Ducati Formula 73 channels Ducati’s most iconic decade
Some motorcycles look retro, and then there are motorcycles that feel like a living bridge to a specific moment in history. The Ducati Formula 73 lands firmly in that second category—an Urban Café Racer created as a modern tribute to the 750 Super Sport Desmo, the first Ducati road bike fitted with desmodromic valve timing and, for many collectors, the single most significant model in the brand’s lineage. Ducati is releasing the Ducati Formula 73 during its centenary year as a limited, numbered run of 873 units, and that number is no accident: it’s a direct nod to the 1973-era legend that shaped the company’s identity.
The backstory matters here because the original Super Sport was born as a road-going replica of the 750 Imola Desmo, the machine that carried Paul Smart and Bruno Spaggiari to victory at the 1972 200 Miglia di Imola—a landmark production-derived race that foreshadowed the Superbike era to come. That Imola win and the creation of the 750 Super Sport Desmo were the first real chapter in Ducati’s production-based racing saga, a story that now totals more than 400 victories, sixteen rider titles, and twenty-one manufacturer titles. The Ducati Formula 73 is inspired by the silhouette of a classic and celebrates the moment Ducati learned how to turn racing identity into road-bike mythology.
Ducati Formula 73 design, colors, and details are collector-grade
Visually, the Ducati Formula 73 is a contemporary reinterpretation of the 1973 Super Sport Desmo, and it’s intentionally sleek and slender—minimalist without losing drama. Ducati leans into a signature silver and aqua green livery, researched through the company archives by the Ducati Style Centre, and it’s the kind of colorway that reads instantly “heritage” without trying to cosplay a museum piece. My favorite detail is the vertical gold stripe on the tank, echoing the original unpainted strip on the 750 Imola Desmo that let the team check fuel level without extra instrumentation. That’s the sort of historically nerdy, function-first flourish that makes a tribute feel legitimate.
The Café Racer character is reinforced through clip-on handlebars with bar-end mirrors, plus a short, tapered fairing and tail section that keep the profile tight and purposeful. Ducati also pushes the premium finish hard with multiple billet aluminum components, including the brake and clutch levers with oil reservoirs, the footpegs, and a Rizoma fuel cap supplied as standard.
Like all Ducati limited editions, the Ducati Formula 73 features the model name and serial number on the steering plate, and each unit ships with a certificate of authenticity and a special presentation box containing period images and Style Centre sketches—exactly the kind of packaging that signals this bike was designed to be admired as much as it’s meant to be ridden.
Ducati Formula 73 specs blend air-cooled tradition with real tech
Underneath the throwback elegance, the Ducati Formula 73 is genuinely modern where it counts. Power comes from an 803 cc Desmodue L-twin, air-cooled, Euro 5+ approved, with desmodromic distribution and two valves per cylinder. Output is a very intentional 73 horsepower at 8,250 rpm, paired with 65.2 Nm of torque at 7,000 rpm—numbers chosen as much for identity as for acceleration, and that’s the point. Ducati isn’t trying to build the fastest Café Racer on paper; it’s building a machine where the engine’s character becomes part of the styling and the experience.
Fueling is handled by electronic injection with a 50 mm throttle body and Ride-by-Wire, which should translate to the kind of crisp, progressive response you want in real-world riding—especially at low rpm where vintage-themed machines can sometimes feel lumpy. The exhaust is also a key part of the personality: a type-approved Termignoni silencer, developed with aesthetic details specific to the model, gives the bike a voice that’s designed to match the aura.
Chassis-wise, the steel trellis frame makes the heritage connection obvious, and Ducati paints it aqua green so it becomes part of the visual signature rather than hiding in the shadows. The bike rolls on 17-inch spoked aluminum wheels wearing Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV tires in 120/70 R17 front and 180/55 R17 rear, which is a properly sporty choice for a machine that’s as much about riding enjoyment as it is about presence. Suspension is handled by a 41 mm KYB upside-down fork up front and a KYB rear shock with preload adjustment, while braking is serious and modern with a 330 mm front disc and Brembo radial 4-piston caliper, plus Bosch Cornering ABS.
And this is where the Formula 73 separates itself from the “pretty bike” category: the electronics suite is fully contemporary. The Ducati Formula 73 includes an IMU-based package with Ducati Traction Control (DTC), Cornering ABS, Power Modes, Ducati Quick Shift (DQS) up/down, and two Riding Modes (Sport and Road). Add a 4.3-inch TFT display, full-LED lighting with DRL, self-canceling turn signals, and the bike is also Ducati Multimedia System (DMS) ready with turn-by-turn navigation support. You’re getting the romance of a seventies silhouette without giving up the safety and usability riders now expect.
In terms of everyday practicality, Ducati quotes a wet weight of 403 pounds, a seat height of 808 mm, and a 14.5-liter fuel tank, with a single-seat layout that leans into the focused Café Racer intent.
Maintenance intervals are clearly laid out too, including 12,000 km oil service and valve clearance intervals. The overall result is a bike that honors tradition without being trapped by it—exactly what I want from a modern Ducati homage.
As for availability, the Ducati Formula 73 will reach European dealerships in spring 2026, with distribution completing in the rest of the world by the end of summer. With only 873 numbered units worldwide, this one won’t be a casual walk-in purchase for long—especially for collectors who’ve been waiting for Ducati to do something truly intentional with its seventies DNA.
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