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.
News that Suzuki plans on returning to the MotoGP Championship in 2014 should be old information for dedicated Asphalt & Rubber readers, and the Japanese company’s inline-four race bike was already spotted doing test laps last year by the eager eyes at Cycle World. Well the American print-mag has another set of eyebrow-raising high-quality photos of the 2014 Suzuki GSV-R to mull over from the Motegi race track, along with some technical insights provided by the venerable Kevin Cameron.
A surprise addition to BMW Motorrad’s 2013 model line-up, zie Germans have announced a new middleweight adventure-tourer, the 2013 BMW F800GS Adventure. Like its larger predecessor, the BMW F800GS Adventure is a more travel-ready and off-road capable build of the recently updated BMW F800GS motorcycle. Featuring a larger windscreen, panniers, and a bigger fuel tank capacity (2.1 gallons larger, for a total of 6.3 gallons of fuel), the BMW F800GS Adventure keeps the same 85 hp, liquid-cooled, 798cc, parallel-twin engine found on the F800GS, as well as the same chassis configuration. Pricing in the US will be $13,550 for the base model BWM F800GS Adventure.
I like it, been following the rumors as much as possible. Also needs to be answered, will it cost less than the VMAX? Ducati isn’t really that competitive price-wise, but the Max is crazy out of Yamaha’s usual range.
Ducati – Why you make FAAAAAT bike??
Voglio cavare gli occhi fuori, abominio orribile.
That there means “ugly as sin” in Italian.
Might look a lot less “FAT” and ungainly in silver… zoom in and you can see the rear folding passenger footpeg brackets. Color scheme from this angle looks pretty good… have to wait and see on the side view…
Looks great from that angle. Very masculine and stout in appearance. I love the color scheme, too.
On another note: lol at everyone all over the internet who are getting angry over a motorcycle model. I understand it’s not visually pleasing to everyone, but there are a few who seem genuinely angry at the bike/ducati/theworld. Almost as if Ducati broke a personal promise to them or something.
But its human nature to bicker and moan. This bike, I’m sure, will lose Ducati some ‘faithful’ customers, but it’ll definitely bring them some new ones. Just like when a music band/artist changes their sound over time… old fans leave, new ones take their place.
If Ducati stayed the same, people would complain that they are boring and lack innovation…
Who are these ‘faithful’ Ducati cruiser customers that Ducati are going to lose?
Badassery! RT @Asphalt_Rubber: First Official Photos of the #Ducati Diavel http://bit.ly/a6bMdh #motorcycle #ducatidiavel
Not exactly what I think of when I hear the word “cruiser”. I don’t think it will hurt Harley’s sales any
I just want to see the final Product…is that asking too much?
Right now our sales dept is hearing figures around 162hp, so it is putting out a bit more than the Multistrada. You are correct in thinking that there will be two versions of the bike. While our sales manager was sworn not to reveal the actual price of the bike by Ducati but I did manage to get from him that the base would cost a bit less than Yamaha’s V-Max while the S/SP/Carbon model would cost a bit more than the V-Max.
Just like the new Speed Triple I’m trying to hold my judgment until I see it in person but from what I’ve experienced so far there just isn’t that much demand for a power “cruiser” priced at this kind of premium. Our Warrior’s have been a poor seller for a while now, the Raider gets some looks but not much else, the Streetfighter also gets ignored partially due to its price but also its intimidating power output, and we’ve sold a grand total of 2 V-Max’s since its release.
Also if you ask me it has to many styling cues from the DN-01, which is worrisome since we’ve had the same DN-01 since its original release sitting on our floor gathering dust, but that’s a rant for another time.
where does a license plate fit into that clean tail?
@Wiggins
“…the base would cost a bit less than Yamaha’s V-Max while the S/SP/Carbon model would cost a bit more than the V-Max.”
Could you kindly define “bit”?
Ducati is going after the “focus groups” who say they want a cruiser but don’t want a HD or one of the big 4 clones. Make it sporty, powerful cruiser with a Ducati lineage and they will come. I think the price might be a bit high on this but time will tell.
Well like I said, since he was bound by Ducati not to release the actual MSRPs I had to play a bit of 20 questions but as far as I could tell the base would be around $15-16k and the SP closer to $19k. Since he couldn’t give me a straight answer I can only give you a guesstimate of the prices but since we have 2 of each model actually on order I imagine these prices are pretty much fixed. Still its a bit higher than its competition with the R3 Roadster being at $13,999 and the V-Rod Muscle at $14,999 but lower than the new 2011 V-Max which is coming in at a stupid $19,890. Sorry I can’t be more specific but I’ll pass on any info as soon as I get it.
Yeah, that VMAX Price is fricking UNREAL. Most be made out of unobtanium alloy and unicorn horn dust. (-_- )’
Kevin C Says:
“Ducati is going after the “focus groups” who say they want a cruiser but don’t want a HD or one of the big 4 clones. Make it sporty, powerful cruiser with a Ducati lineage and they will come. I think the price might be a bit high on this but time will tell.”
That sounds pretty close to the truth, you have to love all of the insight from focus groups.. The one positive thing is that the power cruiser / Sport hybrid cruisers have been an emerging trend in europe for the last couple years on the custom side
No thanks, can’t stand the power cruiser looks. Mind, I do realize that isn’t fair considering what I ride. 8^) But come on Ducati, Harley already did that look.
Ted Baxter was thinking exactly the same as me… but I realized that the British License plate (which is huge) will never fit there. Perhaps this is an indication that they only intend to sell it in a few markets….
Look to the left of the rear wheel…there is the mounting plate for the license tag.
I think it’s pretty hip (the bike as a whole). While it might not be my particular cup of tea, I like that Ducati continues to make interesting bikes that don’t quite fit any one particular mold. Supermono (single cylinder racer? wha wha?), Hypermotard (road going dirtbike? Mmmkay), Monster (originally an 888 racebike without a fairing built from the part bin for fun), Streetfighter (150hp naked bike?! With traction control…are you kidding me? Love it), ST4 (performance-touring bike with chain drive in a sea of shaft drive bikes), the Multistrada…and now a power cruiser, with proper weight, power and chassis. Sure it’s not a race bike. So. Most of the bikes in Ducati’s line up have never been pure race bikes. But they sure make you feel like they are. I’m sure this will have that character as well.
Plus, if you WERE in the market for a cruiser…would you at least go sit on the bike if it was at your Ducati dealer…and maybe even pick one up instead of the ubiquitous HD? Me thinks yes you would. And would any of you NOT giggle in your helmet as you blasted past a slow-train of HD cruisers with the sound of a 90 degree v-twin peeling the paint of those lardy tassel-clad slugs?
@ jackie
Seconded.
@jackie
“Plus, if you WERE in the market for a cruiser…would you at least go sit on the bike if it was at your Ducati dealer…and maybe even pick one up instead of the ubiquitous HD? Me thinks yes you would. And would any of you NOT giggle in your helmet as you blasted past a slow-train of HD cruisers with the sound of a 90 degree v-twin peeling the paint of those lardy tassel-clad slugs?”
Agreed.
From what I can see it’s apparent that Ducati has created a very good marketing machine in the US and has been gaining market share (US sales up 25% last QTR YOY) with their sport and Monster line. All of the Ducati products have consistent appeal for the US sport buyer, the advanced touring rider and many educated buyers in between.
However, a good share of Harley owners don’t fit this mold/mindset – they’re not the type to look at a V-Max (or even know who a V-max is). One needs to spend a fair amount of time in a Harley dealership or go on rides with Harley groups to really understand the demographic.
If Ducati expects to penetrate any of Harley’s market share here (in the US) they need to:
1. Build it in the US “Built in the USA but designed back home – in Italy”
2. It MUST be easy to ride – I’ve ridden the 848 and the Monster 1100 and they are not easy to ride!
3. It has to fit every attribute of a Harley owner’s expectation
4. It must LOOK like a cruiser
5. But it must retain its Italian heritage, flair, design
@Bill Smith, The anecdotal reports that people are ignoring the Victory in favour of HD just because it’s HD or even avoiding the V-Rod because it’s not a “proper Harley” suggests to me that Ducati would be wasting their time in setting up a manufacturing facility in the US in order to pick up a few sales when that particular market is comprised of rusted on brand fans. I think that Ducati will be pleased to poach sales from Nipponese cruiser buyers and attract those who are fans of, or curious about Italian engineering, but still want to have a cruiser.
I also don’t think Ducati are too concerned about people who want big, heavy, low powered cruisers, they are after the power cruiser market, where excessive power to weight ratios are king. A number of posters have commented on the rise of this market segment in Europe; traditionally the first market Ducati have sought to satisfy.
In a good year (2007) Harley Davidson will sell just north of 300,000 motorcycles world wide. In a bad year (2010) HD will sell 200,000 units. Our friends in Asia and Italy would build anything the HD cruiser consumers would purchase if they could gain even 25% of that pie. The Asian manufacturers have spent 20 years working to gain almost 50% of the US cruiser market building over-sized comfy lumps better, cheaper and with much higher quality control.
There is no reason for Ducati (or any other motorcycle manufacturer) to ignore this market despite their heritage — it’s FAR too lucrative!
HD has built the model, the image and the best dealerships in the country and they are more venerable to overseas competitors today than ever before. Ducati knows the formula, the expectation and the end prize. They have the capability to build the best cruisers for the cruiser-hungry US market. I just wonder if they’ll pull the trigger.
I think the Ducati brand value is seen as intrinsic in the “Made in Italy” sticker on the tank, just as HD’s is “Made in the USA.”. I seriously doubt that Ducati would build a North American manufacturing facility in an attempt to parachute into some kind of bogus “Made in the USA” heritage. I believe they will continue to manufacture in Italy and rely on their philosophy of engineering and design that produces the subjective view of it being the best bike in a given class.
That will be enough for a share of the world-wide market including the US.
First official photos of Ducati's NEW Cruiser – the 2011 Diavel. Is this bike the Duck's Nuts or what? http://x.co/JQO7
RT @DrBobParsons: First official photos of Ducati's NEW Cruiser – the 2011 Diavel. Is this bike the Duck's Nuts or what? http://x.co/JQO7
@Speedster9110 RT @DrBobParsons: First official photos of Ducati's NEW Cruiser – the 2011 Diavel. http://x.co/JQO7
It gave me a hardon @DrBobParsons First official photos of Ducati's NEW Cruiser – Is this bike the Duck's Nuts or what? http://x.co/JQO7
I think that this is a perfect fit for me. I own a 1098 and friends that have ridden many of the Japanese bikes out there, ( Yamaha R1, Honda 1000rr, Gixxers) report that my bike is the most aggressive and uncomfortable bike they have been on. That and the acceleration makes the passenger seat into an ejection seat. I have been looking for a second bike to buy that would be a good everyday bike to ride and take someone with. Love Ducati, and not really fond of the others in the cruiser market, Victory was the leading bike before this one. once I get the cash this is it.
For the first of this type cruiser on the market I think they have done a bang-up job. I may even start riding again because it looks good, and seems like a promising ride
RT @DrBobParsons: First official photos of Ducati's NEW Cruiser – the 2011 Diavel. Is this bike the Duck's Nuts or what? http://x.co/JQO7