1985 Ducati 750 F1 Review

The belt driven 'Pantah' v-twin engine was a development of Ducati's bevel drive v-twins that had already earned their place in motorcycling history. Another creation of Ducati's chief engineer, Dr. Fabio Taglioni, the Pantah emerged on the show circuit in 1978, before appearing as a production model in 1979. While it wasn't "traditional", the belt driven OHC design was not only cheaper to manufacture, but also made for quieter operation without negatively affecting performance. The Pantah first appeared as a 500, before being enlarged to 600 (actually 583cc) in 1980. In this form, it was suitable for Formula 2 TT (TTF2) competition. Changes to TTF2 rules for 1981 worked to Ducati's benefit, so they offered limited support to a racing Pantah developed in the UK and ridden by veteran, Tony Rutter. While not a superstar like Mike Hailwood, Rutter was still very experienced, and repaid the faith shown in him by winning the 1981 TTF2 championship. Bouyed by this success, Ducati increased their support, which resulted in the 1982, 1983 and 1984 TTF2 titles all going to Ducati with Rutter in the saddle.

Success with the 600 TTF2 version naturally led Ducati to develop a larger, 750 version, to compete in Formula 1 TT competition. While the TTF1 did enjoy some success in endurance racing, including the transatlantic Battle of the Twins series, it never reached the heights of its 600 predecessor. Nevertheless, the 750 version was chosen as the basis for a roadgoing 'race replica' version.
Enthusiasts had been clamouring for a road-legal version of the TTF2 and TTF1 machines since they first appeared, but Ducati's perilous financial position meant a roadgoing version was constantly delayed. As Ducati was a state-controlled operation at that time, the investment money simply wasn't there. A series of bad management decisions and unsuccessful new models compounded their problems. An agreement in 1983 to supply engines to the privately-owned Cagiva company gave Ducati a little more breathing space, but it was Cagiva's buy-out of Ducati in May, 1985 that finally gave the company the financial security to confidently develop and release new models. The 750 F1 was actually released prior to the Cagiva takeover, and benefitted from the increased resources the change of ownership brought, despite Cagiva's initial intention to scale down production of sportsbike models like the F1.

In its bold red/white/green paint scheme, the debut 750 F1 of 1985 was hard to miss, but the overall attractiveness of the F1's appearance was counteracted by the tail unit, which looked large, boxy and not in harmony with the rest of the design. The shape of the full fairing and position of the fuel tank highlighted one of the F1's other key features: its lightweight 'Verlicchi' frame. Minimal, even compared to previous Ducati offerings, the F1's Verlicchi trellis frame followed the pattern initially set by the Pantah 600SL road bike. The road version of the 750 F1 frame differed from the race version, with provision for side & centre stands, easier access for repair work, as well as extra support for the battery and seat. The same basic trellis frame design would go to appear on a pair of Ducati icons from the 1990s, the Monster and 900 Supersport, and still be a part of the Ducati lineup today.
The desmodromic Pantah 90 degree V-twin served as a stressed member of the frame, and carried most of the specs from the TTF1 racer, but compression was a more mild 9.3:1. As a result, horsepower was down, but thanks to its lightness, the 750 F1 was still a very potent road bike, with an impressive mix of speed and handling. The clutch was initially a hydraulically-operated wet unit, but was later changed to a dry, multi-plate clutch. Brake discs were large (280mm) ventilated units front and rear, but their potential was somewhat limited by the single piston calipers. Again, the overall lightness of the 750 F1 eliminated the need for multi-piston calipers. Early production F1s were believed to have non-floating discs, as well as a solid rear disc.

As the last design from the famous Dr. Taglioni, the 750 F1 holds a special place in Ducati history. Some enthusiasts regard it as the last of the "real" Ducatis. There's no doubt it's more collectable than two other Ducatis that were also released in 1985, the 'Paso' road bike and 'Indiana' cruiser. Only around 624 examples of the 750 F1 were released in 1985, making them a rare sight today. As Australia was an important market for Ducati at the time, there are probably more good quality examples here than in a lot of other markets, but the prospective buyer needs to look over any advertised 750 F1 carefully. A number of examples will have been crashed and repaired with poor quality or non-authentic parts. Electrics are typically Italian, while poor finish on the factory 2-into-1 exhaust has seen many F1 exhausts replaced with aftermarket units.
Being a race replica, the 750 F1 is a "no compromise" bike. The overall dimensions are quite small, which taller riders may struggle to get comfortable with. The seating position is wrist heavy, wheelbase short, and suspension firm. Steering is heavy, too, due to the small front wheel and hydraulic steering damper. It can hoist its front wheel easily on acceleration, and almost lift the rear under heavy braking. However, those who have got comfortable with the characteristics of the 750 F1 swear by it. On a straight - or twisty - bit of smooth tarmac, the 750 F1 offers the sort of performance to surprise a lot of newer sportsbikes. It's also a collectable piece of Ducati history.


SPECIFICATIONS - 1985 Ducati 750 F1

Engine: 748cc four stroke SOHC 90 degree v-twin
Bore/Stroke: 88 x 61.5mm
Compression: 9.3:1
Power/Torque: 62.5hp @ 7500rpm / 61Nm @ 6500rpm
Fuel System: 2 x 36mm Dell'Orto carbs
Cooling System: Air
Electrical System: 12 volt
Ignition: Bosch
Transmission/Drive: 5 speed manual/chain drive
Front Suspension: 38mm Marzocchi telescopic forks
Rear Suspension: Swingarm with adjustable Marzocchi mono-shock
Front Brake: 2 x 280mm ventilated disc w/single piston caliper
Rear Brake: 260mm ventilated disc w/single piston caliper
Front Tyre: 120/80 V16
Rear Tyre: 130/80 V18
Dry Weight: 175kg
Seat Height: 750mm
Wheelbase: 1400mm
Fuel Capacity: 18 ltr
Top Speed: 200 kph - approx



TRIVIA

The success of the F1 saw a number of racetrack inspired and intended limited editions released. The first of these was the 'Montjuich', named after the Spanish race circuit and released early in 1986. It swapped the road bike's 36mm carbs for 40mm units, the Bosch ignition for Kokusan, along with a number of other changes to engine internals. A competition-only (ie. not street legal) exhaust, and the deletion of road going essentials like indicators made the Montjuich suitable for track use only, but it didn't stop most buyers using them on the road.

Japan and Australia were Ducati's two best export markets in the mid-1980s. The normally lucrative American market was shut off to Ducati due to heavy import tariffs on any motorcycle over 700cc in capacity. Designed primarily to protect Harley-Davidson against big numbers of Japanese imports in their home market, the tariffs also made large capacity Ducatis, like the 750 F1, prohibitively expensive.

The 1985 Ducati 750 F1 was the last model to feature the distinctive 'dual-line' Ducati logo for almost 15 years. Cagiva ownership bought a change of logo to all models, and the previous logo wouldn't reappear on a production Ducati until 2000.