The Cagiva Elefant was introduced in the early 1980s as an enduro motorcycle characterized by small to medium displacement engines. Following the acquisition of Ducati by Caviga, commercial production gradually evolved to incorporate the more powerful high performance twin-cylinder engine from 1985 onwards. The Cagiva Elefant competed against both German and Japanese motorcycles in the prestigious 1987 Paris-Dakar ‘off-road’ rally. The bike was characterized by its distinctive large fairing which covered the steel tube and light alloy trellis frame. The air-cooled twin-cylinder engine provided 80 HP at 8500 rpm and allowed the Italian bike to reach a maximum off-road speed of 185 km / h. The bike design reflected a "typical" Saharan configuration, with protective fairing, Ohlins off-road shock absorbers and low front fender.