the land of joy
International website
Bikes
DesertX
Diavel
XDiavel
Monster
Hypermotard
Panigale
Multistrada
Streetfighter
Scrambler
Off-Road
E-BIKE
Limited Series
Press Reviews & Awards
A technical, independent and authorial point of view: for those who ride to tell the story and for those who seek inspiration before choosing it.
BROCHURE
Discover all the details of your favourite Ducati bikes and download the brochure!
Scrambler configurator
Configure your Scrambler now!
Equipment
Accessories
Apparel
Collab
Ducati Online Shop
The online shop has a whole new look. Our style is the same as always.

Click and discover!
Ducati SuMisura
Ducati SuMisura is a project launched to allow users to customise their suit!
Ducati World
Events
DRE Riding Academy
Travel with Ducati
Ducati Stories
News
News
Search through the news published by Ducati.

Click and discover!
Events Calendar
Discover about events and rallies organized by Ducati and Ducati Official Clubs.

Click and Discover!
Racing
MotoGP
WorldSBK
Motocross
MotoE
MotoE
The first racing Ducati equipped with a fully electric powertrain!
App
Service
Your Vehicle
Assistance and Maintenance
Corporate
Who We Are
Innovation
Design
Borgo Panigale Experience
Fondazione Ducati
The Ducati Network
Corporate Social Responsibility
Partners
Ducati Approved
When you choose a Ducati Approved bike, you can be sure that Ducati is always by your side.

Click and discover!
Ducati Club
Ducati Club
Ducati People
Explore the stories of people who share values, passion and emotions with Ducati.

Click and discover!
  • Models
International website Change
Test Ride
Models
DesertX
New
Diavel
XDiavel
New
Hypermotard
Monster
New
Streetfighter
New
Multistrada
New
Panigale
New
SCRAMBLER
New
35 kW Bikes
New
Off-Road
New
E-BIKE
New
Limited Series
Racing
Ducati World

News

Search through the news published by Ducati.

Discover more

Events Calendar

Discover about events and rallies organized by Ducati and the Ducati Official Clubs.

Discover more
Equipment

Ducati Online Shop

The online shop has a whole new look. Our style is the same as always. Buy now!

Click and discover!
App
Corporate

Ducati Approved

When you choose a Ducati Approved bike, you can be sure that Ducati is always by your side.

Discover more
Service
Ducati Club

851 Tricolore

The motorcycle that equips the first desmodromic four-stroke twin-cylinder with liquid cooling, 4 valves per cylinder and electronic fuel injection.

If the Desmoquattro represents a milestone in the history of Ducati engine development, the 851 is its incarnation. Built to conquer the racing world, the 851 Tricolore proudly sports the colors of the Italian flag and is the first representative of a new generation of high-performance road motorcycles produced in the 1990s.

In 1986, based on a design by Gianluigi Mengoli and Massimo Bordi, it is set up the first prototype of a 748 cc twin-cylinder equipped with electronic fuel injection. Two years later the displacement rises to 851 cc, opening a new chapter in Ducati's supersport history.

The technical drawing accompanying the motorcycle that is displayed in the museum depicts the vertical section of the Desmoquattro engine head, where one can clearly distinguish the 4 valves, the desmodromic system and the two shafts camshafts.

Displacement

851 cc

Maximum power

102 hp at 9000 rpm

Maximum speed

234 Km/h

Dry weight

204 Kg

Displacement

851 cc

Maximum power

102 hp at 9000 rpm

Maximum speed

234 Km/h

Dry weight

204 Kg

From the very first track outing, the new 4-valve engine highlights the 851's racing nature. Despite the fact that this is a mass-produced model series, in fact, there are numerous details designed for track use; one example is the quick-release fuel tank system that allows quick access to the mechanical parts underneath during pit stops.

  • Desmoquattro 851
    In the late 1980s, Ducati took a huge step forward from a technical point of view thanks to the design of an engine that left its mark on two decades of motorcycle history. The Desmoquattro 851, built in 1988, is in fact the first twin-cylinder desmodromic four-stroke with cooling by liquid, four valves per cylinder and electronic fuel injection.
    Technologically ahead of its time, this engine boasts such a technical level that, for fifteen years, it is constantly updated, always proving to be beyond competitive with its rivals. In fact, the 851 and its derivatives won numerous races in the World Superbike Championship, totaling eleven manufacturers' titles.
Check out all the models of the era

The road and race bikes that have made Ducati history over the 1988-1999 period. Explore them all.

1988 - 1999 916 F96
1988 - 1999 916 F94
1988 - 1999 888 F92
1988 - 1999 888 F91
1988 - 1999 851 F90
1988 - 1999 900 Superlight
1988 - 1999 916
1988 - 1999 Monster 900
1988 - 1999 Supermono
Discover all bikes

Discover it at the Ducati Museum

Past and future, challenges and successes, vision and determination: the Ducati Museum is a journey through the legendary 90-year history of the Company, renowned across the world for its style, performance and the search for perfection.

discover more
discover more
Sign up for Email

Read our privacy policy to learn about data processing

Enter a valid email address
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2025 Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. – A Sole Shareholder Company - A Company subject to the Management and Coordination activities of AUDI AG. All rights reserved. VAT 05113870967
International website