Ducati green - or is it blue?

So, why did Ducati paint their racebikes (and the bevel 750SS) a mix of blue-green? Nobody seems sure, but here's some facts...

By the late sixties, Ducati's state-appointed masters has a simple job to do - create jobs for Italian workers: this line had to be toed until the Castiglionis took over the reigns in 1983, and is the main reason so many early eighties Ducatis were blighted with unsuitable (but Italian) Webber carbs - the Nuovo 900SS was transformed when it was allowed to breathe through Japanese Mikunis, and finally painted red

Through the seventies Ducati's main source of income (and management's faith in its future) came from (Ducati fans look away now) marine diesel engines. Oh yes...

The blue/green reflected this watery ambition, and was used all over the sea-going plodder's engines. So when they went racing, Ducati bosses naturally wanted the same paintwork on motorcycles, to convince punters (and Government paymasters) that the bikes and outboard motors really did come from the same factory. Even the Pantah was painted a silvery-blue, ironic considering it's launch was delayed nearly three years while bosses focused on diesel engine production. The good news is that if they've still got any Valentino Rossi could have one for his yacht