The Ducati 500 Sport Desmo is one of the new breed of increasingly popular half-litre sporting bikes which most of the important manufacturers are now making. This 500 is a 180° parallel-twin four-stroke which like the Darmah and 900SS features desmodromic valve operation.

The practicality of such a system is debatable on road bikes for, although the mechanical opening and closing of the valves means that valve bounce is eliminated, something has to be done to modify the rest of the engine before it is able to rev to limits where conventional engines would run out of breath.

Further, some form of spring is usually advisable to make sure that the valve is shut when starting and such a system is very difficult to design and worse to keep running satisfactorily, with service intervals measured in hundreds instead of thousands of miles. However, the layout works well enough in the Ducati and, even if the company is shy about disclosing power outputs, the bike is well able to match its rivals, with a top speed of over nomph and the ability to cover a quarter mile from start in 13.5 sees. Fuel consumption is only barely as good as its larger stablemates at 45-5ompg so with a 2.6gal tank fuel stops have to be very frequent on long runs.

The Desmo is a very nimble bike on the open road and the rear set pedals and clip-on style bars make sports style riding easy and enjoyable. With three disc brakes to take care of just on 4001b of bike, stopping is easy and fuss free in all weathers with no premature locking or fade. The fact that the 500 is aimed at the rider who enjoys riding fast is accentuated by the saddle being large enough for one person and a very close friend and no more; also, rear foot pegs are not a standard fitting. Were a passenger accommodated, the rider would find that sitting forward would make things very uncomfortable with the controls.

Switchgear and instruments, although adequate are not of the same quality as larger Ducatis, but Italian bike enthusiasts are used to that.