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.
With the price of the EBR 1190RR more than twice that of a Ducati 1198S (though less than the Desmo), the odds we’ll see more than the pair produced for Pegasusraceteam is pretty slim.
Even though the 1125RR is homologated for AMA racing, at just a slight discount in price (and 15 hp) down from the 1190RR, it’s still going to be out of reach for any privateer I know of. The 1125R DSB remains within reach, but with no contingency money to be had, only a privateer with a deep desire to make a statement of loyalty is going to make that purchase.
Until Erik’s non-compete agreement expires, EBR’s six employees are going to have to rely on whatever funding they’ve been living off of since December, and hope for the sale of a few $10k track bikes.
I’d like to see them open up a program of rebuilding existing 1125Rs to track spec. But who listens to us? :)
Yes, no, maybe on the price. When you look at those racing classes and what it takes to be competitive in them, these prices are more than fair. DSB uses close to stock bikes, whereas the other classes allow for much more modification. In these classes teams aren’t buying bikes from dealers and modifying them, they’re buying race-prepped bikes directly from manufacturers.
These bikes can cost up to $250k for a front-running WSBK level bike. The base models of these bikes cost much less, but are still nearly double from the EBR’s. A Ducati 1098RS is about 90k euros, with the Aprilia RSV4 rumored to tally in at 60k euros. Check this post out for more on that: http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/rumors/aprilia-rsv4-race-replica-rumor/
Erik Buell Racing Prices Announced – http://aspha.lt/100 #motorcycle
Yes jensen, but the ducati and aprilia are winners….
Well Ducati is having a hard time of it this year, but that’s besides the point, ehh?
In some senses you do get what you pay for, but I think real winners succeed despite the obstacles in front of them.
We will see at infineon AMA if the buell even has a chance in superbike. I wish buell luck
Have to agree with SoCal Buell Rider. EBR has produced some awesome bikes, but unfortunately, they really don’t fit into any class — at least, economically.
For 44 large, you can build a race ready GSXR, R1, CBR, F4 and have a number of classes to race it in. Just sayin’…
Hopefully, some VC money will come along and Buell can get back to building street bikes.
Sure would like one of those 1190 motors for my CR….
Wheeeee!
R
Here we go again! Buell motorcycles went out of business because they built somewhat competitive bikes with premium prices. The market responded by not buying their bikes, Harley Davidson pulled the plug, and the m/c community lamented Buell and vilified HD. Now, Buell has returned and it’s the same story all over again! Public opinion seems to be much the same as it was before regarding bikes vs price, so it will be interesting to see how this latest endeavor in custom motorcycle building pans out for Buell. I hope EBR is a success because Eric Buell is a creative engineering genius and is fighting the good fight for independent motorcycle builders and racers.
These bikes can barely compete with the 600 class, ala – AMA. And you want to pay 44 gs for a Buell? Are you people on crack. Yes, you can build a superbike that will out perform the buell even at 25k deep including bike… Hell, you can build a Factory Graves Yamaha R6 for about the same price and again will smoke the balls off the Buell. The AMA is biased and geared towards the Motor Harley Gearheads for the American Public. The reality here is its an overpriced 6oo with the reliability of a two stroke… Now, I can see why HD pulled the plug.. Obsolete!!! And why Mladin and Spies left the AMA… Its nothing more then overzealous Club Racing sponsored by fat walleted Michael Jordan has beens.
John what are you missing here? You cannot be serious that a 600 in line 4 can compete with a 185 Rear Wheel HP 360 pound wet weight machine. You may be talking about a 1125r which is NOTHING like this bike. (Although the 1125 did wipe the floor with the 600s last year.) This bike is near identical to the Ducati 1198R which is right up there with the new BMW as one the fastest road bikes ever made. Buell has announced they will be selling a street version of the 1190 next year. That means they will likely race in superbike next year.
By the way a non-race prepped 1198R is $39,995.00.