Origin of the species

Every Ducati V-twin can trace its lineage back to a prototype L-twin that first turned a wheel in 1970: prior to that the firm’s products had been strictly singles other than a foray into the gargantuan 1256cc V4 Apollo. The bike failed to garner the sales with American police forces and, crucially, ate the Pirelli tyres built especially for it. Ducati’s management, hogtied by