Video: Josh Brookes Shows Us the Fastest Line over “The Mountain” at Cadwell Park

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…

Lost Knee Puck Hinders Hayden at Indy

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.

Rossi Waiting to Hear if Burgess Will Retire

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.

Nicky Hayden Renews Contract with Ducati

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.

World Superbike Responds to Ducati Exodus

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.

Ben Spies to Factory Yamaha Team

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.

Colin Edwards – “I’m going fishing. Screw this sh*t.”

No one makes the MotoGP media center come alive with emotion more so than Colin Edwards. A veteran of the sport, and born with no filter between his brain and mouth, the Texan Tornado captured the spotlight during the pre-race press conference at the Red Bull Indianapolis GP. A stark contrast to the polished veneers of other riders, Edwards isn’t afraid to tell things the way he sees it, even if it involves some colorful language. To get an idea of what we mean, check out a portion of the press conference transcript after the jump.

Ducati Trademarks “Diavel” Name in the UK

Ducati has recieved a trademark with the UK Intellectual Property Office for the Bolognese word for devil, or “Diavel”, which according to MCN is to be the name of the company’s new performance cruiser (shown here in a render done by Bar-Design exclusively for Asphalt & Rubber). Interestingly enough, Ducati has not trademarked the Diavel name with the United States Patent & Trademarks Office (USPTO). However with the British government, Ducati has reserved the Diavel mark for virtually every use possible, including lifestyle items like shirts, perfume, watches, and our personal favorite: skin cleansing lotions and creams.

Casey Stoner Ducati 1198S Phillip Island Replica

Missing three races because of a mystery illness, Casey Stoner put any critics he had from his sudden departure in 2009 to bed with his masterful race at Phillip Island. Racing in front of his home crowd, Stoner slid around the Australian course to a decisive victory, in what we called one of the top races of 2009. Making the moment even more special for Australian fans, and Ducatisti alike, was the special race livery that Stoner ran for his home race. Hoping to commemorate that race and Stoner’s contributions to the Marlboro Ducati team (Stoner is leaving Ducati for HRC next year), a French Ducati dealership in Moulins-lès-Metz has decided to sell a limited number of Casey Stoner Ducati 1198S Phillip Island replicas.

Norton Returning to MotoGP Racing

German magazine Speedweek is reporting that Norton will be back in GP racing for the 2012 season with a two-man team. Speedweek’s highly respected Austrian journalist Gunther Wiesinger has received word that Norton has requested two spots on the 2012 MotoGP grid, and has signed a request to join the series when it returns to the 1000cc format. It’s unclear at this time if Norton will be entering as a claiming rule team (CRT), or be listed as a factory prototype, which could have a dramatic affect on the team’s success in the series.

Ducati Vyper Cruiser in 2010?

Fri 03/27/2009 @ 9:23 am, by Jenny Gun

Home » Bikes » Ducati Vyper Cruiser in 2010?

Ducati Vyper Cruiser in 2010? d max red 560x420

Could Ducati be building a street cruiser to compete against the likes of Harley-Davidson? That’s the rumor behind the so-called Ducati Vyper, which was started by a statement made by Ducati boss Claudio Domenicali, who revealed that Ducati is looking to branch out into a wider market. The 1400cc 170hp prototype is said to be already in running form, and has started preliminary tests at the Bologna factory.

The Vyper will feature a stroked version of the company’s Testastretta engine, and house it in Ducati’s signature steel-trellis frame. A 240 rear tire mounted onto a beefy hollow-section swing-arm is also believed to be on the new machine. Luca from Bar-Design has made some exclusive renders of the Ducati Vyper for Asphalt & Rubber, and if the original looks anything like this, we might just be believers in the Italian chopper concept.

The Vyper stems from a statement made by Claudio Domenicali in several interviews that hinted that was a possibility that Ducati could make a foray into a segment that Ducati has not competed in yet, in order to expand the range of motorcyclists riding the Ducati brand of motorcycle. Slated for release in 2010, the Vyper will make around 170hp, a boat-load of torque, and wear the standard Ducati trellis frame. It will also have a very low seat, which will contrast with the huge 240 rear tire.

It seems strange to think of Ducati as trying to compete with Harley-Davidson for the cruiser market, but the Italian brand may be able appeal to a younger crowd in a way that the American chopper brand cannot.

Luca Bar is a talented young Italian designer and member of the Motorcycle Design Association. He has published renderings for SoloMoto30, and competed in the “Design Your Dream Ducati” competition held by Ducati S.p.A. You can find his online portfolio at bar-design.net, and hopefully his future work here at Asphalt & Rubber.

Source: Motociclismo; Renders: Luca Bar-Design

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Tagged under: 2010, Bar-Design, Claudio Domenicali, concept, Ducati, Ducati Vyper, Harley-Davidson, Italian, Luca Bar, Vyper

Comment:

Ducati Vyper Cruiser in 2010? | Harley Davidson Merchandise | Harley Davidson Fans says:

03/27/2009 at 11:12 AM

[...] streaming form, and has started origin tests at the metropolis factory. See the example post: Ducati Vyper Cruiser in 2010? Share and [...]
Lets Talk about Motorcycles - Page 53 - GigPosters.com says:

03/27/2009 at 2:51 PM

[...] Ducati Vyper Cruiser in 2010? – Asphalt & Rubber __________________ STEVE TENEBRINI || SQUAD19.CREATIVE UNION || CERDOBLOG [...]
Pierre Col says:

04/07/2009 at 1:13 PM

Wow.

The ugliest Ducati (or Ducati project, sketch or whatsoever) I’ve ever seen, even taking in account the Indiana :-)

So I can’t believe it is true…
Tyreek King says:

05/04/2009 at 5:37 PM

@tennilleking here’s the #ducati prototype cruiser for 2010 I was talking abt http://bit.ly/48uA8N
Bob LoCicero says:

05/07/2009 at 6:44 AM

This is just silly: http://bit.ly/EK9L1
Smitty says:

05/14/2009 at 3:37 PM

Cool – Ducati Viper Cruiser in 2010? http://bit.ly/cgMjh
what do I do - Page 2 - Ducatisti Forum says:

06/16/2009 at 7:08 AM

[...] [...]
Destroy: Ducati Vyper Come True? « the momentum of failure says:

06/23/2009 at 11:51 PM

[...] me out, but I might skimp on the automobile itself so I can also afford a motorbike of some sort. Ducati’s Vyper costs, yeah, as much as both prolly two cars and two bikes alone, but it got me thinking, does [...]
shovelheadsteve says:

01/31/2010 at 2:25 PM

This bike is exactly what the world is waiting for. In an age where we are plagued with speed cameras and are gambling against a prison sentence if you ride your sports bike to it full potential on the road. Get yourself one of these lowriders and just cruise…..
matt gosling says:

03/16/2010 at 8:05 AM

this bike is an absolute beast merrrt
matt gosling says:

03/16/2010 at 8:06 AM

oi shovelheadsteve stop crying about it and find some roads without speed cameras DUMBASS

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