Ducatai Pantah

By the 1980’s Ducati wasn’t a very healthy company. The company enjoyed some success with their 750GT and 900SS but other products weren’t doing well. In 1980 Ducati introduced the Pantah, a motorcycle that would set the stage for all of Ducati’s future products. The Pantah was the last creation of Fabio Taglioni, creator of the 750 GT. It featured the Desmo valve train that made Ducati famous but it used a belt to drive the valves rather than bevel gears. Initially the Pantah came in a 500cc version, later a 600 and 650cc version were introduced. The bikes came in SL and TL trim for sport touring. Racing versions were also created called the TT2.

When the Pantah came out Ducati was on the verge of bankruptcy. In 1983 Cargiva bought the company and redesigned the Pantah as a Cargiva motorcycle. The Cargiva Alazzura was a restyled touring Pantah and the Elefant was sort of an enduro Pantah, similar to a BMW G/S. The Pantah platform would also include a cruiser called the Indiana. The Pantah production would eventually end in 1986 but its design was passed on to Ducati’s 750 F1 and Peso bikes. The belt driven design would live on in all following Ducati’s.