Designed by the legendary Fabio Taglioni, Ducati's first road-going v-twin - the 750GT - arrived in 1971. Lacking the resources of larger Far Eastern rivals, Ducati had made the most of what it already possessed to create one of the all-time great post-war motorcycles. A 90-degree vee, the engine looked like two of the Bologna firm's bevel-drive overhead-cam singles on a common crankcase (which in essence it was) though the coil valve springs represented a departure from Ducati's traditional hairpins. The 90-degree layout made for exceptional smoothness and a lengthy wheelbase, a handicap more apparent than real that failed to stop the fine-handling Ducatis notching up a succession of wins in Formula 750 events, commencing with Paul Smart's famous victory at Imola in 1972.

"Unlike a good proportion of modern big bikes, the Ducati is a totally balanced machine. It's dominated by the throbbing V-twin motor, yet you feel that the bike has been designed as an entity, with all other components matching the engine's performance," enthused Bike magazine, testing a 750GT in 1974.

This 750GT was bought new by Lex's children as a birthday present for him in 1975 and is believed to have been unsold stock. The machine retains its original Conti mufflers and currently displays a total of 33,566 miles on the odometer.