A 1965 Bronco model was advertised for US$379, which would be US$ 2,580 in 2009 dollars, and touted as "America's most popular and reliable lightweight motorcycle."[4] Bronco versions in 85cc (5.2cuin) (1959–62) and 98cc (6.0cuin) (1959–63) had also been produced.
Description
Visually, this 1958-60 98 TS is typical of this Ducati series. Some models had different fuel tanks, or had lower handlebars. Ducati Owners Club in the 2009 London Parade.
The bike's 124.4cc (7.59cuin) single-cylinder powerplant, redesigned for the 1958 125 Aurea, was an overhead valve pushrod engine made visually distinctive by a "Ducati Meccanica" winged laurel wreath and "D" logo[5] cast in relief in brass on the left side aluminum flywheel cover. Mechanically, the new engine used an internal rather than external oil line feeding the upper valve train. The Aurea was styled like previous sporty standard models (Ducati 125 TV, 125 T), but had a 6V battery added to help the flywheel magneto power the lights and horn. For the 1960 Bronco, the Aurea's low, racing-style handlebar was replaced with a more upright touring handlebar, and a smaller gas tank, and smaller 16-inch, knobby tires were fitted.
The winged "D" emblem was repeated with a decal on the sides of the tank, along with a decal of a prancing horse (or "Cavallino Rampante") on the sides of the toolbox.[6]
After the 125 Bronco and Cadet/4, Ducati made no further refinements of the OHV pushrod singles line that had begun with the Ducati 85,[2] focusing instead on the OHC bevel drive and desmosingles, and ultimately twins, that were to become integral with the Ducati image.[7]
Notes
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ducati Bronco.
1 2 Walker, Mick (2002), Illustrated Ducati Buyer's Guide (3rded.), MotorBooks/MBI Publishing Company, p.13, ISBN978-0-7603-1309-1, retrieved 2009-04-28, The first 85, the N, appeared late in 1958, a strange mishmash from the Ducati parts bins -- frame from the 125 TV, forks from a 98 S, and an engine based on the three-speed 65 unit! Hardly a potion to set the motorcycling scene alight. the 85 T came in 1959 and this had a new tank (similar to the early Monza 250) and larger 130mm headlight. [...] The Bronco was the final model. It first appeared in 1960 expressly for the north American Market. It was basically an 85T, but with four speeds, dual-seat, and high, wide bars.
↑ Walker, Mick (2002), Illustrated Ducati Buyer's Guide (3rded.), MotorBooks/MBI Publishing Company, p.13, ISBN978-0-7603-1309-1, retrieved 2009-04-28, Last of Ducati's pushrod singles was this 125 Cadet/4. Specification included 121.340cc (53x55mm) unit-construction engine, four speeds, 18 in wheels, and a top sped of 61mph. It was built in 1967 and 1968.
↑ Lodi, Livio (2009), "The 1950s", Heritage Features and News, Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A., retrieved 2009-04-28, The first logo, above, picturing a "D" flanked by a laurel wreath appeared in 1958 on all production and racing motorcycles
↑ Lodi, Livio (2009), "Ducati and the Prancing Horse", Heritage Features and News, Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A., retrieved 2009-04-28, For a short time, our racing motorcycles and a 98cc road version (called "Cavallino" in Europe and "Bronco" in the U.S.) sported on their side panels a horse identical to that of the Ferrari emblem.
Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. is the motorcycle-manufacturing division of Italian company Ducati, headquartered in Bologna, Italy. The company is owned by Italian automotive manufacturer Lamborghini, through its German parent company Audi, itself owned by the Volkswagen Group.
A desmodromic valve is a reciprocating engine poppet valve that is positively closed by a cam and leverage system, rather than by a more conventional spring.
A motorcycle engine is an engine that powers a motorcycle. Motorcycle engines are typically two-stroke or four-stroke internal combustion engines, but other engine types, such as Wankels and electric motors, have been used.
The Ducati singles were single cylinder motorcycles, made by Ducati from 1950 to 1974. Chief Engineer Fabio Taglioni developed a desmodromic valve system in these years, a system that opens and closes the valves using the camshaft, without the need for valve springs. This valve system has become a trademark feature of Ducati motorcycles.
The Ducati 60 of 1949-50 was Ducati's first in a 19 model year run of four-stroke, OHV single cylinder motorcycles that ended with the 125 Cadet/4 of 1967. The 60 used the 60 cc pullrod engine of the Cucciolo T3 moped, and a frame supplied by Caproni. The 60 Sport of 1950-52 used Ducati's own frame, making it their first complete motorcycle. For 1953 the name was changed to 65 Sport. They were followed by the 65T, 65TL, 65TS series.
Berliner Motor Corporation was the US distributor from the 1950s through the 1980s for several European motorcycle marques, including Ducati, J-Be, Matchless, Moto Guzzi, Norton, Sachs and Zündapp, as well as selling Metzeler tires. Berliner Motor was highly influential as the voice of the huge American market to the motorcycle companies they bought bikes from, and their suggestions, and sometimes forceful demands, guided many decisions in Europe as to which bikes to develop, produce, or discontinue.
Joe Berliner [...] a man endowed with great decision-making power in Borgo Panigale
The Ducati 98, 98N, 98T, 98TL, 98 Sport (98S) and 98 Super Sport (98SS) were a series of single-cylinder OHV, open-cradle pressed-steel frame motorcycles made by Ducati Meccanica from 1952 to 1958. The 98 Sport sold in London in 1956 for £178 10s, which would be £4,488 as of 2021, after inflation.
The Ducati 125 Aurea was a Ducati motorcycle made from 1958 to 1962; it was only superficially different from the Bronco of 1960 to 1966.
Meguro motorcycles were built by Meguro Manufacturing Co motorcycle works (目黒製作所), founded by Hobuji Murato and a high-ranking naval officer, Takaji Suzuki, in 1937. One of the first Japanese motorcycle companies, it became a partner of Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd, and was eventually absorbed. Named after a district of Tokyo, Meguro had its roots in Murato Iron Works, which was established in 1924. Meguro Seisakusho, which had once developed a copy of a Harley-Davidson V-twin, was established to design and build gearboxes for the nascent Japanese motorcycle industry. Abe Industries, which had once produced its own motorcycle, merged with Meguro in 1931. The brand is being revived by Kawasaki with a new K3 model to be introduced in Japan on February 1, 2021.
The Ducati 160 Monza Junior is a 156 cc (9.5 cu in) single cylinder bevel drive SOHC motorcycle produced by the Italian manufacturer Ducati from 1964 to 1970. The model was the most successful of the Ducati OHC singles. The exact number produced is not known, but estimates put the figure between 13,000 and 15,000. This exceeds the total number of all other Ducati singles produced from 1967 to 1975.
The Ducati 350 Mark 3 is a 340 cc (21 cu in) single cylinder bevel drive SOHC motorcycle produced by the Italian manufacturer Ducati from 1968 to 1974. It was one of the first 'wide case' Ducati singles produced. A higher performance version, the Ducati 350 Mark 3D, which used desmodromic valves was also available.
The Ducati 239 Mark 3 is a 340 cc (21 cu in) single cylinder bevel drive SOHC motorcycle produced by the Italian manufacturer Ducati in limited quantities for the French market in 1974. The French Government has announced that they were to increase VAT on motorcycles of 240 cc and above in 1975. Ducati responded by producing the 239 to take advantage of the lower 20% VAT rate on sub-240 machines. To compensate for the reduced capacity, the engine was tuned to produce more power with a different camshaft, slipper piston, 30 mm carburettor and a different exhaust using a Lafranconi silencer.
The Ducati 450 Mark 3 is a 436 cc (26.6 cu in) single cylinder bevel drive SOHC motorcycle produced by the Italian manufacturer Ducati from 1969 to 1974. The 450 was largest displacement version of the OHC single series produced by Ducati and used the 'wide case' engine. A higher performance version, the Ducati 450 Mark 3D, which used desmodromic valves was also available. The 450 was criticised for vibration and lack of performance compared to other models such as the Mach 1.
The Ducati 250 Mark 3 is a 249 cc (15.2 cu in) single cylinder bevel drive SOHC motorcycle produced by the Italian manufacturer Ducati from 1967 to 1974. Initially produced using the 'narrow case' engine, the newly introduced 'wide case' engine was used from 1968. A higher performance version, the Ducati 250 Mark 3D, which used desmodromic valves was also available.
The Ducati Diana Mark 3, also known as the Ducati Diana SuperSport and commonly referred to as the Ducati Mark 3, is a 249 cc (15.2 cu in) single cylinder bevel drive SOHC motorcycle produced by the Italian manufacturer Ducati from 1962 to 1966. It was a higher performance version of the Ducati Diana and sold to the American market only. In 1963, Cycle World described it as "the fastest, and nearly the smoothest, standard motorcycle in the 250cc class". It was replaced in 1967 by the Ducati 250 Mark 3.
The Ducati 125 Scrambler is an on/off road 124 cc (7.6 cu in) single cylinder bevel drive SOHC motorcycle produced by the Italian manufacturer Ducati in 1971 and 1972. Although Ducati had stopped production of the 'narrow case' singles in 1967, the Scrambler used a narrow case engine made by MotoTrans in Spain. The model was not a sales success with less than 200 sold worldwide and was soon taken out of production.
The Ducati 450 R/T (road/trail) is a 436 cc (26.6 cu in) single cylinder bevel drive desmodromic SOHC motorcycle produced by the Italian manufacturer Ducati from 1971 to 1974. Initially produced at the request of the American importers Berliner Motor Corporation as a pure motocross machine exclusively for the American Market, only a few hundred machines were made of this type. It is the only motocross bike to use desmodromic valves. An optional street equipment kit was available. From 1972 it was produced for the European Market as a street legal on/off road machine, which was sometimes known as the 450 T/S.
The Ducati 350 Scrambler, also known in the US as the Ducati 350 SS and in Europe as the Ducati 350 SCR is an on/off road 340 cc (21 cu in) single cylinder bevel drive SOHC motorcycle produced by the Italian manufacturer Ducati from 1968 to 1974. It was the first of the 'wide case' Ducati singles produced and aimed at the American Market. Total production was around 11,500 machines.
The Ducati 100 Scrambler is an on/off road 98 cc (6.0 cu in) single cylinder two stroke motorcycle produced by the Italian manufacturer Ducati in 1970 and 1971. The model was produced to take advantage of the dirt bike craze in Italy at the time. The model used many parts from existing models, keeping R&D costs down. A smaller engined version, the 50 Scrambler, was also produced. The model did not sell well and was soon dropped.
The Ducati 100 Scrambler is an on/off road 50 cc (3.1 cu in) single cylinder two stroke motorcycle produced by the Italian manufacturer Ducati in 1970 and 1971. The model was produced to take advantage of the dirt bike craze in Italy at the time. The model used many parts from existing models, keeping R&D costs down. A larger engined version, the 100 Scrambler, was also produced. Styling was similar the 125 Cadet Scrambler. The model did not sell well and was soon dropped.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
