The Pantah was first shown at the Milan Bike Show in December 1979. The prototype was different again to Ducati’s earlier bikes: it had a trellis frame, with the suspended motor acting as a stressed member, and the swingarm pivoted on the rear of the crankcase. The single overhead camshaft was driven by toothed rubber belt and primary transmission was via Morse chain . The front disc brake was a Campagnolo Hydroconico. The Pantah's performance was impressive: 500 cc, 50 hp (36.5 kW) @ 8500 rpm, 180 kg, 1450 mm of wheelbase, significantly better from the earlier bevel-head V twins which were too long, bulky and stable for racing. The Pantah's performance easily surpassed that of the ill-conceived 1976 parallel twins.