Ducati is celebrating its centenary year, but rather than popping on a silly hat and gorging on cake, the Italian brand is digging deep into the archive. Meet the Formula 73, a limited-run tribute to the bike that helped write the modern Ducati rulebook: the legendary Ducati 750 Super Sport Desmo.
That bike, of course, was born from the 750 Imola Desmo that carried Paul Smart and Bruno Spaggiari to victory at Imola in 1972 – a race that effectively laid the foundations for what would later become World Superbike. It marked the start of Ducati’s obsession with production-derived racing, a story that now includes more than 400 victories, 16 riders’ titles and 21 manufacturers’ crowns… according to the marque. Not bad for a company with a reputation for stubborn engineering and, dare we say it, temperamental products.
The Formula 73 channels the spirit of the handsome Super Sport 750 Desmo into something thoroughly modern. Visually, it’s a love letter to the original: silver and aqua green paint lifted from the archives, a vertical gold stripe on the tank, clip-ons with bar-end mirrors and a short, tapered fairing that makes it feel like a modern Café Racer built for the Bike Shed Show. Billet aluminium details – levers, pegs, a Rizoma fuel cap – add a layer of jewellery to what is already a sharply cut silhouette.
Underneath, it stays true to tradition. The 803cc air-cooled Desmodue L-twin produces 73hp at 8,250rpm and remains faithful to Ducati’s beloved desmodromic valve actuation. The unit, which can be found in Ducati’s retro-modern Scrambler range, provides plenty of low-end grunt and a tasty rumble as the revs climb. A Termignoni-developed silencer provides the soundtrack here, while ride-by-wire keeps throttle response crisp and progressive.
A steel trellis frame, painted to match the livery, links it visually to the Seventies original, while modern kit – cornering ABS, traction control, Ducati Quick Shift and two riding modes – ensures it behaves itself when asked.
Just 873 numbered examples will be built, each supplied with a certificate of authenticity and archival artwork. European deliveries begin in spring 2026.
