Ducatisti: do you want the good news or the bad news first? The bad news is that the market for motorcycles 500cc and up is down 17% worldwide for the first quarter of this year, which means the “good” news is that Ducati is only down 5% for Q1 2013. Not exactly the start out of the gate that Audi was hoping for its newly acquired two-wheeled brand, but what are you going to do? Western Europe is a mess, with Spain and Italy continuing to go down like a…well, you know. While we don’t enjoy the misery of motorcycle brands, the fact that Ducati Motor Holding is now under the Audi AG umbrella means that we get far more detailed quarterly and yearly reports from the two-wheeled marque, and we’ve got the digits after the jump.
Mission Motors tweeted out something interesting just a moment ago, a link to a new website for Mission Motorcycles. Teasing there a photo of the Mission R, it would seem that the electric superbike that does competitive AMA Supersport lap times at Laguna Seca, is finally set to come to production. It seems we won’t know everything about the new Mission Motorcycles project until June 3rd, though we can speculate pretty accurately on what the A&R Bothan spy network has been telling us. Expect to see the Mission R electric superbike in street legal trim, honed even further than when we rode the machine back in August last year.
Stefan Pierer’s acquisition of Husqvarna continues to baffle me. You will note I say Pierer, and not KTM, bought Husqvarna, since the Austrian CEO used Pierer Industrie AG in the transaction as a means to help side-step European antitrust issues. After all, we can’t have Europe’s largest dirt bike manufacturer, nay largest total motorcycle manufacturer, gobbling up even more brands in the two-wheeled world. But, I digress. Developing three road bikes (Husqvarna Nuda 900, Husqvarna Strada 650, & Husqvarna Terra 650), with three more concepts waiting in the wings (Husqvarna Moab, Husqvarna Baja, & Husqvarna E-G0), it is with even more confusion that we learn that Pierer & Co. intend to kill the Husqvarna Nuda project and its other street siblings.
In case you missed the story last week, Kevin Schwantz is preparing to race in this year’s Suzuka 8-Hour endurance race. For the race, Schwantz will be riding on a team formed by Yukio Kagayama, who in addition to having raced in the MotoGP, World Superbike, and British Superbike Championships, is also a previous Suzuka 8-Hour winner with the Suzuki Endurance Race Team (also joining the three-rider team Noriyuki “Nitro” Haga). Releasing a Q&A about his team’s Suzuka 8-Hour entry, Kagayama-san walks us through how the team came together, what equipment the riders will use, and his outlook on the team’s competitiveness.
A single-cylinder hooligan-maker, the KTM 690 Duke is 330 lbs (curbside without fuel) and 67hp of two-wheeled fun, and we hope that the Austrians bring the KTM 690 Duke R our way as well. While we are on the topic of things missing from KTM’s American line-up, a decent supersport is painfully obvious, yet we can’t see the folks at KTM following the paths of other brands. That’s where our friend Luca Bar comes to mind with his latest concept: the KTM RC4. Using the KTM 690 Duke platform and its LC4 engine, Bar has designed a super-single full-fairing sport bike that takes the Austrian company’s “Ready to Race” DNA and applies it to an idea that is not all that disimilar to the Ducati Supermono.
When I sat down with Claudio Domenicali at the Ducati 1199 Panigale R launch, the now-CEO of Ducati Motor Holding was still just the General Manager of the Italian motorcycle company. Four weeks after our interview though, Gabriele del Torchio would leave Ducati for Alitalia; and Domenicali, a 21-year veteran of both the racing and production departments of Ducati, would take his place at the top of Italy’s most prestigious motorcycle brand. After reading our interview from Austin, Texas after the jump, I think you will agree too.
That Yamaha is working on a seamless gearbox is no secret, with Yamaha’s test riders currently racking up the kilometers around tracks in Japan. Recently, however, Spanish magazine SoloMoto published an article suggesting that Yamaha has already been using its new seamless gearbox since the beginning of the season. My own enquiries to check whether Yamaha was using a seamless gearbox or not always received the same answer: no, Yamaha is not using the seamless gearbox. To test this denial, I went out to the side of the track on Friday morning at Jerez to record the bikes as they went by.
After a very public father/son break-up between Paul Teutul Sr. and Paul Teutul Jr., a steroid-ring scandal involving Paul Sr., and finally a bankruptcy proceeding, it appears that Orange County Choppers is the impossible to kill multi-headed hydra of doom that we all knew it was, as the custom chopper shop is once again headed to the small screen and recruiting some talent, on and off the show. Looking for “someone who will work alongside Paul Senior, running the shop and helping build some of the best custom motorcycles in the world,” OCC says it will be back on television with a new show later this month. Please for the love of god, will someone give this man the attention he craves so dearly??! Or, just shoot us in the face.
We love us some concept bikes here at Asphalt & Rubber, and we have featured more than a few pieces of stunning design and imagination on our pages. Though, we can’t remember the last time one of these works of art were brought to us by a legitimate racing team, but that is what we have here with the Team Alstare Superbike Concept. A nod to the former Suzuki team’s return to the World Superbike Championship as the Ducati factory squad with Carlos Checa and Ayrton Badovini, Alstare has enlisted the help of designer Serge Rusak of Rusak Kreaktive Designworks to ink the shape of its futuristic Superbike concept, while Tryptik Studios handled the 3D modeling prowess.
If you didn’t watch Thursday’s pre-event press conference for MotoGP at Jerez, it is worth a viewing right to the end (assuming you have a MotoGP.com account). Building off the news about the NBA’s Jason Collins coming out as gay in a self-written feature in Sport Illustrated, my good colleague David Emmett had the courage to inquire about the culture and acceptance of the MotoGP paddock for homosexual riders. For the sake of accuracy, after the jump is a full transcript of David’s question, as put to riders Cal Crutchlow, Jorge Lorenzo, Marc Marquez, Andrea Dovizioso, Stefan Bradl, and Scott Redding, as well as those riders’ responses to David’s inquiry.
one word…WOW….this vid hit home…every time I go for a ride in the twistiest in CT I always play a song in my head that some how it synchs with the sound of my bike and the road, this video did just that for me: progressive music + sweet roads + OK bike (would’ve been a better vid with the S1000RR) = :-D
At 1:04 what is that view from?? the helmet?? if so what is it?? because i want that!!!!! really i do. leave a comment and let me know what thats all about.
Fact – Barry is a certified badass.
Ah Yes…the so much talked about Motorcycle Nirvana…haven’t been able yet to xperience such a Bliss on my “ALL ROADS ARE FLAT AND STRAIGHT” neck of the woods (South FL).
P.S: Video is C00L.
Amen brother, that’s solid videography! And good free pub for D and D. Only one problem, oh no he’s breaking the speed limit!!!
a HUD in a helmet would be a pretty trick piece of tech. To be honest I’m surprised it’s not already done. More eyes on the road rather than the dash seems like a good idea. and some bike brands could just finally give up on trying (but failing) to make a readable dash display :)
the simple reason why motorcycle videos done by motorcycle manufacturers aren’t as good as this one: the majority of marketing execs for motorcycle manufactures are NOT enthusiasts.
Thanks Jensen. I completely agree about the rant. I didn’t want this to be a “stoppie-wheelie-stoppie-wheelie-burnout-annoying techno-logo-buybuybuy” vid. The group working on the project were all passionate about the project and wanted to take the “hobby” to the next level.
yep thats it, thats why i ride and dont feel the need to own a car.
Traffic, parking, being at one with a machine and to escape reality.
Its almost like an erotic dream sequence though without waking up with pre cum in your boxers.
sorry, my best description as to how much i was moved…………
As an ex- motorcycle marketing type, I can speak to a few of these comments: The all-wheelie-stoppie-powerslide videos are awesome, and they DO generate interest. (don’t lie- we all love watching them) Barry’s video here is the untouched opposite end of the spectrum- real life- and that is where his creative shines. The premium brand combo (Ducati/Dianese) also makes it click, it wouldn’t have the same dreaming qualities with Honda/Joe Rocket (no brand criticism intended- there is a Honda in my garage right now!)
Now for the rant: Clelland hit it on the head: even if the marketeers are passionate riders with great ideas, the execs and the lawyers will squash all the fun. When is the last time you saw a proper hooligan video (especially off the race track) from an OEM? KTM is the only one I can think of, surrounding the Duke and the original RC8 launch a few years back- props to them for that. Lawyers 1, Consumer 0. Red Bull should be the case study here- action sells product…
On the flipside, the marketing personas are too scared to present normal real riders in real life, as Barry did here. They think they HAVE to do something “extra” or “unusual” to sell the “dream” of riding their new bikes. This middle ground is where they will fail and look fake. The OEM version of this video would have a fat chick on the back of the bike, (lets make it real!) or more likely for obvious reasons a supermodel with an open face helmet and her rack sticking out (guys buy bikes to pull chicks right?). Or even worse, some euro-trash plot that has nothing to do with riding at all.
Enough ranting for now- that is my 1.4 Euro cents…
The other end of the spectrum (wheelie, stoppie nausea) generates interest for a large section of that demographic but I wouldn’t say “we [motorcyclists] all LOVE watching them”, especially as profiling becomes more entrenched by non-riding public and johnny law.
This video is excellent and I like the music (please let us know the artist & song).
If used as a corporate ad less music should be used and more cycle sounds. No sound would be best at times to accompany the spot on lighting they captured. In the rhythmic zone of riding when everything is smooth, sometimes you don’t hear anything
What JP says is wise and true. There are days where I want to mass email the following link to the motorcycle industry:
http://tinyurl.com/43baano
First off, thanks to Barry for creating this piece and sharing it with us. You have captured the essence of motorcycling and delivered it beautifully. Secondly, thanks to Jensen for shedding light on it via A&R.
Give me a shout any time to discuss the possibility of working together in the future.
Jensen, if you wouldn’t mind passing along my email address to Barry, I would appreciate it.
- Arrick
This is the kind of video that would inspire more people to get into motorcycling.
The last – and only – time that I saw any kind of a commercial/video of similar inspirational capability was when Yamaha had a spot with either an R1 or and R6, an early generation, possibly the first.
All other OEM commercials, not that there are that many (at least in the U.S.), have been utter shit. The incompetence is actually quite astounding.
Why can’t all motorcycle vids be shot this well? b/c motorcycle companies are terrible marketers who hire bad ad agencies. They don’t understand why their customers ride or what makes motorcycling great. Manufacturers try to push various buttons in a person’s brain so that they feel compelled to make a purchase, but manufacturers don’t really care if the product delivers. Failure was tolerable b/c booming Western economies and loose credit have made selling motorcycles easy. Even Harley (one of the most valuable brands in the US) are a one trick pony who can’t figure out how to attract different demographics.
Barry is a passionate enthusiast with a brain, not a marketing shill. Barry emphasizes escapism, and shows how sportbikes can be enjoyed even at a casual pace. Escapism is one of dozens of utility concepts that manufacturers ignore or under-emphasize when they work on their ad campaigns. Since, motorcycles are superfluous luxury goods, manufacturers don’t have the luxury of missing the mark when it comes to communicating with customers.
If OEMs want to sell more bikes, they will find enthusiasts like Barry, and hire them as consultants. Leveraging enthusiasts for product development might not be a bad idea either. Continuation of the current marketing and product development procedures is only going to prolong mediocre sales.
[Recommend] Why Can’t All Motorcycle Videos Be Shot This Well?: If I didn’t already know that this video was mad… http://bit.ly/pcFfLk
Excellent video and a great sense of speed that is hard to accomplish. Love the heads up display and I would certianly buy one! It’s up there with the coolness factor of the new kawasaki “blood transfusion” video albeit with a far smaller budget I’m sure.
Ah yeah the Sacramento Delta…Isleton Bridge, methinks I see thee at 1:10.
Some sweet HD NorCal Moto pr0n: http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/banter/escapism/
Superb vid! Love the beginning where the tagged door rolls up and the Duc motors out leaving the Ferrari Maranello parked! And yes, I hope some OEMs see this and get a clue. Pulling a tablecloth out from under a set table is a neat trick but this video is what it’s all about.
@kyle: If you are asking about location, in Marin County CA there are roads/landscapes like that all over– Lucas Valley Road between Highway 101 and Nicasio, Highway 1 between Stinson Beach and Bodega Bay, Point Reyes Petaluma Road, Nicasio Valley Road, etc. My guess would be Nicasio Valley Road near the reservoir.
“don’t lie- we all love watching them”
No, I don’t, I am bored with them.
Leaving the Ferrari on the right and the 6.6L 70′s Trans Am on the left in the garage. Love your video. More please!
Nice vid http://t.co/bkYnOa4 (cc @HellForLeather )