Ducati Cucciolo
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| Cucciolo | |
 |
|
| Manufacturer | Ducati |
|---|---|
| Also called | 55M, 65TL |
| Engine | 60 cc single |
| Top speed | 40 miles per hour (64 km/h) |
| Weight | 98 pounds (44 kg) |
The Ducati Cucciolo was a moped developed by Ducati during and shortly after World War II.
During the war, Ducati's Aldo Farinelli began working with the small Turinese firm SIATA (Societa Italiana per Applicazioni Tecniche Auto-Aviatorie) with the idea of developing a small engine that could be mounted on a bicycle. Farinelli’s first prototype was running on the streets of Turin in Autumn of 1944. The yapping sound of the engine's short stubby exhaust inspired the name Cucciolo ("little puppy") for the motor. Weighing a little over 17 pounds (7.7 kg) and giving 180 miles per US gallon (77 km/l) when installed in a bicycle.[1]
On July 26, barely one month after the official liberation of the country, SIATA announced their intention to sell Cucciolo engines to the public. It was the first new automotive design to appear in postwar Europe. The first Cucciolos were available only as a motor to be attached to a normal bicycle. Some businessmen bought the little engines in quantity and installed them in frames, thus offering for sale the first complete units.[2]
By 1950, with 200,000 Cucciolos already sold, Ducati finally offered its own complete motorcycle based on the successful little pull rod engine. The collaboration with SIATA resulted in a well designed little 60 cc bike. This first Ducati motorcycle weighed 98 pounds (44 kg) and had a top speed of 40 miles per hour (64 km/h). Its 15 mm carburettor got a whisker under 200 miles per US gallon (85 km/l). In the 1950s, Ducati officially dropped the "Cucciolo" name, replacing it with "55M" or "65TL".[2]
[edit] References
- ^ Ducati Heritage - Aldo Farinelli. Ducati. Retrieved on 2008-03-13.
- ^ a b Ducati Motorcycle History. DucatiTrader. Retrieved on 2006-11-11.
