Ducati Formula 73: A 1973 Legend, Rebuilt for 2026

Ducati Formula 73 is a centenary-year statement piece

Some motorcycles are purchased with a spreadsheet. The Ducati Formula 73 is bought with your gut, your taste, and that part of your brain that still remembers the first time a Ducati poster made you stop and stare. Released in Ducati’s centenary year, the Ducati Formula 73 is a limited, numbered collector’s series of just 873 units, built as a modern tribute to the 750 Super Sport Desmo—the first Ducati road bike equipped with desmodromic valve timing and one of the most iconic motorcycles the brand has ever produced.

The heritage here isn’t vague marketing poetry. The original Super Sport was a road-going echo of the 750 Imola Desmo, the machine that carried Paul Smart and Bruno Spaggiari to victory at the 1972 200 Miglia di Imola. That win wasn’t just a trophy; it was the moment Ducati’s identity snapped into focus on the world stage, and it helped shape the production-derived racing spirit that would eventually become the Superbike era. Ducati’s story in that space has grown into a record that now stands at more than 400 victories, sixteen rider titles, and twenty-one manufacturer titles—and the Ducati Formula 73 is Ducati’s way of saluting the motorcycle that helped light that fuse.

The Ducati Formula 73 is an Urban Café Racer with modern bones and old-school soul—meant to be ridden, photographed, and appreciated for the way it fits into an enthusiast’s lifestyle. It’s a bike for the guy who pays attention to details, hates conformity, and wants something with real provenance when he pulls up.

Ducati Formula 73 style is equal parts Italian design and attitude

The visual hit of the Ducati Formula 73 is immediate. Ducati’s Style Centre went digging through the historical archives to craft the bike’s silver and aqua green livery, inspired by the original 750 Super Sport Desmo. It looks sharp, rare, and intentionally off the beaten path—exactly what a limited series should feel like. The detail that sold me is the vertical gold stripe on the tank, a nod to the original unpainted strip on the 750 Imola Desmo that allowed the team to check fuel level without adding instruments. This is racing history turned into wearable art.

The bike’s Café Racer personality is reinforced by clip-on handlebars with bar-end mirrors, plus a short, tapered fairing and tail that keep the silhouette sleek and athletic. Then there are the high-end touches that read like a luxury watch caseback—subtle until you’re close enough to appreciate them. The Ducati Formula 73 comes standard with multiple billet aluminum components, including the brake and clutch levers with oil reservoirs, footpegs, and a Rizoma fuel cap. The kind of parts you’d normally upgrade after the fact—here, they’re baked into the point of the bike.

Because this is a true limited edition, Ducati treats it like one. The Ducati Formula 73 carries its model name and serial number on the steering plate, and each unit includes a certificate of authenticity plus a curated box of period images and Ducati Style Centre sketches. This is Ducati telling you, clearly, that the bike is meant to live in the collector space without losing its place on the road.

Ducati Formula 73 specs deliver modern performance without losing character

Underneath the throwback elegance, the Ducati Formula 73 is not a nostalgic toy. It’s a modern Ducati with a traditional heart. The engine is an 803 cc Desmodue L-twin, air-cooled, Euro 5+ approved, with desmodromic distribution and two valves per cylinder. Ducati quotes 73 horsepower at 8,250 rpm and 65.2 Nm of torque at 7,000 rpm, and the numbers feel deliberately chosen to match the identity of the bike rather than chase spec-sheet bragging rights. The whole point is character—the way the engine feels, sounds, and defines the riding experience.

To make that experience clean and contemporary, the Ducati Formula 73 uses electronic fuel injection with a 50 mm throttle body and Ride-by-Wire, designed to keep response quick, progressive, and smooth. The exhaust is equally intentional: a type-approved Termignoni silencer, developed specifically for this model, gives the bike the full, evocative voice that you expect when “Ducati” is written on the tank.

The chassis choices tie the whole concept together. The steel trellis frame is a Ducati signature and a direct link to the company’s golden era, and Ducati paints it aqua green so it becomes part of the visual identity. The bike rolls on 17-inch spoked aluminum wheels fitted with Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV tires—120/70 R17 up front and 180/55 R17 out back—, so it isn’t just styled to look sporty; it’s equipped to ride that way. Suspension comes from KYB, with a 41 mm upside-down fork and a rear shock with preload adjustment, while braking is handled with modern seriousness via a 330 mm front disc and Brembo radial 4-piston caliper, backed by Bosch Cornering ABS.

Where the Ducati Formula 73 really earns its “modern technology” claim is the electronics. The bike includes an IMU-based package with Cornering ABS, Ducati Traction Control, Power Modes, Ducati Quick Shift (up/down), and Riding Modes (Sport and Road). There’s also a 4.3-inch TFT display, full-LED lighting with DRL, self-canceling turn indicators, and it’s Ducati Multimedia System ready with turn-by-turn navigation support. In other words, you get the romance of seventies Ducati design without sacrificing the safety net and functionality that makes modern riding more enjoyable.

For daily livability, Ducati lists a wet weight (no fuel) of 183 kg (403 lb), a seat height of 808 mm, a 14.5-liter tank, and a single-seat configuration that keeps the Café Racer intent pure. Maintenance intervals are straightforward, too, with oil and valve service intervals set at 12,000 km. It’s the kind of bike you can ride regularly, yet still treat like a collectible—because it genuinely is both.

As for availability, the Ducati Formula 73 arrives in European dealerships in spring 2026, with distribution completing in the rest of the world by the end of summer. Pricing wasn’t included in the provided details, but with only 873 numbered units, the real price will be availability—because once collectors lock in their allocations, the market gets tight fast.

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