Features Ducati 916 | The bicycle that defined an era

Ducati 916

With Ian Falloon

Only a handful of motorcycles can be considered defining an era. Honda’s first 750 Four in 1969 established a tradition of cross-frame four-cylinder motorcycles that continues to this day, and in 1994, Ducati released the 916. The Ducati 916 was more than just the 916. As a standard Ducati motorcycle, it created a styling blueprint for motorsports that continues to this day.

I was lucky enough to have Massimo Bordi show the prototype 916 at the factory in 1993 and it remains an indelible memory. “Please no pictures,Bordi said but then one of the staff let us in the back door to take some illegal photos. I had never seen anything quite like the 916, and the features that set it apart in 1993 were so advanced that it took years of opposition to catch on.

Although the 916 has a revolutionary look, with the powerful front end of the twin elliptical headlights, the side swingarm and the exhaust system that exits under the saddle, it still represents the traditional development philosophy. system of Ducati. At the heart of the 916 is the Desmoquattro 90-degree V-twin, born in 1987 as the 748 before evolving to the 851 and 888c.

The 851 and 888 are great Superbike riders but production bikes have flaws. When Massimo Tamburini began designing the 916 at the Cagiva Research Center in San Marino, he determined that his child would be faultless.

So while the 916 engine is essentially the 888 swish, with the same liquid-cooled twin camshaft cylinder heads and Marelli electronic fuel injection, the rest of the motorcycle is new. While serious consideration was given to the parallel Deltabox aluminum frame that later became popular, tradition prevailed and Tamburini eventually avoided this in favor of a traditional Ducati space frame.

From Ducati’s racing experience with the 851 and 888, the claims for the 916 include reducing the wheelbase compared to the 888, but providing a weight distribution as close to 50/50 as possible, along with wheel travel. suitable vehicle. This means placing the front wheel as close to the engine as possible and the engine turning 1.5° forward to help the front tire communicate with the cylinder head.

Tamburini also intends to create an extremely robust rudder structure, with an outer diameter of 80 mm, with special bearings to create a thick (35 mm) steering tube. A key design element is the incorporation of wheels that can be adjusted without altering the wheelbase.

Another important design point is to reduce frontal area and improve aerodynamics compared to 851/888. This results in the overall small size of the motorcycle and the shape of the crankcase, fuel tank and saddle. From above, the shape is purposefully designed to emulate the curves of a woman.

Part of the Tamburini philosophy is to equip components specifically designed for every part of a motorcycle, even the pins not shared with the previous 888. The 43 mm Showa front triple clamp is machined in pairs, the cold molded bottom triple clamp is notable for its exceptional depth.

In the early 1990s, Ducati still dreamed of winning both the Suzuka Eight-hours and Bol d’Or races, so the 916 was designed with a side swingarm to allow for quick wheel changes.

The 916 makes 114 hp at 9,000 rpm but the sheer power isn’t what the 916 is about. Despite the speed of 260 km/h, there are still faster and more powerful motorcycles. The 916 offers more than just engine performance, and offers a balance between engine and chassis that sets new standards. Unlike many Ducatis before it, there is a design homogeneity that takes the 916 into another dimension.

What the 916 is for Ducati is to take the company beyond being a passionate niche manufacturer into the creator of a motorcycle the world admires and desires. Since its release in 1994, the 916 has been the greatest Ducati ever. Delivering top standards for almost a decade, no other Ducati has achieved such success on the track for such a long period of time and has remained at the top of the world in terms of performance for so long.

Five facts about Ducati 916

• Massimo Tamburini switched from Bimota (he is “ta” in Bimota) to Ducati in 1984 and his first design was the Paso.
• Tamburini embarked on the 916 in 1988. This lasted for almost six years and was codenamed project 2887. Work on the geometric aspects of the 916 frame took place over a two-year period even before fabrication. create a prototype.
• The final frame configuration was completed in January 1992, a key structural element being the sealed airbox with the lower part of the fuel tank forming the upper part of the airbox.
• The 916 was an immediate success as a racer, Carl Fogarty winning the 1994 World Superbike Championship. He repeated this in 1995 and Troy Corser won in 1996. Fogarty continued. won World Superbike championships in 1998 and 1999 on Superbikes derived from the 916.
• Between 1994 and 1999, the 916 grew to 955cc and eventually to 996cc. The last Desmoquattro 996 was in 2001 before being replaced by the Testastretta 998 in 2002. The 916 also came with the same 748 in 1995 and many special editions.

Claudio Domenicali
Ducati CEO on the 916

“What’s your favorite historic Ducati bike? This is one of the most frequently asked interview questions.

“I have no doubt that my favorite historic bike is the 916 as it represents a turning point between bikes designed by engineers and motorcycles as a special synthesis. of art and technology.

“The 916 is Tamburini’s masterpiece that shows how design can be applied to every part of the vehicle, from the legs to the exhaust, and not just to the paintwork or bodywork.

“For example, prior to 916, the exhaust system was designed by a technician with limited attention to the impact on the overall design. In a motorcycle, everything is exposed so the harmony of technical components is extremely important to convey beauty and emotion in its overall feel.

“Massimo Tamburini, which we call the ‘Master Craftsman’, with the 916 brought a real revolution in the Ducati world, creating principles that are still valid in the Ducati DNA. The result of a long six-year work in which he scrutinized the smallest detail, yielding an astonishing result – both technically and stylistically – without resorting to sugar. wind tunnel.

“Personally, I am attached to 916 also because I had the honor of working closely with Massimo during my graduate thesis as a mechanical engineer: the job was finite element analysis of meshes. lattice and single-sided swingarm. The article also discusses how structurally more efficient Formula 1 cars used the engine as a load-bearing element, years later giving birth to the 1199’s monocoque concept and front-frame construction. of Panigale and Multistrada V4.

“They are historic examples like this that still allow us to design and manufacture the most beautiful bikes in the world: Made in Italy’s focus on style, refinement and performance icons .. ”

Specifications Ducati 916

Ducati Museum