When Ducati released its Corse themed Superbikes at Milan last year, we knew the Italian company was onto something special. With ample carbon fiber, aluminum tanks, and a tasteful amount white and red paint, the Corse livery sets itself apart from the rest of the Ducati line as being the pinnacle of the Italian company’s offering. So when we saw the “Corse” Multistrada 1200S that took place in Pikes Peak, we were equally excited, and begged Ducati North America to make a race replica model (we’re still begging them by the way). While Ducati might take a little more convincing, some owners have taken things into their own hands. Enter into the picture Finishing Touch 4U’s Ducati Streetfighter Corse.
Kawasaki will be officially be “unveiling” its 2011 World Superbike-spec ZX-10R at Nurburgring this weekend, but has released photos of the bike, finally showing the ZX-10R in its green livery. Team Green has slowly been leaking photos and videos of the new 10R through a massive online social marketing campaign, which centered around the company’s Next_Ninga twitter account.
Kawasaki is putting a lot of weight on the superbike’s shoulders after being un-competitive in World Superbike racing, and withdrawing completely from MotoGP. Hoping the 2011 Kawasaki ZX-1oR will turn around Kawasaki’s racing fortunes, Kawasaki is also hopeful that the bike will help spur its fading sport bike sales.
Carmichael Lynch, the ad agency behind Harley-Davidson’s “Screw it, Let’s Ride” campaign, has just announced that it will be parting ways with the Milwaukee motorcycle manufacturer. In a pair of “it’s not you, it’s me” press releases, the two companies, which have partnered together for the past 31 years, cite different reasons for their mutual departures.
We just think that Harley-Davidson is on Step 1 of our three part strategy on How to Save Harley-Davidson.
After holding an online contest to name its 125cc four-stroke based learner street bike, KTM has shockingly come to the conclusion that it should stick to its Duke nomenclature. Schedule to be the 2011 KTM 125 Duke, KTM debuted the concepts at the 2009 EICMA show in Milan. KTM’s plan is to engage young riders with the “Ready to Race” mantra, making them lifetime Team Orange riders with this stepping-stone model
The Mountain at Cadwell Park, as it is known, is like the British version of the Corkscrew at Laguna Seca: another one of those special points on a race track, that would not exist on the computer-generated courses we see today. Famous for lofting bikes into the air, The Mountain makes for spectacular photographs, and should be on every rider’s track day bucket list. Finding the fastest racing line over The Mountain can be difficult though, as riders have to contend with keeping the front of their motorcycles down, but such is not the case for HM Plant Honda’s Josh Brookes…
Track conditions were the talk of the paddock this weekend at the Indianapolis GP, as riders battled the changing tarmac surfaces, and undulating bumps of the Indy infield. Perhaps most vocal of his displeasure with the course was Ducati rider Casey Stoner, who called the Indianapolis Motor Speedway not a world class track, and specifically complained about plastic drains that would catch riders as the ventured in towards the edge of the track (Rossi also complained of these drains). Teammate Nicky Hayden was less critical before Sunday’s race though, saying that Stoner’s comments could be applied to many of the courses on the MotoGP calendar. However after losing a knee puck to one of the drainage grates that Stoner criticized earlier, Hayden may be re-thinking his tune.
Talking after the Indianapolis GP, Valentino Rossi explained that he is waiting to hear from Jeremy Burgess as to whether the Australian Crew Chief will retire next season. Assured of the fact that Burgess would not stay behind at Yamaha, and would not work with another rider, Rossi stated the buzz around whether Burgess would move with the Italian to Ducati, hinges as to when Burgess plans on retiring from motorcycle racing.
Under the lights of the Indy Mile, where motorcycle racing began for the Kentucky-born MotoGP racer, Nicky Hayden has signed a two-year contract with Ducati Corse for the 2011 & 2012 seasons. Not the biggest surprise in the paddock, Hayden’s contract renewal has never really been questioned this season as the American started the season off with series of strong finishes and continues to be a strong brand ambassador for Ducati in the United States. Hayden will be joined the next two years by former teammate Valentino Rossi, the pair rode for Repsol Honda in 2003, with Hayden finishing the season 5th in his rookie GP season.
Infront Motor Sports, rights holder to the World Superbike Championship series, has responded to the news that Ducati Corse will be leaving the series in 2011. Responding with an official press release, IMS’s message essentially boils down to poking holes in Ducati’s statement about technical regulations. Stating that the 2009 season was dominated by the Ducati 1198 Superbike, sans one Ben Spies, the Italian firm has clearly been able to be competitive with the current formula. IMS goes on to basically say that WSBK is about more than one manufacturer, and can’t cater to Ducati’s whims even if they do have a lengthy history together.
As expected, Ben Spies and Yamaha have announced that the current World Superbike Champion and MotoGP rookie will move up to the factory Yamaha team (noticeably not called Fiat-Yamaha in the press release) for the 2011 season. Spies’ move to the factory squad has lovingly been referred to as the “second worst-kept secret in MotoGP,” right after Rossi’s departure from the Fiat-Yamaha team to Ducati Corse.
The sound is, er, pant soiling good.
so much for America looking to be a forward thinking country
Well if they are making a sport touring bike they better get rid of the chain drive. I doubt many people will buy a touring bike with a chain drive. Better spend more time and money on developing the touring amenities like a radio, cruise control, heated seats and grips etc. and less time on a engine with lots of power. Who needs a big engine on a touring bike? Everything seems to be getting bigger. Look what happened to the Lead Wing and Harley Ultra – 1,000 lbs.
The crankshaft is pointed the wrong direction. I know they can engineer a solution, but it’s a lot of extra work. Don’t really get the concept either. It’s supposed to be tuned, but then it has direct injection which ads stratified charging and infinite extra degrees of complexity.
Sounds great though. That could be enough to win the day.
love the sound, definitely can hear a bit of that muscle car grunt in it.
i’m not sure about the touring aspect of this bike either… it seems a bit confused as to it’s real identity, i still think it’s an awesome bike though, love anything new being built in the US.
i think i might have gone for more of a big sportsbike concept instead of the tourer, but i could be wrong, this is only going to be for people that have too much money and not enough toys anyhow.
-peter
I like it! I think the anti-chain gang is mostly old codgers who grew up before they made decent chains. Nowdays a good quality X-ring chain lasts 40k and almost never needs adjustments or even much oiling. heck that’s better than the final drive units on certain shaft drive bikes:)
I quite like the machine, direct injection is the way forward – greater fuel efficency and power gains can be had because you can run much more compression without preignition. Many cages have it and its about time motorcycles got in on the fun.
the push-rod design makes some sense for getting power at lower rpms. If you aren’t displacement limited, but are rather limited in terms of weight and total engine volume its not a bad way to go. Look at the LS7 for example in the cage world. power per cc isn’t good, but power per lbs or unit volume is quite good and that power comes in at relatively low rpms with a wide power curve.
the engine deff gives you goosebumps, I think the overall package as a bike needs just as much thought that has not happened as of yet. Some type of “pure” sport bike needs to come of this, just not in the common sense.
This article didn’t mention it, but Motus is partnering with Katech in the design and construction of the engine.
Katech, for those who don’t know, builds engines for Corvette endurance racers, so if the Motus engine sounds like a small block, that’s no accident. Considering how well Corvettes have fared in the endurance racing circuit, the partnership is very promising.
Oscar.
“Balking at the advice of others not to build their own powerplant, Motus has teamed up with Katech to design an in-house motor for the Motus MST-01.”
Yes they did mention it….
………………..and the Radical/small sports race car community likely has orders in for dozens of engines already
check out Motus’ other walk around video. The chassis & engine footage is cool. Love the chassis and that motor so far.