Vehicle Spotlight: 1971 Ducati 350 Desmo

1971 Ducati 350 Desmo

Built from 1971 to 1972 Ducati released a new café racer in 1971, with an extraordinarily chunky silver metalflake paint job, which was soon nicknamed “Silver Shotgun,” referring to the painting technique required to produce the glittering effect. The model soon had to be redesigned because fiberglass fuel tanks as original equipment were made illegal in the United States in 1973. Thus a "Silver Shotgun" is a real rarity, produced for only two years, but it remains a legendary café racer.

COURTESY OF JOHN GOLDMAN

BUILT BY DUCATI MECCANICA S.p.A., BOLOGNA, ITALY