The new bike would be called Ala Azzurra. (Translated as Wing Blue or Streak Blue?) They had the perfect engine for use in the new model already in production. Dr. Taglioni�s Pantah engine incorporated many features that made it more durable than the bevel twins. These included oil filtration, Kevlar belt cam drive, nickel-silicon carbide lined cylinders, and plain bearing con-rods. The Pantah frame would also be used with the addition of a slightly longer swinging arm. High quality chassis components were used such as nitrogen charged shocks with piggyback reservoirs, triple brembo disk brakes, and Seeley axle adjusters. Instrumentation included a trip odometer, analog clock, and a row of indicator lights in addition to the speedo and tach. The riding position and seat were designed for comfort.
When the Alazzurra GT prototype debuted at Milan in 1985, Cagiva�s management must have been very pleased. Here was a modern sport-touring motorcycle with a full fairing and hard luggage ready to compete in the marketplace with the best that the Japanese companies had to offer. It was certainly not the fastest bike Ducati had marketed, but in some ways it was the most refined. Unfortunately for Cagiva/Ducati the Alazzurra had arrived about five years too late. A strong US dollar combined with a weak Japanese yen to cause a glut of motorcycles in the United States during 1983. Brand new Suzuki GS1100s were selling for less than 2000 USD. In 1984 Honda produced the nearly maintenance free CB700SC Nighthawk S with shaft drive. The US Congress enacted a tariff on motorcycles of over 700 cc in order to save Harley Davidson from bankruptcy, but this did nothing to help sales of the 650cc Italian Twins.
Some Alazzuras were sold, but many remained in their shipping crates unsold and apparently unwanted. My Alazzurra was finally uncrated and sold at auction in Daytona, FL during 1999. I bought it in 2001 with less than 200 original miles on it. The bike needed a bit of routine maintenance to make it roadworthy. New tires replaced the cracked Pirelli Phantoms along with new shock and fork seals. The bike has been very satisfying to own and ride. It is comfortable enough to ride cross-country yet light and agile enough to enjoy when I get to the twisty roads.