Win a dashcam

The Ducati company jumped onto the scooter bandwagon for a second time after burning their fingers with a model called a “cruiser” some years earlier.

It was horrendously overpriced and only 1000 were built. Designer Gio Ponti was in charge of the new project in 1963 (who also developed the Fiat 600 automobile.) Codenamed the Brio it was developed in 50cc form or 100cc form. Ducati suffered a kind of identity crisis as their customer base always expected high performance four strokes and the two stroke scooter series were not the favourites of the true “Ducatisti” as they are known. They scoffed at the design and accused it of being a reverse engineered Lambretta model of similar size. Others maintain it was the brainchild of a brilliant man in Ponti so somewhere there is the truth. The Italian word Brio means lively or full of life.

The NZCM example is the peppy little 1968 year 100cc version, twice the size motor of the less costly 50cc model. They found favour with the Bologna Police who were able to negotiate the narrow city streets with relative ease. The same engine was also fitted to the Ducati Mountaineer trail bike which established a small niche in the farm market in New Zealand.

TECHNICAL

• 100cc fan cooled engine. 51mm X 46mm bore and stroke
• Three speed twist grip operated gear change
• Removable side panels for servicing
• Unusual size nine inch wheels