This Adorable Miniature Motorcycle May Just Be The Smallest Ducati Ever Made

When you deliberation of Ducati, you astir apt deliberation of powerful Italian machines pinch screaming V4 engines and desmodromic valves. This peculiar Ducati is astir arsenic acold distant from that arsenic you tin get. Silodrome brought to our attraction this itty bitty Ducati, a 1969 Mini Marcellino, presently up for auction successful France.

There is immoderate statement arsenic to whether this minibike qualifies arsenic a existent Ducati, though not because of its diminutive size. The original creation goes backmost to different Italian manufacturer, DMT (Dinamica Meccanica Tassinari). It wanted to rate successful connected Europe's minibike craze of nan precocious 1960s, wherever it was fashionable to transportation a mini motorcycle successful your car, past thrust it nan past fewer miles to work. It's nan aforesaid look that Honda would later revive for nan Motocompo and Motocompacto. However, pinch its Italian roots, nan Mini Marcellino had style, and was not nan container it came successful for illustration nan Hondas.

The Ducati relationship came on when Ernesto Palmieri Pirazzoli was hired by Dismave, a Spanish company, to bring a minibike location for section manufacturing. He licensed nan Mini Marcellino from DMT for accumulation successful Spain. But being a erstwhile Ducati rider and mechanic, he originated nan engines not from Franco Morini arsenic DMT did, but from Mototrans, who built Ducatis nether licence for Spain. While nan mini 48cc motor whitethorn beryllium nan smallest ever to person nan Ducati sanction stamped connected it, it has that name, which is bully capable for america to telephone this motorcycle a Ducati.

The Mini Marcellino is simply a beautiful neat bike, moreover speech from its Ducati connection. Performance figures are difficult to find for nan Ducati version, but according to a modern Cycle World report, nan DMT type had a apical velocity of astir 25 mph, and sipped substance astatine 71 MPG. I'd expect nan Ducati pedigree to beryllium somewhat faster, possibly 26 mph. The handlebars fold down and nan spot is removable to fto it fresh successful nan backmost of a car. It only weighs astir 57 pounds, acold little than a Motocompo, making it easier to heft successful and out.

Though it has a rigid frame, some wheels person disc brakes. Most bikes of its clip had drum brakes. Even nan fastest superbike of this time, nan Honda CB750, still had a drum connected nan rear. It's usually difficult, if not impossible, to flip yourself complete nan handlebars pinch nan beforehand brake for illustration you tin connected a bicycle, but I'd beryllium wary of doing truthful connected this minibike.

It's improbable that whoever buys this will beryllium doing overmuch riding connected it, though. It's virtually a depository piece in fantabulous original condition. We don't cognize if it runs, but if nan Barber Museum tin get its hands connected it, it'll run, conscionable for illustration each nan bikes successful that museum. It'll beryllium going up for auction done Aguttes connected April 13. Its expected trading value is arsenic mini arsenic nan motorcycle itself, location between $576 to $1,152. It's nary Panigale V4, but you tin beryllium beautiful judge it'll beryllium nan only 1 of its benignant astatine your section motorcycle night.