Is this the most important Ducati 916 in existence?

THE DUCATI 916 is already considered one of motorcycling’s most iconic silhouettes but is this particular model the most legendary of them all? In a word, yes.

Borne from the creative mind of Massimo Tamburini, he was the visionary responsible for committing the Ducati 916 to paper at the Cagiva Research Centre in San Marino alongside Sergio Robbiano.

Twenty-five years on and ‘an incredible piece of history’ - the 916 belonging to Tamburini himself - is going to be immortalised in the Ducati Museum 

Belonging to Simona Tamburini, Massimo’s daughter, she reveals this 916 is one of the three prototypes from which Tamburini developed the bike until its industrialisation in 1994.

“Massimo Tamburini, who had already developed the Paso 750 for Ducati, with the 916 developed a bike that was a real revolution in the motorcycle world,” reads the official Ducati communication. “The 916's aerodynamics and chassis were developed exclusively on the roads of Rimini and at the Misano and Mugello circuits. For six, long years Tamburini meticulously studied every detail, without ever using the wind tunnel.



“The bike in the museum features details that are more similar to those of the 916 SP series, the highest performing model of the 916 series. The bike is almost completely made of fibreglass, while the air conveyors, front mudguard, airbox, tailpipes and number plate holder are made of carbon fibre. 

“Moreover, the bike is embellished with racing components like the five-spoke magnesium rims and the lightened single-sided swinging arm. Worthy of note is the absence of turn indicators and an odometer: the only instrumentation is a tachometer and a water temperature indicator.”

To celebrate 25 years of the Ducati 916, the manufacturer has launched a special edition 916-inspired version of the most modern version of the Superbike’s lineage, the Ducati V4 R, Panigale V4 25°Anniversario 916.