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.
I have a nice story about Mr. Lock. I had a problem with my Duc down here in Brazil. So, I contacted the Ducati Brazil and tried a solution for almost two months with no success. I sent an email to Mr. Lock on Sunday and less than a half hour after I pressed the send key I received an answer from him, directly from his iPhone. He solved my request. Amazing.
I hope all the best to him, a realy nice and competent professional.
That is an amazing story Mr. Barreto!
I wonder if Ducati could use a smart law, econ and business guy. Its worked for them before ;)
I bet its Rossi
UNlike a certain AMerican company, Ducati has the goods to backup its marketing.
Rumor: Shake-Up at Ducati North America – http://aspha.lt/15k #motorcycle
Hi Jenson,
As the PR Manager and Spokesman for Ducati North America, I was a bit surprised to see this thread. Give me a call next time!
Just to straighten the story for you guys, when I left work this tonight Mr. Lock was still in charge and business proceeding as usual. If anything to the contrary occurs, I’ll let you know.
Cheers,
-John Paolo Canton
Ducati Press Department
Good to hear Mr. Lock is still there, he seems to be doing an excellent job with an amazing company!
Based off this bit, “All day we’ve been unable to reach anyone at Ducati’s Cupertino office, so we cannot confirm the report at this time…hey guys, pick up your phones!”, maybe y’all should answer the phones next time :)
Hey Piaggio! Are you hearing this?
Who do I have to kill to get a 917 built? The 848 is as useless as a Porsche Boxter. If the 848 were stroked back to it’s proper displacement, and then clothed in some very sexy retro fairings, I could get into it. Ducati have already revisited many successful themes, how much longer until they stop ignoring the obvious?
The 916 deserves a new life with a reliable engine. The Ducatisti deserve it as well.
Which theme would you rather base the baby SBK off of: The 1198 (great bike) or the 916 (ubiquitous motorcycle icon)? Why am I even asking this question? The children you’re hoping to attract with fresh looks can’t even afford your bikes anyway.
Shake it up, Michael. I mean that as encouragement. Bologna is missing something.
yeah, build more baby boomer bikes, that a novel idea…
You can get the displacement you want with an even bigger bore I do believe. I suspect the 848cc displacement is what it is in order to make it legal in supersport racing. A 917cc bike would race with the 1200cc twins would it not?
As a street bike, I can see some attraction to a punched up, modernized 916, but in all honesty, I’d buy a 1189 even if that were available. The most modern of the 916 era bike, the 998, is the same as far as aesthetics and has a very respectable and reasonably reliable motor. Plenty are available used for far less than a new one could be built. The 916 era machine was truly exceptional, but a company has to move forward and can’t just do one good thing then rest on it for two decades.
So now, was JP bluffing us or really less aware of Ducati’s impending management changes than A&R? Either way A&R’s on its game!
Naw. JPC is legit.
Thanks Jenson! Unfortunately I only found out last night. There is a famous phrase in corporate communications, which is “the PR guy is usually the last to know!”
John – Does this mean you can tell us when the Ducati 796 (with ABS) will hit the USA?
The dealers all seem to have a different answer, anywhere from next week to next year, but they are taking orders for them. The 796 is available today, thus I would think the ABS version would not be too far behind…
Any info is appreciated!
Hi there- the 796 ABS will hit our docks in New Jersey next month.
Cheers,
-JPC
Shake-Up at Ducati North America – http://bit.ly/bApFds #motorcycle