The Ducati parallel twins are a series of 350 cc (21 cu in) and 500 cc (31 cu in) parallel twin SOHC motorcycles produced by the Italian manufacturer Ducati from 1975 to 1981, although 67 Sports Desmos were supplied to Australian importer Frazers in 1983.
De Eccher believed the way to turn the company around was to reduce production costs and sell more machines.
De Eccher rejected this[11] and in a press conference in 1973 announced that the OHC singles would cease production to be replaced with a new parallel twin.
At the request of the American importers, Berliner, Ducati engineer Fabio Taglioni had designed a twin.
[1] The prototype had been shown to American dealers at Daytona in early 1965 but because of poor performance was never put into production.
Taglioni instead spent his time developing a belt drive OHC v twin, which would later become the Pantah.
Departing from usual Ducati practices, a forged crankshaft was used running in plain main bearings and big end.
Rear suspension was swinging arm with twin 320 mm Marzocchi shock absorbers.
[15] With sales of the 860GT and twins poor, Franco Zaiubouri replaced De Eccher as Ducati's General Manager in September 1975 and set about reviving the brand.
This raised power output to 50 bhp (37 kW) @ 8,500 rpm[19] but gave the machine a narrow powerband.
[20] The 500 Sports Desmo went into production in 1976[19] and a 350 version, finished in black and yellow,[20] introduced the following year.
[3] The majority of the Sports Desmos were built at the Italjet factory,[20] with engines supplied by Ducati.