Motorcycle. A contraction of motorized bicycle, it has origins as old as the automobile, if not as ubiquitous. In the U.S., the category established itself at the turn of the last century, with scores of manufacturers vying for the chump change left by Henry Ford, Ransom Olds and mass production.

In Europe the motorcycle was hobbled by a host of factors (like “going to war”) in the early part of the 20th century. For the necessary down payment on a motorcycle, many opted instead for a boat ticket, simply getting out of Europe. But for those surviving World War II, the motorcycle provided a viable means of transport -- and release -- for a continent still shell-shocked by some six years of carnage.

Ducati, based in Bologna, Italy, attached a 48cc four-stroke single (think "weedeater") to a bicycle frame in 1946. Dubbed "Cucciola" (puppy), it was an immediate success, establishing a foundation for distinctive performance that continues almost 60 years later. And while most motorcycles would be regarded as distinctive when compared to your Mazda or Maytag, Ducatis remain in a category of one, with a combination of looks and performance reminiscent of Catherine Zeta Jones’ Oscar turn in Chicago. It’s internal combustion

and sensual style combine in one two-wheeled fantasy that recalls the Big Bang Theory. We, of course, didn’t attempt the Big Bang; it wasn’t our bike.

The 999, Ducati’s latest foray into the realm of GP-inspired road machines, isn’t without detractors. Launched as the successor to the omnipotent 916/996, its initial reception was not unlike that of the ’58 T-Bird. No argument, of course, with the functional improvements, as you’d expect from a redesign of a platform some 10 years its senior. But for a generation accustomed to the 916’s almost-visceral combination of edgy sensuality, the 999 looked as if it had been treated to cosmetic surgery at the Braille Institute.

A year later, and most will admit they were wrong. This newest Ducati, in both 749 and 999 guises, grows on the viewer like a Democratic primary. In the early going, you’re not sure you spot a winner, but around June you think you’ve got one, and by November you know you’ve got one. If there’s any doubt while taking in the 999’s oh-so-unique profile, it’s immediately removed when firing up the Ducati’s 124 horses. Utilizing the same L-Twin configuration that’s been a Ducati trademark for some 30 years, the 999 derives its one liter of displacement via an extremely oversquare configuration. With the bore of 100 mm combined with a stroke of just over 63 mm, the resulting lower piston speed provides peak power at 9,500 rpm and peak torque at 8,000. The end result is an amazingly fluid power delivery, even on the still-fresh example supplied by Advanced Motorsport’s Jeff Nash.

With “track time” limited to the area’s various freeways, impressions are based more on emotion than objective evaluation. No matter; given an hour with the aforementioned Ms. Zeta Jones, we doubt you’ll ask how she did on her SATs. The 999 delivers on its visual promise, with a power delivery as fluid as the shape, along with a riding experience as vibrant as its character.

If there was one overriding impression, it was the ease with which you become comfortable with Ducati’s latest. For more years than we can remember, Ducati’s singular impressions have been the product of singular idiosyncrasies. Not so with Ducati’s 999; regardless of your current feelings regarding its form, you’ll love it once you’ve become a part of it.

The standard 999, at around $17,500, is one of a complete line of Ducati motorcycles. The catalog begins with the Monster 620, at around $6,000, and includes sport touring entrants such as the aggressively revised ST3 and Ducati’s way unique take on adventure touring, the Multistrada.