Ducati is a Italian carmaker founded in 1926, now part of Volkswagen Group. The cars themselves are another matter: across 2 VIN prefixes on record they came off lines in 2 countries — Italy 95.6%, Thailand 4.4%. 34 models are tracked here (1996–2026). Reliable? yes, and comfortably so — 4.3 out of 5 across 34 rated models, though the spread between model years is far wider than the badge suggests (every model ranked →).
Who makes Ducati
Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer headquartered in Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, and a subsidiary of Audi AG (Volkswagen Group) since 2012. Founded in 1926 by brothers Antonio, Bruno and Adriano Cavalieri Ducati as Società Scientifica Radio Brevetti Ducati, the company built radio components and capacitors before pivoting to motorcycles in 1946 with the Cucciolo bicycle clip-on engine. Ducati invented the desmodromic valve actuation system patented in 1956 — using cams to both open and close valves rather than springs — and has used it on every motorcycle since the 1968 Mark 3D. Ducati has won 17 World Superbike (WSBK) Manufacturer titles since 1988 and Francesco Bagnaia's 2022, 2023 and 2024 MotoGP Riders' Championships on Ducati Desmosedici machines. The Panigale V4 superbike, Multistrada V4 adventure-tourer, Diavel V4 power-cruiser and Streetfighter V4 hyper-naked anchor the modern lineup. Ducati's parent Volkswagen Group trades on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under VOW3. Recall data for every Ducati VIN sold in the US is reported to NHTSA. ForCar.org decodes any Ducati VIN to surface trim, factory options, open recalls and original delivery price.
Brothers Antonio, Bruno and Adriano Cavalieri Ducati founded SSR Ducati in 1926 to build radio capacitors. World War II destroyed the original Bologna factory in 1944, and post-war reconstruction pivoted the company to motorcycles. The 1946 Cucciolo (puppy) was a 48cc bicycle motor that became a runaway hit. The 1956 introduction of desmodromic valves on the Marianna 125 racer established the technology that defines Ducati to this day. The Volkswagen Group (Audi) acquisition in 2012 followed Ducati's 2011 sale by Investindustrial.
| Item | Ducati |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1926 |
| Founded by | Antonio Cavalieri Ducati, Bruno Cavalieri Ducati, Adriano Cavalieri Ducati |
| Headquarters | Bologna, Italy |
| Owned by | Volkswagen Group |
| Slogan | «Forever Forward» |
| Assembled in | 2 countries |
Technology it is known for: Desmodromic valve actuation (since 1956), Ducati Vehicle Observer (DVO), Ducati Wheelie Control, Ducati Quick Shift, Cornering ABS.
This page covers Ducati Motor Holding, the motorcycle manufacturer — not the Ducati Energia electrical/electronic equipment company (a separate firm tracing to the same founding family).
Where Ducati cars are actually built
A badge says where a company is registered, not where its cars were bolted together. The first three characters of any VIN — the world manufacturer identifier — say the second thing, and that is what we counted: 158 vehicles on record, 2 distinct manufacturer codes.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | ZDM | 1996–2025 | |
| Thailand | ML0 | 2018–2022 |
Read your own: the first character is the region, the first three together identify the plant's manufacturer. A Ducati beginning ZDM was assembled in Italy.
All Ducati models 34
Every Ducati model we track, grouped by body type. Click any model for its VIN decoder, recalls, MPG, safety and ForCar Reliability Score — broken down by year.
Ducati Motorcycles 34
| Model | Years | Recalls | Complaints | Best MPG | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ducati Panigale | 1996–2026 | 9 | 4 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Ducati Monster | 2002–2026 | 29 | 7 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Ducati Scrambler | 2018–2026 | 7 | 8 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Ducati Streetfighter | 1996–2026 | 6 | 2 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Ducati Diavel | 1996–2026 | 10 | 23 | — | 4.0/5 |
| Ducati Hypermotard | 1996–2026 | 13 | 22 | — | 4.0/5 |
| Ducati Multistrada | 1996–2026 | 26 | 49 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Ducati Desert X | 2023–2026 | 1 | 3 | — | 3.5/5 |
| Ducati Supersport | 2003–2026 | 13 | 19 | — | 4.0/5 |
| Ducati Classic | 1996–2010 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Ducati 999 | 2003–2003 | 3 | — | — | 4.0/5 |
| Ducati 916 | 1996–1998 | 7 | 2 | — | 3.5/5 |
| Ducati Desmo450 MX | 2026–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Ducati 748 | 1996–2003 | 9 | 11 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Ducati Superbike | 1996–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Ducati 998 | 1996–2003 | 7 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Ducati Monster 1200 | 2017–2017 | 4 | — | — | 4.0/5 |
| Ducati 996 | 1996–2002 | 7 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Ducati Monster 797 | 2017–2018 | 2 | 1 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Ducati 749 | 2003–2003 | 2 | 1 | — | 3.5/5 |
| Ducati Scrambler 800 | 2011–2019 | 2 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Ducati 900SS | 1996–2001 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Ducati ST4 | 1996–2002 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Ducati ST2 | 1996–2003 | 2 | 3 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Ducati ST4S | 1996–2003 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Ducati 750SS | 1996–2003 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled | 2017–2017 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Ducati Multistrada 950 | 2017–2017 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Ducati MH900e | 1996–2003 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Ducati M900 | 1996–2003 | 4 | 1 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Ducati Sport Touring | 2004–2007 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Ducati 1299 Superleggera | 2017–2018 | 1 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Ducati D16RR | 1996–2008 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Ducati Diavel/XDiavel | 2019–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
Ducati by the numbers
What the federal records say about the marque. Each line links to the full breakdown by model and year.
| Topic | Ducati | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 164 campaigns | Most recalled: Equipment |
| Owner complaints | 149+ filed | Most reported: Multistrada |
Compare model years like a dealer does.
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Get a Ducati window sticker by VIN
Recreate any Ducati's original Monroney label — MSRP, factory options, EPA MPG and safety — free from the VIN.
Ducati window stickers →How to read a Ducati VIN
Every Ducati built since 1981 carries a unique 17-character VIN (Vehicle Identification Number). It encodes where and when the vehicle was made, its engine and body — here's what each part means:
- WMI (1–3) — country & manufacturer. Tells you it's a Ducati and the country it was built in (real Ducati codes below).
- VDS (4–8) — model, body style, engine, trim & restraints. The 8th digit is the engine code.
- Check digit (9) — a math check that proves the VIN is genuine.
- Model year (10) — the year it was built (e.g. R = 2024, S = 2025).
- Plant (11) — which factory assembled it.
- Serial (12–17) — the unique sequential production number.
- ThailandML0
- ItalyZDM
The remaining digits — engine (8th), model-year letter (10th) and plant — follow the universal SAE standard. For the full year-code table (2001–2026), country codes and where the number is stamped, see our free VIN decoder.
Who owns Ducati, and what you get
Ducati belongs to Volkswagen Group. Ducati competes in the global premium motorcycle segment against BMW Motorrad, KTM, Triumph, Aprilia and (in superbikes) Honda CBR / Yamaha YZF-R1. The brand positions on Italian engineering, premium pricing and motorsport heritage. Ducati operates with significant independence within Volkswagen Group, retaining its Bologna factory and engineering identity. Annual production runs approximately 60,000 motorcycles, modest by mass-market standards but matching the brand's premium positioning.
| Item | Ducati |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Italy |
| Ownership | Volkswagen Group |
| Basic warranty | 3 years / 36,000 miles |
| Powertrain warranty | 5 years / 60,000 miles |
| Assembly countries | Italy, Thailand |
⚠ Worth knowing before you rely on it: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, while basic cover here runs 3 years / 36,000 miles. See when Ducati models actually start to break →
Ducati — frequently asked
Is Ducati italian?
Ducati is a Italian company, headquartered in Bologna and founded in 1926. The cars are a separate question: 95.6% of the Ducati vehicles in our records were assembled in Italy.
Where are Ducati cars made?
Across 2 manufacturer codes on record, assembly splits as: Italy (95.6%), Thailand (4.4%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the manufacturer and plant country — that is where these shares come from.
Who owns Ducati?
Ducati is part of Volkswagen Group.
How many Ducati models are there?
We track 34 Ducati models spanning 1996–2026. The full list is above, ordered by how often each is searched.
What is the Ducati warranty?
New vehicles come with 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Terms vary by model year and market — confirm with a dealer.
Is Ducati reliable?
It depends far more on the model and year than on the badge. Every Ducati model is ranked by complaint rate here, along with the age at which each starts to fail.
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