Ride Review: Ducati 1199 Panigale

Fresh from the Ducati 1199 Panigale international press launch at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, our friends from OmniMoto.it have been kind enough to share their experience on Ducati’s newest flagship model, since Asphalt & Rubber wasn’t one of the American publications invited to test Borgo Panigale’s latest creation. Our Italian brother in arms, OmniMoto‘s Lorenzo Gargiulo shares his initiation to the 1199, while riding around one the world’s most expensive race circuits…the lucky bastard. With much thanks to him, enjoy Lorenzo’s review and continue to countdown the months until A&R will get its own chance to flog the Ducati 1199 Panigale in a similar manner.

Yas Marina Circuit + Troy Bayliss + Ducati 1199 Panigale S

The International press launch of the Ducati 1199 Panigale is underway in Abu Dhabi this week, with initial reports on Ducati’s flagship superbike being very positive. A track usually reserved for cars, not bikes, the Yas Marina Circuit is really something to behold. Situated on a man-made island off the Abu Dhabi coast, the Middle-Eastern track cost a cool $1.32 billion to construct back in 2009, and holds the distinction for being one of Formula One’s night races. While we wait for the Panigale to come across the Atlantic Ocean, Ducati has put together this video of Troy Bayliss taking a lap around the 21 turns of the Yas Marina Circuit. It’s an oddly edited video, but should bring grins to the Ducatisti in your life.

Ducati Valued at €1 Billion – Acquisition Talks Continue

With nothing coming to fruition on the Mercedes deal, Ducati again made waves in August when it was reported that the company was interested in making a private stock offering in 2012. Today’s news of course is the logical extension of that announcement, as it is both 2012 and Investindustrial is rumored to be in talks with several possible private buyers for Ducati. While none of this news should surprise anyone, what is of note is the price tag being attached to Ducati is €1 billion.

A New Aprilia RSV4 for 2014?

It seems a bit silly to be talking about the 2014 model year when we are only into our second month of 2012. However, such is the case today because a certain Max Biaggi let it slip during the Aprilia Racing Team’s World Superbike presentation that 2012 would be the penultimate season for the Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC. Adding that Aprilia would not be developing its race bike for the 2013 season, the signs would seemingly indicate that a new liter bike model from the Italian manufacturer is on the horizon for 2014.

Update on the Bottpower BOTT XR-1

The Bottpower BOTT XR-1: A racier and more custom version of the Harley-Davidson XR1200X (The BOTT XR-1 is actually based off a Buell motor), Bottpower has done such a good job making the Buell look Alana Blanchard hot that the Voltron generation will forget all about the reasons their didn’t like the Bar & Shield brand in the first place, and instantly liquidate their pre-IPO Facebook stock in order to make room for Bottpower’s work in their marina-view apartments. Needless to say, I like what’s going on here.

14 Photos of the 2012 World Superbike Spec Aprilia RSV4

Aprilia was in Milan today, unveiling its 2012 World Superbike team with Max Biaggi and Eugene Laverty. For this season, Aprilia Racing is outfitting its RSV4 race bikes with the company’s classic black & red livery, a break from the white Alitalia paint scheme from last year. Unable to defend his #1 plate, the 40-year-old Max Biaggi will return to racing with his “3″ on the front of his RSV4. Eager to regain World Superbike’s top position, Biaggi’s toughest competition could come from his own teammate. His second season in World Superbike, Laverty has shown a great deal of promise already on the Aprilia. Keep your eye on the Irishman for some podiums in 2012.

Video: 2011 AFM Banquet Film – Death to Second Place

The oldest racing organization in the country dedicated soley to motorcycle road racing, the AFM is a Northern Californian non-profit racing organization that has helped hone the skills of riders like Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey, Kenny Roberts, and Steve Rapp — not mention a weekend warrior or two. Each year the racing league comes together for a banquet, and lately the tradition has been to include a highlight film of the year’s racing. I’m not sure what films in the past have been like, but if the latest AFM banquet video doesn’t give you goosebumps, you might want to check your pulse. Bonus points for the including the Versus “Second Place” monologue — it’s very apropos.

Pikes Peak International Hill Climb 2011 – The Ducati Story

Grab some popcorn, because this video from Ducati North America is over 14 minutes long. Telling the story of Ducati at the 2011 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC), DNA has put together a great video that really captures how special the racing is at Pikes Peak, and how gorgeous the scenery is of the Colorado Mountains. With Santa Barbara Ducati’s Carlin Dunne winning the overall motorcycle category on his dealership’s Multistrada 1200 demo model, Alexander Smith from the Spider Grips Ducati Team made it a double podium for Ducati in the 1205cc class. If you’re new to racing at Pikes Peak, or wanted a quick re-cap of last year’s race, Ducati’s video pretty accurately sums up racing on the mountain and the anxiety around last year’s race.

Ducati Announces Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Team with Carlin Dunne & Greg Tracy

Ducati has announced its factory team for the 2012 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC), and the Italian company has secured the services of last-year’s winner and Rookie of the Year Carlin Dunne as well as six-time PPIHC winner Greg Tracy. Ducati has also partnered with the Spider Grips team, who will help prepare the teams Ducati Multistrada 1200 for the “Race to the Clouds” on July 8th. For 2012, the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb will be fully-paved to the top of the mountain, which will surely see the speeds of competitors increase, and lap times drop on the 12.42 mile long course that ends at 14,110 feet.

Cutaway Photos of the Ducati Superquadro Engine

I was flipping through some photos from the 2011 EICMA show, and found these shots of the Ducati 1199 Panigale’s Superquadro engine. Unfortunately at the show, Ducati had its 1199cc v-twin motor behind a Lexan case, which created a bit of a glare, reflections, and of course had smudges from the touchy-feely Italian crowd. But still, the photos give a good idea of what’s going on in Ducati’s most-advanced production engine to date, and are better than just looking at the CAD renders. If you look at the shots very closely, you can almost see where the 195hp and 98 lbs•ft of torque is lurking inside.

Akrapovič Morsus Custom Motorcycle

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Mon, May 9th, 2011 @ 1:05 pm, by Jensen Beeler4 COMMENTS
Home » Bikes » Akrapovič Morsus Custom Motorcycle

Akrapovič Morsus Custom Motorcycle Akrapovic Morsus 635x410

Akrapovič is known for making some of the finest sport bike exhausts on the market, with its carbon and titanium artistry gracing many a bike in the AMA, World Superbike, and MotoGP paddocks. Now we learn from our friends at OmniMoto.it that our favorite Slovenian motorcycle exhaust maker is getting into the custom chopper scene, and helping promote the company’s launch of cruiser-styled exhausts is the modern-styled Akrapovič Morsus custom show bike.

Built in collaboration with Dreamachine Motorcycles, the Akrapovič Morsus features an S&S 113 CI (that’s 1,852cc for the mertic-inclined) motor that pumps out 114hp through its modified Akrapovič exhaust pipe. The Morsus design appeases our modern-leaning design sensibilities, but true to its ethos, it’s the Akrapovič exhaust that really makes us drool over this bike. There’s something about an underslung side-venting pipe that makes us happy, and the Akrapovič Morsus is no exception to the rule. Photos and more after the jump.

Of course the whole purpose of the Akrapovič Morsus is to get us talking about Akrapovič’s new line of exhausts for Harley-Davidson and other cruiser-style motorcycles. While we assume the typical Akrapovič fit-and-finish will be present in the new design, it’ll be a hard proposisiton to convert the “America Fuck Yeah” crowd into buying an Eastern European product…you can lead a horse to water, and all that jazz. We wish Akrapovič well in that endevour, but for now we’ll concentrate on this Mosus custom, which will be making the rounds at local trade shows and venues this year.

Though we’re a sporty bunch here at Asphalt & Rubber, we can appreciate the different walks of motorcycling life. If we had to get a cruiser (whatever that means these days), we imagine it would be something like the Akrapovič Morsus. Some of the parts are bit too “custom” for us, like the mirrors and belt covers, but the overall shape and look is very catching. We like the disc-style wheels, which remind us of aero’d-out TT bicycles, and accordingly are made out carbon fiber discs (there are more than a few cyclists on the A&R crew).

We doubt we’d make it far on that seat, but that’s not really the point of the machine, which is of course to show off the Akrapovič exhaust, which has also been modified by Dreamachine. We’ve already waxed poetic about this, but we’ll give it another go since it aligns our ch’i in the right manner. Wax on, wax off.

Photos of the Akrapovič Morsus Custom Motorcycle:

Photos of Akrapovič’s Custom Exhaust Line:

Technical Details about the Akrapovič Morsus Custom Motorcycle:

  • Frame: by Dreamachine motorcycles
  • Engine:  S&S 113 CI (1852 ccm), 114 HP
  • Transmission: Ecoline  6 gears, hydraulic clutch
  • Primary: Zodiac 3¨ open belt, with support plate
  • Wheels: Alu – carbon by Dreamachine motorcycles, 26 inch, 3,5 front and rear
  • Suspension: front Showa radial forks, with 3 D triple trees by Dreamachine Motorcycles, rear Fox air
  • Handlebar controls: PT Radial
  • Brakes: Front 4 piston radial caliper, wave disc rotors, rear brake sprocket by Custom tech
  • Air filter: Akrapovič carbon end cap, modified by Dreamachine Motorcycles
  • Exhaust: Akrapovič custom titanium modified by Dreamachine Motorcycles
  • Color: Titanium

Source: Akrapovič via OmniMoto.it

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Comment:

  1. MikeD says:
    May 9, 2011 at 9:51 PM

    And the point of having such a “thing” built was… ? LMAO, Custom Bikes, I will never get it. (-_- )’

  2. DeezToolz says:
    May 10, 2011 at 7:57 AM

    I’m not a fan of cruisers, but I’m a HUGE fan of Akro exhausts. Their Ti work is amazing, and this build just proves it. Whoever they got to snap those photos is worth their weight in Ti.

    Plus, let’s face it, you were all thinking about how amazing that woman looks next to that bike. You don’t even have to like cruisers to think that SHE and THAT FRAME are a HOT combo. Period.

    I wonder if she usually rides barefoot? Some helmetless shirtless dude from Pennsylvania on a kawi got caught barefoot once….

  3. Shea Mayfield says:
    May 10, 2011 at 9:08 AM

    Akrapovič Morsus Custom Motorcycle: Ah, the age old question of which is faster: a car or a motorcycle? We've se… http://bit.ly/jXDlvx

  4. buellracerx says:
    May 11, 2011 at 7:13 PM

    gotta love customs, especially their completely absurd nature…e.g. either the skinny rear tire or skinny broad standing next to it handling those 113 horses…

    +1 to Akro, tho. Way to diversify your brand & carve out your own niche of the largest market share of the motorcycle segment.