" What do you get when you get a hi-end Ducati superbike naked. Well, here's what you get. And we think you'll agree, this Italian piece of loveliness looks just as good with clothes off. This year's 1199 Panigale is about as "
Ducati Elite 200
Sometimes, we just want to share some love. This is the case with these images of the beautiful single-cylindered Ducati from 1960 – the Elite 200cc.
Though we wish we could relate what it’s like to blast through the hills of Tuscany onthis pretty little italian Stallion, alas, we haven’t even seen one in the flesh. All we do know that we would love to hear from anyone who has actually had the privilage of ownership.
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all is beautiful with this liitle bike. could i round the seat slightly and add a small hump at its rear?
Yes I road one back in the 60’s but it rained a lot and the electrics let me down
Wow. Dear all, I had the pleasure of owning a 200 Elite when I was a boy of 16. (1966) It was a cracking bike, when friends had BSA Bantams or Triumph Tiger Cubs the Ducati was a real stunner.
My bike had a full race Fairing fitted in bright red colour, a real eye catcher. Somewhere in my archieves i will have some photos. Gosh this takes me back. Nice one to pull out of the bag, well done.
I had the 160cc and later the 450cc ducatis. both great in different ways, I love small bikes but at 6’3″ and 19 and a half stone I find them difficult to ride as they should be ridden.
one of the few things i could`nt wait to get my hands on,(including the wife)Bought brand new 1965 from King`s of Bolton for grand price of £200,,,£1 per cc,I was 17 ,my mate bought 250 AJS,was stopped on one occasion by two motorcycle cops who would not believe the AJS was only 250cc,it looked more like 500,then we spent 1/2 hour chatting about the bikes and performance,the Ducati had good acceleration and superb handling,but the AJS had more torque and when i was flat on the tank rev it`s nuts off,bill would come creeping past sat upright and slowly pull away.Beautifull looking bike and a joy to ride(especially round and about the Lake District ) with its acceleration and road holding.I now spend 8nths of the year in the lakes plodding the hills and valley`s on my GT 550 Kawasaki Trike, need stableizers these days,agree with Paul,brilliant to relive the memories,Bri.
I bought a secondhand 1961 Elite locally in about 1964. As has previously been written, most of my mates had Bantams, Tiger Cubs or Arial Arrows. Ducati was a super little bike, even with a small buckle in the front wheel and slightly knackered swing arm bushes! Used to get my parts from Vic Camp’s in Walthamstow, who I think was the importer at the time. I still have the bike, it’s a basket case in my garage at the moment but I’m now collecting some parts so it can be rebuilt back to original condition.
My first bike was a 1959 Elite 204cc supersport, super little bike, but so unreliable, I was a 16yr old at the time and my dad and I spent many an evening taking the engine to pieces and rebuilding it. We fitted new crankshaft/big end assy (repaired at Vic Camps shop in Walthamstow ),piston,kickstart ratchet gear, and rectifier, but when she was running well she was really quick and handled beautifully. Wish I still had it today!