Now that the 2012 model year motorcycles have debuted (though we still expect a few mid-year releases), the speculation can now begin for the 2013 model year machines. Wasting no time in this process, the Italian press is afire with rumors of a Ducati 799 superbike model to compliment the recently released Ducati 1199 Panigale.
A rumor of this nature, this early in the year, is certainly an interesting one. There should be little debate over the fact that Borgo Panigale has a supersport variant of the 1199 superbike already figured out, tested, & ready for prime time, and our Bothan spies confirm just as much to us. The details of such a bike though, now that’s where the devil resides.
According to the rumors out of the Italian press, the Ducati 799 will have a 750cc displacement, make 145hp, and tip the scales under 160kg (353 lbs). The move to the 750cc displacement apparently comes as a bid to race the mini-Panigale once again in the World Supersport Championship, and of course the 749 designation has already been used.
If true, such a move would be a marked departure from the current Ducati 848 Superbike, which has been a top-seller for the Italian company here in the United States, and according to our notes was top-selling motorcycle for Ducati North America. Showing that 848′s have no problem selling without a racing pedigree, Ducati is seemingly getting back to its roots with the rumored 799, and putting an emphasis on production racing (not that its prototype racing effort has been going swimmingly well).
While there is very credible pattern of Ducati’s middleweight superbike design following its liter-bike compatriot within a one model year window, there has to be some pause regarding this news, since it is coming so closely on the heels of the Panigale’s launch. A radical departure for Ducati, the 1199 is shaping up to be a monster of a machine, but the v-twin superbike still comes with the asterisks that its MotoGP-inspired chassis design has yet to be actually proven in MotoGP racing.
While Bologna expects to hit the ball out of the park with the Panigale, the Italian company could surely hold off on the Ducati 799 (or whatever it ends up being called), if sales for the 1199 Panigale are stronger than expected (releasing the 799 too early could cannibalize sales from the 1199, which will surely will have a higher profit margin).
True, the Ducati 848 Superbike has been long in the tooth for some time now, and has already been EVO’d in 2010 and Special Editioned for 2012 — two clear signs that a model revamp is coming down the pipe, but there does seem to be some cause to refrain from jumping on this rumor’s bandwagon so early in the year, especially when we haven’t even seen the Panigale in the hands of the public. Stay tuned Ducatisti.
Source: Two Wheels Blog
Only in the press are bike designs ever referred to as “long in the tooth”. The 916 design was around longer than any of them, but nobody in their right mind complains about it. That said, of course it will be time to roll out a replacement for the 848, but I wonder if the “799″ will be as good a road bike. I would imagine it be more peak-ey if you can refer to a twin as such…
Really? They can’t reuse the 749 number. I don’t think anyone is going to confuse a 749 Panigale, with a 749. New customers won’t even know what a 749 is. Arrggg, Italians.
Regarding the possible name: 1199 -> 799 shows the relationship between the two bikes better than calling it a 749 or whatever.
@Smitch
Well Twin will be more “peak-y” – torquey :) but if they map it right it will be let just say more civilized and Ducati’s are sport bikes and from what I gather from the text above it will never be a road bike like VFR1200, anyway that is what I call roadbike in mine dictionary.
Knowing Ducati, it will be sporty, it will have killer looks and it will make you want it ride faster and harder,.
Ummm… Why not just call it. “750″ ???
145 HP and 353 lbs? Yes please. That’s 50 pounds more than my supermoto with more than triple the power.
I don’t know how much cannibalizing a 799 would have on the 1199. I always run into people who think anything less than a 1000 is an affront to their manhood…
I think I will hold off on the MV Agusta F3, and see how this rumour pans out….
Just avoid them, don’t run into them .. .they have no idea.
Give me the most comfortable reclining chair u have on the first row and hand me some pop-corn.
I can’t wait to see that anorexic screaming biotch…LMAO.
I am absolutely waiting for this bike. There would be little reason to buy an 848 this year. The dark model no longer carries a $1000 discount that it had in 2011. I think that to conversion to chain driven cams alone is reason enough to come out with the 799 in a year. It eliminates the major maintenence issue of replacing belts every couple of years. Less weight and just a little more power would make it perfect for my purposes. I just hope they keep the price point close to the same.
Production racing is what ducati is all about It would be good to see ducati mix it up with the supersport grid.
First, there is no reason for me to buy the 1199 because here in Jersey it would rarely get out of the lower three gears and still be legal. I know some would say all that power would be great and you would be right but it would only be useable on a track. I’m not racing.
Second, at 62 my reaction times are no longer as sharp as they were when I was in my 20′s. My ego is alright with that too.
Lastly I wish Ducati would made a Super Mono again as the size would be perfect for me however, I could suffer so nicely with a 750 size Panigale.
damn! Im a little dissapointed with ducati. dont get me wrong, I interned with ducati north america. but as a racer and a purist I hate to see the trellus frame go away. without it the bikes lose thier individualism. in truth im a little bias. as a racer in 600 class the 848 has been wonderfull. I really hope this new bike will still be permitted for supersport. does anybody have any insight.