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 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.
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.
In addition to testing the factory Ducati Desmosedici GP12 “Phoenix” this week at Sepang, Valentino Rossi is also trying out a new lid from AGV. Aside from the carbon fiber goodness, and of course the Rossi stickers (which add 5hp & $200), AGV’s prototype helmet sports a noticably pronounced rear spoiler. Tucked in behind the windscreen, it is obvious why the Italian helmet manufacturer designed such a large protrusion off the back of the prototype helmet, as it looks to be clearly helping the flow off the back of the helmet, across the rider’s hump, and down his backside.
While Ducati Corse is busy playing hide-the-Desmosedici at Sepang, HRC is all business in Malaysia this week, and has debuted its 2012 Honda RC213V MotoGP-contender. Honda isn’t saying too much about the RC213V, simply stating that the race bike is all new, but is also a continuation of the company’s design with the 800cc Honda RC212V. Testing the Honda RC213V over the course of last season, reigning-World Champion Casey rode the new 1,000cc machine three times in 2011, while teammate Dani Pedrosa swung a leg over the RC213V twice (missing one test because of injury).
You may have been misled by some eager journalists today and yesterday, if you saw a Ducati Corse livery-clad Ducati Desmosedici GP12 that some sites were passing off as the first shots of the “90% new” GP12. With the alleged new GP12 looking surprisingly similar to the aluminum-framed “GP0″ that was tested at Valencia, Valentino Rossi’s mechanic has now Alex Briggs confirmed that the photos taken were not of the all new “GP12 Phoenix” that the factory team will race this season. While the Ducati lords can taketh away, they can also giveth, and Valentino Rossi himself has posted the first photo of the factory Desmosedici GP12, and the bike is clearly different.
Zero Motorcycles has announced the full-commencement of production for its 2012 model line, which is expected to hit dealers in February & March of this year. First off the line was the 2012 Zero DS back in December, though the electric motorcycle company has recently started building the Zero S, Zero XU, Zero X, and Zero MX at its Scotts Valley facility as well. A story we broke back in November, Zero Motorcycles debuted its important 2012 electric motorcycle line up at the 2011 EICMA show in Milan, with the 2012 range being a substantial improvement upon the company’s previous offerings.
Getting a look at Dainese & AGV’s 2012 collection, Asphalt & Rubber was down in Orange County earlier this week to see the highly anticipated Dainese D-Air Racing leather suit, which has a four liter airbag system that helps reduce the risk of injury during a motorcycle crash. Dainese has been working on the D-Air Racing system for 10 years now, and after soft-launching the airbag suit in Europe, the Italian company is ready to bring the game-changing technology to American soil.
Us Danes, we’re a strange breed. From the culture that taught you how to rape and pillage, Scandinavia is making yet another contribution to the motorcycling world with this latest video. Featuring Danish Supermoto Champion Andreas Mikkelsen, we get a RoToR camera-esque perspective (this rig is actually home made) on the Dane’s practice session at the Als Supermotard Club in Denmark. It’s videos like this that are slowly eroding my will-power to resist getting into supermotard riding. Also, I don’t know who was in charge of the music selection on this thing, but my hat is off to him/her. I love the nightlife. I’ve come to boogie.
Our friends over at IndianCarsBikes.in were in attendance at the KTM 200 Duke launch in India this week, as the Austrian brand launched its somewhat bigger-displacement version of the popular KTM Duke 125. During the press event, KTM talked about the future of the mini-Duke line and its product roadmap for the emerging country, as well as abroad. With the Austrian brand confirming/clarifying that KTM would release a KTM 350 Duke for India in 2013, zie Austrians also confirmed that the KTM 350 Duke would be built locally in India by Bajaj, but would be exported worldwide — allaying fears that the KTM 350 Duke would be an India-only model.
Why not make it? ducati made the Supermono not so long ago?
http://www.ducati.com/heritage/anni90/supermono/supermono.jhtml
Agreed, I like the idea. The original is a legend, they should keep the supermono concept a part of the company mythos.
Ducati have a rich history of sporting singles, and it seems like a waste not to continue it!
Ducati 599 Mono Concept – Drool Worthy http://bit.ly/6EMdRG
Ducati 599 Mono Concept – Drool Worthy – http://bit.ly/6Lp3g7 #motorcycle
Someone needs to hire this guy.
*bookmark* http://bit.ly/6maqmK
I love monos and there has been many mono concepts before (such as the Cagiva Mito) – what’s so special about this one?
Ducat seems to like the item of ignoring what real brand lovers want and instead focus on what they think Ducati should be. They are beginning to become something like the sport-bike version of Harley-Davidson. Both brands were made popular by smaller displacement fun to ride machinery steeped in nationalism. Now they make overpriced, over sized bikes for attorneys and CPAs.
RT @Asphalt_Rubber: Ducati 599 Mono Concept – Drool Worthy – http://bit.ly/6Lp3g7 #motorcycle
Ducati 599 Mono Concept Bike http://bit.ly/6ZEn3n
RT @Asphalt_Rubber: Ducati 599 Mono Concept – Drool Worthy – http://bit.ly/6Lp3g7 #motorcycle
uberbox- what are you smoking? Oversized? Show me a Duc that is big & fat like a Harley – then show me one that isn’t fun to ride. They’re not cheap that’s for sure- but they don’t have the volume to afford low margins, and if you look at the low-margin, high-volume bike manufacturers… well, how are they doing right about now? Love all those 2010 Japanese inline 4s.
If Ducati tried to compete on volume and price, that WOULD be the death of the brand, both figuratively AND literally.
I would gladly pay $20,000 for the Ducati 599 Mono. What an exquisite looking bike. And so appropriately sized in displacement! This bike NEEDS to be made, so that the Ducati lover in all of us can get there hands on some Genuine material without breaking the bank.
With the explosion of trackdays, the popularity of Ducati and the generally older demographic of motorcyclists today, I am certain enough bikes could be sold to justify its manufacture.
No, it wont be sold to young squids for whom bigger and cheaper is always better, that’s obvious. It wouldn’t be for the masses..
True enthusiasts however, will be all over it.
I think a lot of people would be interested in a gorgeous, low volume, sub-350lb, 75hp sportbike with premium suspension and brakes.
Lets start a petition and let Ducati know how people feel!
I will commit to buy one right now!
..But RD? KTM already has that bike: the Duke 690! ;-) You need one!
Morpheous can testify as to the uber coolness of a high performance street single.
And he’s right, I do need one. But as an old Ducati 250 racer, I am holding out for the Supermono! For now anyway …
Here is some more Mono madness also appearing this week?
http://www.pianetariders.it/2010/01/hypermono-project-by-sak_art-design/6113
Not sure if I like the looks better than the old model, but still a real conversation piece for those who will be able to deal with the price tag. I remember Jerry Woods blasting around at Loudon on his, quite the machine.
Hmmm. I finished up a similar design study back in 2008.
http://www.timcamerondesign.com.au/666bike.htm
Obviously a Ducati single for the street is a strong idea.
Tim C.
I at one time had a FBF prepped F1 which I had to sell. To this day I cannot tell you how I miss that bike. While I’d love to build a TT1 or TT2 to replace it my skill level is not up to artistic level to pull off that kind of project. While doing a search for the Ducati Mono I came across this. A production Mono could go a long way to make me feel better about not having a F1 now.
I wish Ducati make this but I’m just a consumer, what do I know.