The History of Ducati, Radio Manufacturers Switch to Motorcycles After being destroyed during the World War
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DUCATI has produced a variety of powerful and high-quality motorcycles with innovative designs and modern technology since the company's founding in 1926. Its production is worldwide. But what is the history of this company?
Ducati is a leading motorcycle manufacturer from the city of Bologna, Italy, which is also one of the pioneers in the field of motorcycles besides Harley-Davidson and BMW.
But who would have thought, behind its big name, Ducati actually started as a radio and electronic equipment manufacturer?
Quoting from the BMW Motor Cycles of Jacksonville page, Monday (7/6/2021), three Italian brothers are the founders of the Society Scientifica Radio Brevetti Ducati, namely Adriano, Bruno, and Marcello Ducati, along with their father, Antonio.
The company started as a radio component manufacturer because of Adriano's experiments with radio technology that was currently developing.
Ducati was very successful throughout the 1930s in this area. But in World War II, they had to stop production when the Germans occupied the Ducati factory in 1943.
The incident then forced the three brothers to rethink their strategy when they were hit by financial problems due to war and lost income, so their company was taken over by the Italian government.
After World War II ended, Ducati tried to restart the business that fell apart. But the direction of his business changed is no longer making radio components.
Ducati then saw an opportunity in the automotive and transportation sectors. So Ducati started making engines. In 1946 was born the tiny 50 cc Cucciolo motorcycle engine. The engine is not a Ducati design but Aldo Farinelli's design.
Cucciolo's first production was a success. Two years later, in July 1949 to be exact, Ducati produced the first complete motorcycle, the Ducati 60.
This success confirmed Ducati as a motorcycle manufacturer. In 1954, it was called Ducati Meccanica SpA.
The three brothers who founded Ducati only owned the company until 1948. Difficult conditions forced them to hand over their company to the Italian government. And after that, the company was transferred several times.
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