Ducati News Today

Welcome to Wallpaper Wednesday. Every week I will post up something beautiful from the world of Ducati that you just might like to have grace your desktop. This week we have the delectable 1955 Ducati Gran Sport (Marianna) as photographed by Phil Aynsley, author of Ducati: A Photographic Tribute. Phil was recently interviewed by Ducati News Today.

The Gran Sport is a very significant motorcycle for more reasons than its success in the 1955 Motogiro d’Italia and its undeniable beauty. This machine was the first work of famed engineer Ing. Fabio Taglioni who was enticed away from Mondial to design this motorcycle. He stayed on for almost 40 years and of course is associated with some of the most base elements of Ducati such as the bevel drive twins, Desmodromic valves and the Pantah.

The Gran Sport, nicknamed Marianna, was built in limited numbers for racing and was extremely successful. The engine was 100cc and produced 9bhp at 9,000rpm. The single overhead camshaft was driven by straight cut bevel gears. The success of the Gran Sport was such that it allowed Taglioni to adapt his advanced cylinder head design for production use at a time when most competitors still used pushrods.

This photograph was taken by Phil Aynsley in Mid Ohio, USA in 2005 and is reproduced with his permission.

Source: The Standard Catalogue of Ducati Motorcycles by Ian Falloon.

Want More?
Check out the Interview with Phil Aynsley
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