Ducati Announces Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Team with Carlin Dunne & Greg Tracy

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.

Cutaway Photos of the Ducati Superquadro Engine

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.

AGV, Please Make This Helmet!

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.

2012 Honda RC213V Debuts in Malaysia

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).

No, This is the “90%” New Ducati Desmosedici GP12

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 Commences 2012 Model Line Production

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.

The Dainese D-Air Racing Airbag Suit Comes to America

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.

I Love the Nightlife. I’ve Come to Boogie.

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.

Confirmed: KTM 350 Duke in 2013 – Moto3 Inspired 350cc Sport Bike in 2014

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.

Why Today is the Most Important Day for Ducati…Ever

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.

MotoGP: A Bumpy Independence Day Weekend

Sun, July 5th, 2009 @ 6:31 pm, by Jenny GunComments Off
Home » Racing » MotoGP: A Bumpy Independence Day Weekend

This weekend was a double-wammy for American motorcycle enthusiasts as we celebrated our Independence Day on Saturday, and the coming of MotoGP to Laguna Seca on Sunday. Despite the weather being cooler than in previous years, Seca proved once again to be a hot track that would be no open book to race teams.

Teams and riders had problems keeping both sides of the tires in the sticky, and suspension proved to be an issue on the bumpy and rough Seca tarmac. That didn’t stop a few riders from breaking away from the group though, and giving the American fans some fine laps of racing. Continue through to read more.

Dani Pedrosa showed the American crowd what a rabbit start looks like in MotoGP. Pedrosa charged from the second row, to take the lead into turn 1, followed by Casey Stoner and Valentino Rossi.

The trio would remain in control of the race for its first half. After a few laps though Stoner and Rossi would see Pedrosa pull away, the young Spaniard seemingly in his own place of motorcycle riding.

Following the lead three riders, Andrea Dovizioso looked like he might join the group, until crashing out. He wouldn’t be alone though, Dovi would later be joined in the gravel by Loris Capirossi, Sete Gibernau, and Galbor Talmacsi.

As Pedorsa broke away from the pack, the real race was in the battle for second. With Championship points on the line, Rossi and Stoner battled back and forth, each trying to get the edge over the other.

Rossi finally got free from Stoner, and began breaking away from him, trying to catch a now distant Pedrosa. After that, the injured Stoner seemed to move backwards, and was passed a lap later by Jorge Lorenzo in the Wayne Rainey corner, the very same spot the pair crashed in during qualifying yesterday.

In the last half of the race, Rossi found himself challenged by teammate Lorenzo. Lorezno looked like he was going to get around Rossi, but had a massive unsettling of his M1 that almost threw the Spaniard off his bike. With Lorenzo no longer knocking on his door, Rossi found his way to Dani Pedrosa.

On the last lap of the race, it looked as if Rossi would have at least one opportunity to pass the Repsol Honda rider. With two laps to go, Rossi made his move, but he was too far removed and Pedrosa closed the door, taking the drive to the finish line, and the US GP win.

Nicky Hayden was feeling the help from the home crowd, finding his way into 5th place during the race, his best result thus far this season. He finished just behind teammate Casey stoner.

Colin Edwards arguably wasn’t up to his usual self, despite being back in the United States. The American finished 6th for the day, which has been about par for the course for Edwards. Edwards would be the only Monster Yamaha Tech3 rider to finish the race, as James Toseland was flagged for a jumped start, and later pulled out of the contest for failing to comply with a stop-and-go penalty.

MotoGP now heads to Germany and the Sachsenring for racing two weeks from now, on July 19th.

Race Results from MotoGP at Laguna Seca, USA:

Pos.	No.	Rider	Manufacturer	Time	Diff
1	3	Dani PEDROSA	HONDA	44’01.580	-
2	46	Valentino ROSSI	YAMAHA	44’01.924	0.344
3	99	Jorge LORENZO	YAMAHA	44’03.506	1.926
4	27	Casey STONER	DUCATI	44’14.012	12.432
5	69	Nicky HAYDEN	DUCATI	44’23.243	21.663
6	24	Toni ELIAS	HODNA	44’23.621	22.041
7	5	Colin EDWARDS	YAMAHA	44’31.781	30.201
8	7	Chris VERMEULEN	SUZUKI	44’34.437	32.857
9	14	Randy DE PUNIET	HONDA	44’41.905	40.325
10	33	Marco MELANDRI	KAWASAKI	44’49.608	48.028
11	15	Alex DE ANGELIS	HONDA	44’50.390	48.810
12	88	Niccolo CANEPA	DUCATI	45’20.111	1’18.531
Not classified
	4	Andrea DOVIZIOSO	HONDA	8’23.703	26 Lap
	59	Sete GIBERNAU	DUCATI	8’23.190	26 Lap
	65	Loris CAPIROSSI	SUZUKI	4’19.395	29 Lap
	41	Gabor TALMACSI	HONDA	4’22.278	29 Lap
Excluded
	52	James TOSELAND	YAMAHA	-	-

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Tagged under: Dani Pedrosa, Jorge Lorenzo, Laguna Seca, MotoGP, US GP, Valentino Rossi

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