Paso lust

Something very strange is happening. I'm getting stirings again, this time for the Ducati Paso. A 750, the one everyone's rude about, but that was my first Ducati and one of many firsts for Ducati themselves. The first Ducati designed by Tamburini, who'd go on to pen the 916. First with proper, bespoke detailing - just look at the footrests. And the first to recognise the factory couldn't live in a world of GPZ900R's and VFR's by just offering bare-bones street racers. This is my long-gone example, circa 1990. I've still got the leathers, and yes - they still fit; thank you for your concern.

The press loved the Paso, but it still bombed. Far too expensive, and with the Japanese rolling out 150mph rocketships for tuppence ha'penny 127mph was far too slow. So Ducati made hardly any, which would make you expect them to be sought out by collectors and Ducatisti whose advancing years and dodgy backs mean 916's are a think of the past. But nothing could be further from the truth, and a serviceable Paso can be yours for the price of a secondhand 125. People will tell you they're not real Ducatis, that they're ugly and that you can't get the oddly sized tyres. But they're wrong, and I want one. I just can't decide if it's to be another red one (ideally an early model, with the Ohlins shock) or the America-only Limited in shiny white. Bling-bling; ah, hopefully that's the 'phone....