Ducati 500SL Pantah
With Phil Aynsley
A few columns ago, I covered the final Pantah model – the 650SL; here, we will take a look at the first iteration.
Dr Fabio Taglioni had originally drawn up plans for what would become the 500SL Pantah back in 1971, but the company’s management wasn’t interested and went on to decree that parallel twins were to be the next big thing. Not exactly the best decision they ever made!
With dismal sales for the parallel-twins causing much consternation within the company, approval was given for Taglioni to dust off his old plans with the result being the new Pantah 500SL, first seen in 1977 and entering proper production in 1980.
However there were 163 pre-production bikes built in 1979, of which two made their way to Australia. One of those is the first bike seen here.
Taglioni’s main goals for the new design were to modernise the concept behind his bevel-drive V-twin and to make it both easier and cheaper to manufacture (the latter being the parallel-twins main aim).
Given that the basic Pantah design is still being sold in Ducati’s Scrambler range and powered all of the company’s V-twins through to the 2011 Panigale, you’d have to say he did a pretty good job!
The three major changes from the bevel-twins (whose pedigree could be traced back to the first motor Taglioni designed for Ducati way back in 1954) were the one-piece crankshaft with plain bearing bottom end, toothed belts driving the camshafts and a 60-degree valve angle.
Another notable first was the use of Nikasil cylinder bore coating. No kick-starter was fitted.
Dell’Orto 36mm carburettors and a five-speed gearbox were used. The tubular trellis frame wa another innovation which has stood the test of time.
The end result was a quiet and refined machine that handled well. The Pantah 500 SL made 49 hp at 9000 rpm and due to its light weight of 176 kg, had a top speed of close on 200 km/h.
In total 3,835 500SLs were built before production ceased in 1983. The larger capacity 600SL was introduced in 1981 and 350cc models intended for the domestic market appeared in 1982.
The 600SL was produced up until 1984 (just under 3,000 made) with the ’81 and ’82 models having a silver/red colour scheme and the ’83 and ’84 models the red/green colours seen here.
An optional two-into-one exhaust was available for the ’83-’84 models as well. Power was increased to 61 hp at 9100rpm and weight to 187 kg.
Ducati 500SL Pantah Specifications
| Ducati 500SL Pantah Specifications | |
| Engine | 499 cc, four stroke, 90°“L”twin cylinder, SOHC, desmodromic, 2 valves per cylinder, belt driven |
| Bore x Stroke | 74 x 58 mm |
| Induction | Dual Dell’Orto PHM 36 mm carbs |
| Ignition | Bosch PTZ Electronic |
| Max Power | 49 hp @ 9050 rpm |
| Clutch | Wet, multi-plate |
| Transmission | Five-speed |
| Frame | Tubular steel trellis frame |
| Suspension | 35mm Marzocchi or Paioli fork, Marzocchi or Paioli dual shock absorbers with 3-way adjustable coil springs |
| Brakes | Dual 260 mm discs, two-piston calipers, single 260 mm rear disc, single-piston caliper |
| Wheels | 100/90-18, 110/90-18 |
| L x W x H | 2150 x 670 x 1160 mm |
| Wheelbase | 1450 mm |
| Weight | 176 kg |
