1966 Ducati Diana 250 - 3-Page Vintage Motorcycle Road Test Article

Description

1966 Ducati Diana 250 - 3-Page Vintage Motorcycle Road Test Article
Original, vintage magazine article
Page Size: Approx. 8" x 11" (21 cm x 28 cm) each page
Condition: Good
GENTLE AND LOVING, OR FIERCE AS A TIGER, BUT ALWAYS A LADY - THAT’S
DUCATI’S SIZZLING 250cc SINGLE
From the days of Rome through
the Renaissance to the present, the
Italians are noted for their artistry.
A sense of line and form seems in-
bred. Italy is also notable for volup-
tuous women, racing cars and rac-
ing motorcycles. Somehow, all these
j things seem to have focused in one
| area with the development of the
Ducati Mark III, properly and affec-
, tionately called Diana.
This swinger attracts your eye
right away. There's no more attrac-
tive production machine to be
found. A huge, over four-and-a-half
gallon tank is sculptured to mini-
mize its mass and blend from the
large, browed headlight nacelle
back into the long, comfortable sad-
dle. Its bright, Italian Racing Red
tank is tastefully trimmed in silver
with yellow striping. The silver,
with a bluish cast, duplicates the
tones of the slim, sports-type fend-
ers, light nacelle and triangular tool
boxes. The frame, chainguard and
other chassis parts are in gleaming
black, with polished alloy, bright
die-cast engine components and
chromed items providing the final
splash of brilliance. The balance of
paint and chrome or brightwork is
so well planned as to exhibit a mas-
ter's touch and a Ducati Diana might
well be owned as a piece of art.
No mere showpiece, Diana is a
thoroughbred workhorse. Her en-
gine is outstanding and deserves
detailed inspection. The short
stroke, single cylinder design allows
high revs without encountering cri-
tical piston speeds. This is also facili-
tated by an overhead camshaft,
lightening the valve train to inhibit
float at top rpm. Short rockers work
off the ball bearing supported cam-
shaft, working the valves against
"mousetrap" (hairpin) springs in the
hemispherical combustion chamber.
The large bore permits larger
valves, and on the latest model
Mark III, the inlet valve size has
been upped %-inch to a whopping
1%-inch diameter. Valve adjustment
is made by slipping the correctly
shimmed cup over the end of the
valve stem, thus no possibility of
adjusting screws loosening at critical
moments exists.
12912-AL-6604-13