really race on dirt, but it sure looked like flat track racers from the 70s. Especially conspicuous was the raised seat cowl. Add to that the white racing stripe, and you had yourself a fun street bike that stood out in the crowd of typical Japanese standards and American cruisers. It wasn't particularly popular and didn't last very long, but its DNA can be seen in many other Ducatis over the years, including one of their best-selling ones, the Monster.
5 Ducati 916
The 916 is a true classic. It was designed by the legendary Massimo Tamburini, who was an important component of the Bimota motorcycle brand. He eventually wound up at Ducati and the rest was history. And his creation, the 916, should be considered a real work of art, through and through.
There are some genius touches in this model, starting with the frame breaking up the red of the tank, side panels and seat from the lower fairing. The tank and the seat have beautifully sculpted shapes and all the ugly guts of the bike are tucked away from sight, including the exhausts which were placed under the seat. There's just the minimalist white lettering and a big slab of gorgeous red. A simple yet thoughtful execution.
4 Ducati Sportclassic 1000 S
Before MVAgusta's Superveloce and Triumph's Speed Triple 1200 RR, there was the Ducati Sportclassic 1000 S. In 2005, Ducati once again found themselves ahead of time. This style of "modern classic" wouldn't really become popular until the next decade was in full swing. Yes, Café Racers were coming into fashion even back then, with Triumph spearheading the revival, but it was still very much a niche market. Still, it was one breathtaking machine, made only better with the addition of the front fairing. It looked sufficiently retro to play on nostalgia heart strings, though it was a modern motorcycle underneath.
3 Ducati Monster 696
Ducati has a lot of popular motorcycles, such as their ever-expanding lineup of Scramblers. But none may be more popular than the Monster. Ducati has recently made headlines by completely redesigning their prized naked roadster, and not everyone was happy with what they'd come up with (#NotOurMonster!). And though we do think that the new version ultimately looks pretty darn good, there's just something about the funky looks of the 696 that we can't get out of our heads.
Maybe it's the red trellis frame or the chunky raised exhausts that made the 696 look like nothing else on the market at the time. It looked like scaffolding that was about to fold in, and we loved it. Industrial, mechanical and analog in all the best ways possible, the 696 looked like it was lovingly built in someone's garage out of the best Ducati spare parts.
2 Ducati Streetfighter V4 Lamborghini
This was a gimmick. We knew it. You knew it. Everyone knew it. But that didn't stop Ducati from sticking the landing like a boss. The Streetfighter is a striking bike to begin with. Add to that the insane color scheme that made you think of the other crazy Italian automaker, Lamborghini. There are only 630 models made for the general public and an additional 63 units reserved specifically for Lamborghini owners.
Simply put, it is stunning. The 'Citrea Green' paint is the same used for the Huracán STO, and it looks supremely extra. We urge you to visit the Ducati official website where you can rotate the Streetfighter around 360 degrees, and see for yourself what the designers were able to achieve. And if you had the money, but didn't know this existed, you're out of luck. This bad boy is no longer in production, though you may be able to find one up for auction, if you're very patient and very lucky.
1 Ducati Desert X
There's nothing else on this list like the Ducati Desert X. Maybe the Scrambler Desert Sled, but even that has a completely different look to it. The Desert X is a new machine. And although Ducati has an adventure motorcycle in the form of the Multistrada V4, this was their attempt to get into the ADV market in earnest. Ever since they revealed the first images of the original concept back in 2019, the biking world waited with bated breath when Ducati would unveil the final version.
Thankfully, the final form of the bike wasn't too far off from what everyone had fallen in love with. And it's interesting to note how different this model is from everything else that Ducati has produced up until now. Gone was the reliance on red. Circular dual lights were added, and the overall shape recalled the very best of the old school Dakar racers. And yet the design didn't lean into the modern retro trends, like Royal Enfield did with the Himalayan. It is a unique, handsome and elegant design that only Ducati could ever possibly conceive.