Introduced 30 years ago in 1987, the Ducati 851 was supposed to be just a racing prototype. Things moved along and then it was officially unveiled as a production road machine later that year, the 851 was simply revolutionary – and not just for Ducati but for motorcycling as a whole.
The Ducati 851 was the successor to the air-cooled two-valve 900SS. Development had lagged with the continued use of two valve engines, but new investment funded the technological advance that Ducati desperately needed.
It was produced between 1987 and 1992, when it was succeeded by the Ducati 888. (pictured below)
