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.
Now that the first Ducati 1199 Panigale has rolled out of the door in Bologna, the die is cast, the chips are in play, and our course is set to see if Ducati has created a “massive breach of brand trust and honesty.” The realization of course should be that Ducati’s brand was never in danger with bikes like the Hypermotard, Multistrada 1200, or Diavel. Instead, the danger of serious brand dilution has always rested on how Ducati handled its Superbike line. A failure to produce a two-wheeled machine that is both as striking visually as it is kinetically, could permanently alienate a loyal fan base that has endured a great deal in the past half-decade.
There is a lot that can be said about why dealerships fail or succeed (we’ve already seen an interesting insight on the subject of shops being open on Sundays), and one aspect on how to be a successful dealership that will surely rise to the top is one of community. Here, Vancouver-based Motomethod is all about the community, as the do-it-yourself community garden style repair shop has become a place for British Columbian riders not to work on their motorcycles, but also to congregate together with a shared love of riding on two wheels. Not exactly a new concept business-wise, but still a fresh perspective in an otherwise unwilling to change industry. More on this thought process to be published in the coming weeks. Enjoy.
An American motorcycle company is ramping up production due to increased demand: http://j.mp/3Ef1Ik No, it's not the one you think…
This is Dan Fischer, thank you for publishing this bit about us. We’re interested to hear what your readers think.
The biggest challenge we have now is that in the US market, we have consumers who wish to see, test, and purchase the MRX, but dealers are having such a brutal year that they are reluctant to take on any new inventory. This is why we have ended up exporting so much. I guess it’s my own fault- it took too long to get into production!
Motorcycle news, Industry Rumors, MotoGP, World Superbike, and More. … the VFR will come in a standard model,.. http://tinyurl.com/yfdjw4k
Dan, if you’re still hanging around, I was curious what engine you’ve sourced for this bike. I believe I saw it on display at the Seattle IMS a few winters back, but seem to remember there wasn’t much info to read. I recall that it had a Chinese sourced motor, but those power figures seem more SV650ish.
If the powerplant is, indeed, from an SV650, this is a pretty exciting bike. I’ve always felt that Suzuki has been dropping the ball by not bolting quality suspension pieces onto that motor/chassis.
The engine is a Hyosung (Korean) engine, very similar to the SV650 unit. I’m not sure how much it’s modified. Hyosung makes good stuff though.
I was happy to hear that Fischer will be distributed in Canada now through the same distributors that handle Hyosung. Hopefully this means I can see one in Winnipeg soon :)
How do you find dealers for this bike..?
Dan,
Thanks for building such a wonderful bike! There’s only one thing that’s keeping me from placing an order — a lack of ABS. Would it be possible to add an ABS unit from the SV650 or the CBR600rr? I’d be more than happy to purchase the parts if your factory could install them.
Thanks,
Gene
Thanks for your comments. We have discussed adding ABS and other technology, and in fact Continental has developed a system we hope to test soon. We’re pretty small and all of our technology development has gone into the chassis and peripheral components. Our priorities have always been safety, reliability, and profitability. With that, there is a lot of math that goes into design, and trial and error that has gone into component manufacturing, which is why the many years to get into production. You may remember people having such problems with early products from other companies, and I think that’s a hard tag to shake.
So, for now, it’s one product, in one color, built the best we can build them, and we’ll try to grow our company from there.
I really really want this company to do well, but I won’t buy it if that engine is really out of a Hyosung. If it was an SV650 engine I wouldn’t even blink before I got one. My current SV650 is great, but if it was in that bike it would be amazing.
Matt…Hyosung developed the engine for the SV…it’s the same thing, just a different name…
The bike looks sexy and I would def look into buying one if I didn’t just buy a racebike.
They aren’t the same engine. There are rumors about there being Suzuki parts in the Hyosung, but it weighs 30 lbs more and doesn’t perform as well. Plus the shifting on the Suzuki is significantly better, which is interesting because the shifting on the Suzuki isn’t amazing.
The Suzuki is clearly a better engine, even if you want to believe the rumors about Hyosung and Suzuki getting together on that, which I doubt for lots of reasons. Why you would use an inferior engine when something better is available I don’t know, maybe Suzuki wouldn’t play along, but if Fischer is compromising on anything else like they are here I will be staying away.
The engine certainly does not weigh 30 lbs more, and the transmission is excellent. Anyone who has ridden an MRX loves it, just as you clearly love your SV.
Don’t make things up.
Mr. Fischer,
I misread my source, it’s the bike that weights 30 pounds more, not the engine, sorry for that. But I’ve ridden a GT650 and I couldn’t stand the transmission and it felt weak and the power delivery felt rough. I suppose whether or not the transmission is good is a matter of opinion, but to the point of the engines, being the same, I maintain that they are not, the oil filter is a dead giveaway on that. The SV is also 2ccs smaller capacity, but that’s not really proof.
I’m very curious to hear why you went with the Hyosung over the SV. Was it not an option because Suzuki wouldn’t license it? Was the SV never considered? Did Hyosung come to you about it? Maybe you can’t say for legal reasons, but if you can, this is a great platform for you to talk about why you’ve set the bike up the way you have. Have you tuned the engine in a way that takes care of the issues I have with the Hyosung? I can’t find any information about that online.
The bike tooks great and the rest of the specs are very attractive. Like I said in my original post, I really want your company to do well, but the engine will keep me away.
I’m impressed by the specs compared to both the Ninja 650R and the SV650: 15-20 lbs lighter, 5-10 HP more than light tuning gives, slightly sharper steering, and premium suspension/brakes for only $500-900 more. Good deal, considering my Ohlins rear shock cost me $500 second-hand, and a ZX6R or GSXR front end is a couple hundred.
I considered a Fischer 3 years ago when I bought the Ninja, but it was mostly a myth then. The only time I’ve caught a glimpse of a production bike was at Indy! Obviously, you can order online, but who does that? If only I could find one to sit on! That tall fuel tank is worrisome, as is that seat- ouch! The tank side angles/cutouts look perfect for my long legs, but I could do with a little more padding, and definitely don’t need to get poked by the top of the tank.
Any chance of finding a demo model? Or a list of dealers? If I were to ride to Pocomoke, would I be able to see one in person?
sir….if you contacted dan, and traveled to pocomoke, MD…not only would you be able to see a Fiscer MRX, but also be able to ride one with Dan Fiscer….that sounds like its worth the trip alone!
I am from indonesia, and i saw your bike in Indonesia already. It is a good bike, but i am still doubt with the enggine performance. how the reliability of hyongsoung machine, is it good ?