Remembering The 1993 Ducati 907 I.E.
The 1993 Ducati 907, I.E., also known as the Ducati Paso was in honor of Renzo Pasolini, who died in an accident at the Monza race course during the Italian Motorcycle Grand Prix. The Ducati 907 was manufactured by the company Ducati, thus, entering into the Ducati 907 series.
In the mid-1980s, the Castiglioni brothers, Claudio and Gianfranco, owners of the Cagiva Group, had established strong ties with respected leaders of the major Italian political parties. They decided to use these connections to financially help the Cagiva group to become successful on the racetracks and motorbike market.
The Castiglioni brothers also gained complete control of the company Ducati. The 1993 Ducati 907 is the first classic model of the Ducati 907 generation to be available for sale to the public back in 1991. As of 2022, the 1993 Ducati 907 bike will be a 29-year-old motorbike. In this post, we will take a closer look at the 1993 Ducati 907 I.E.
Overview
When the 1993 Ducati 907 launched, the manufacturing Company-Ducati was being managed by a government-owned financial corporation, and the brand's executive managers were frustrated with the increasing financial losses that piled up yearly. The board managers agreed to hand the company to the Cagiva Group, owned by the Castiglioni brothers.
After the Cagiva Group acquisition of the Ducati company, Massimo Tamburini and Claudio teamed up perfectly and worked closely in designing and developing the new Ducati and Cagiva models. Back in the late 1980s, the Ducati Company was experiencing a decline in the sale of its merchandise.
The now Ducati managers Massimo and Claudio discussed and agreed to create a new product mode that would radically rebuild the company's favorable brand image.
The Creation of the Model
Featuring a breathtaking design, the 1993 Ducati 907, I.E., model was created. This new model was called "Paso" in honor of Renzo Pasolini, the Aermacchi/Harley-Davidson champion, who was involved in a terrible accident on the first lap during the 1973 Italian 350 Grand Prix.
The biggest challenge experienced when designing the 1993 Ducati was trying to maintain the true essence of a Ducati model that featured impressive styling finesse, practicality, ride comfort, and dynamic qualities. The bike's designers wanted the new Ducati model to be presented in a sleek bodywork that allowed for high-speed comfort.
Tamburini wanted the 1993 Ducati Passo to be perfectly balanced, delivering exceptional performance whether on the racetrack or the road. The 1993 Ducati 907, I.E., was initially powered by a Pantah V-Twin liquid-cooled 750cc SOHC engine that was also used in the previous models of the bevel-driven OHC Ducati models.
Later on, the engine was replaced with the unrivaled liquid-cooled 904cc SOHC engine equipped with a new six-speed gearbox and the Desmo eight-valve crankcase. Including a more powerful engine in 1993, Ducati helped significantly improve the bike's overall performance.
Design
The 1993 Ducati 907 comes adorned in a sleek, perfectly-paired frame design, with square tubes that make fabricating easier. Unlike the previous Ducati models that featured a heavy steering geometry and rear-biased weight distribution, the new model has a solid and very functional frame geometry that plays a major role in determining the bike's handling.
Tamburini progressively modified every minor geometric detail in the 1993 Ducati, resulting in a well-balanced chassis featured in a Ducati model. Tamburini opted to use a square steel tubing frame structure for the 1993 Ducati 907, which simplified the production process and solved the rear-biased weight distribution and steering geometry.
Moreover, he included a bolt-in lower cradle to allow easy access to the bike's engine for servicing. The year 1990 ushered in a new upgrade for the Ducati engine models using a powerful water-cooled 904cc, four-stroke engine with six-speed gear transmission.
According to Forums Ducatipaso, the Ducati designers decided to name the 1993 Ducati "907" rather than "904" due to the inclusion of new six-speed transmission and a more symmetrical frame that made the bike appear much better. This new engine increased displacement and water cooling abilities different from the previous engine models. The sleek design of the 1993 Ducati is finished off with Pirelli and Michelin low-profile 16-inch radial tires.
Engine, Performance, and Suspension
The 1993 Paso is fitted with an unrivaled 904cc liquid-cooled four-stroke eight-valve SOHC engine, competing with six-speed gear transmission. Unlike the previous Ducati models with an air-cooled 750cc SOHC engine, the new 904cc SOHC engine ushers in an engine sound evolution since the chassis can deliver incredible power transmissions of 78.0 hp at 8500 RPM and a much stronger torque of 57.1 ft-lbs.
In the brand's efforts to respond to the customer complaints of the engine's lagging, inefficient carburetor, and poor engine performance, Ducati discontinued the production of the 750cc SOHC units. One of the most notable upgrades to the 1993 Ducati engine was that the head of the vertical rear cylinder was turned 180 degrees to allow for a more rational central induction system. This also solved the unbalanced throttle response, improved torque delivery, and increased speeds of 134.22 mph.
Bottom Line
Unlike the previous models, the new 1993 Ducati 907 model was incredibly faster, handled much better, and had a better road performance. This was due to the inclusion of 17-inch wheels that improved the bike's clearance and allowed for quick sharp maneuvering for sharp corners.
Fuel injection was also added, which effectively increased the bike's overall power transmission and solved all carburetion issues. The innovative styling of the 1993 Ducati allowed for a sport, streamlined, and more comfortable riding position. According to Cycleworld, other notable upgrades in the 1993 Ducati 907 model include; improved suspension, exhaust system with same length exhaust manifolds, fuel injection, and larger diameter wheels.
You can also read:
Written by Benjamin Smith
Read more posts by Benjamin Smith
