It might not be a fair comparison, given the difficult trading conditions at the beginning of 2020, but a better indication is that sales are up 9% against the same six months in 2019, the last 'normal' year of trading.

OK, that headline does need a bit of qualification: sales are up 43% for the first six months of 2021 compared to the same period in 2020. However, as the first six months of 2020 were a complete disaster as the pandemic hit and the world slowly ground to a halt, it would be natural for 2021 sales to be higher.

What is more encouraging is that not only was June 2021 Ducati’s best month ever for sales but, if we compare 2021 to 2019 - the last year of ‘normal’ sales conditions - the Italian company is showing a 9% increase in sales in 2021 over the same period in 2019. Now that is reason to celebrate.

34,485 motorcycles were sold in the first quarter, with 8,598 sales in June alone! Top three sellers are the Multistrada V4, the Scrambler (in all its guises) and the Streetfighter V4. Italy takes top spot for numbers sold; 6,071 units.

“The month of June was the best-ever for the company, confirming the positive trend that began with the excellent second half of 2020 and with the significant growth in the first quarter of this 2021,” VP Global Sales Director Ducati, Francesco Milicia said.

“Despite the great complexity recorded in the supply sector and transport, with delays in deliveries and a scarcity of various raw materials, and the difficulties generated by the many lockdowns experienced in these first six months of 2021 in various parts of the world, Ducati recorded truly significant growth, exceeding pre-Covid values by almost 10%.”