Alan Cathcart has released another book on the legendary Italian manufacturer
Alan Cathcart is at it again with the release of his latest book, Ducati Superbike 1988-2001. As the name suggests, this book covers the history of the factory Ducati Superbike racers during the desmoquattro era from 1988 to 2001, when the new generation testastretta engine was introduced. But uniquely, it does so from a hands-on perspective.
Cathcart was fortunate to be the only journalist in the world to have track-tested all but two of the factory Ducati desmo V-twin Superbikes that participated in the Superbike World Championship down the years, from its foundation in 1988 up to 2015. This book is a compendium of such tests, covering the years in the title.
His assessment of each bike frequently includes the crucial insight of the men who raced them for the Italian factory, including Carl Fogarty, Troy Corser, Doug Polen, Giancarlo Falappa and Troy Bayliss. And not to be overlooked are the book’s exclusive photos, which show these historic Ducati factory racers both with and without bodywork, allowing Superbike race fans to admire the invariably previously hidden secrets of these wonderful bikes.
The book has been published in two languages, English and Italian, by FBA Moto Italiane in Firenze, Italy, and full details are available on its website, at motoitaliane.it.
The book is only available via mail order and can be sent duty-free anywhere in the world, since books are generally not subject to import tax in any country.
Ducati Superbike 1988-2001 is available in a limited edition of 996 copies (of course!) as a large format (30 x 23 cm) hardcover volume printed on quality paper, with 160 pages and 91 full page photos. It costs €35.00 (CDN$48 at today’s exchange rate), plus shipping costs anywhere in the world.
