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.
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.
..its called the SMT 990 SM tourer.
Message to KTM – KTM street motorcycles are nothing short of an eye-sore – “ugly/strange/unorthodox” would be a considerable complement in this market. Can anyone help KTM designers to produce a motorcycle for the US market that is visually palatable?
Until the visuals are addressed KTM will continue to flounder in the US market. I suggest they read a page from Ducati’s playbook – the US market is filled with stunning visual reminders of refined design/engineering (excluding HD).
@Bill Smith – I completely disagree with you. I think KTM is on the right track bringing a new unique look into the US market, one that will not only establish their brand as a leader in performance but also set them apart from the cookie cutter design that exists today.
I believe KTM should of course view Ducati’s playbook, there’s no arguing they’ve done it right, but find their own place in the US streetbike market and the Super Duke and RC8 are fantastic starts.
i have to agree with motomoto on this one, i love the look of the ktm, and i hardly know a fellow rider (at least among my circle of friends) that has any disdain for the visuals ktm’s delivering in the slightest.
to me they’re on their own right track. this is exciting news.
-peter
@ Bill
You think that Ducati was created to be palatable to US market??? Keep dreaming …. If that was the case then it would be as much as palatable as Buell, don’t you think.
Different is what counts my friend …. and that KTM is. Kudos to them.
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http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e311/mgrau/092509top.jpg
KTM North America Adds Streetbike Division – New Streetbike Expected for 2010 – http://bit.ly/2mHY1H #motorcycle
The Bottom Line: KTM very much like Buell will fail in the US market unless they fix their visuals. Unique styling is good – ugly/unorthodox styling is bad, PERIOD!
Buell has two more pressing problems –
A: Their new line (1125r/1125cr) is plagued with significant safety, heat, and engine problems (I know this for unfortunately I own one). As one British reviewer articulated “they’re just not ready for prime time.”
B: Buell is the ugly stepsister to HD – their sales staff does not want to sell them, their service staff does not want to service them.
Steer clear of Buell product!
Just about every review on the Super Duke has been nothing short of stellar – like their dirt bikes in the 70’s.
I know a bunch of screwed over 16 yr olds who wont be buying them.
@Bill
I believe you are confusing your taste with the markets taste. You may not like the style but plenty of others do. Ugly, yes is bad but is open to opinion. Unorthodox, well, it’s just that. Different.
Also to say, “KTM very much like Buell will fail in the US market unless they fix their visuals” and then talk about Buell’s mechanical misfortunes and their lack of having good sales support, also have nothing to do about KTM’s design decisions.
I also think Buell took a bold move with their engine decision. As you mentioned they have unfortunately have been plagued with problems and I agree, they were probably not ready for primetime but with a little more support from daddy Davidson that could have been avoided. Hopefully you’ll get yours sorted.
@motomoto
The comparison is very valid – I was just pointing out the differences and similarities – KTM produces fantastic machines – Buell does not (well, not yet). Both have very real visual design problems – confirmed by almost every reviewer and by US sales-to-date.
I assume you work for KTM or have some level of affiliation.
I guess we’ll agree to disagree. Also, if we’re talking about US sales-to-date, I’ll refer to your earlier comment where you mention they should follow Ducati’s play book. KTM has twice the market share that Ducati does. So, maybe I was wrong and they should stick to their own playbook.
No, I don’t work for or own a KTM, merely a man who loves motorcycles, but if the opportunity was presented to me I would jump on it.
Yes I believe KTM unit sales last year are approximately double that of Ducati but we may never know Ducati’s go forward numbers considering their LBO last December. I do know their pre-LBO unit sales for the first half of 2008 showed rather startling results (unaudited).
Ducati unit increases in select geo markets first half 2008:
North Europe (+24.8%)
Germany (+62.9%)
Italy (+49.9%)
Japan (+26.9%)
Staggering by any standards! And please note these are street bike sales!
KTM sells four mini-cycles, 19 dirt bike models, four ATVs, etc. So we are comparing apples against your grocer’s entire fruit selection.
Bottom Line: 99 out of 100 young US male motorcycle purchasers (our primary market) would take a Ducati street bike (sport/superbike/upright naked bike) over KTM’s comparable models. I was absolutely stunned at the sheer number of Ducati motorcycles at Indy and Road America this year – but I did not see one KTM street bike (and we know they are unmistakable)!
Would you care to wager who sells more street bikes in the US in 2010? I’ll bet my Buell 1125r against any comparable model that Ducati will out-sell KTM!
Sweet!! KTM NA Starts Streetbike division! http://tinyurl.com/y8u3sus