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That 226hp Ducati Panigale V4 Speciale Though…!

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While today’s big reveal at the 2017 EICMA show was the new Ducati Panigale V4, what will surely be in our dreams tonight is the the limited-edition version of Italy’s new superbike. Say hello to the Ducati Panigale V4 Speciale, and its big fat 226hp peak horsepower figure.

Now, the 12hp bump over the Ducati Panigale V4’s 214hp crank figure comes courtesy of an included Akrapovic titanium exhaust, which means the entire Panigale V4 line can reach this amazing horsepower number, but the real beauty in the 2018 Ducati Panigale V4 Speciale comes in the details.

With its optional magnesium wheels installed (you’re gonna want to buy the wheels), the Ducati Panigale V4 Speciale tips the scales at 164kg dry – that’s a full 10kg (22 lbs) lighter than the base model Panigale V4.

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Bikes

Ducati Scrambler 1100 Debuts in Three Flavors

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We already got a good look at the 2018 Ducati Scrambler 1100 ahead of this year’s EICMA show, but now we have all the details on Ducati’s new heritage motorcycle. Surprisingly, it’s not just one motorcycle, but in fact three flavors of the Ducati Scrambler 1100 have debuted.

As such, there is the new Ducati Scrambler 1100, the Ducati Scrambler 1100 Special, and the more premium Ducati Scrambler 1100 Sport for the 2018 model year.

All three machines are built around Ducati’s venerable air-cooled v-twin engine design, which comes in a 1,079cc format and makes 84hp and 65 lbs•ft of peak torque.

The top of the food chain model for the Scrambler Ducati family, the Scrambler 1100 models all come with Bosch’s cornering ABS as standard, dual 320mm brake discs up front, which are mated to Brembo 4.32 calipers and a hydraulic master cylinder.

Ducati has also added 10-level traction control to the new Scrambler 1100 model, as well as a ride-by-wire throttle and an LED headlight. With an 18″ wheel up front, and a 17″ wheel in the back, the Ducati Scrambler 1100 series continues to sport the Pirelli MT60 RS tires.

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Bikes

Ducati Panigale V4 – A New Generation of Ducati Superbike

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If you are a hardcore Ducatisti, you will probably mark today down in history, as Ducati has moved on from its v-twin superbike design, adopting its first production four-cylinder superbike*.

Today, the 2018 Ducati Panigale V4 officially debuted in Milan, Italy for the EICMA show, and the new 1,103cc machine boasts some impressive figures: 211hp (157.5 kW) at the crank, 88.5 lbs•ft of peak torque, and a paltry 384 lbs weight when dry (436 lbs at the curb).

Considered more of an evolution of the Ducati 1299 Panigale superbike design by the Italians, the big changes to the new Panigale is its “Desmosedici Stradale” engine, which has a 70° crank pin offset and a “Twin Pulse” 0-90-290-380 firing order for its pistons.

This makes the Desmo Stradale V4 engine more like two v-twin engines mated next to each other – a bid to make the power and character of the Panigale V4 more recognizable to loyal Ducati owners. A nod to Ducati’s MotoGP program, the Desmosedici Stradale engine is counter-rotating as well.

Of course, Ducati doesn’t leave the changes to just the engine, as the Ducati Panigale V4 is truly an all-new machine beneath its fairings.

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Bikes

Here is the Ducati Scrambler 1100

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Ducati’s media event for the 2017 EIMCA show is just under a day away, but photos of the Italian company’s 2018 model year bikes are starting to leak on social media. As such, here is your first look at the Ducati Scrambler 1100, one of five all-new motorcycles from Borgo Panigale.

As you can see, the Ducati Scrambler 1100 is exactly as our sources said it would be, and it features the air-cooled, 1,087cc, v-twin engine that Ducatisti know and love, wedged into larger chassis and platform than the original Scrambler model.

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WSBK

“Spanish Elvis” Racing Next Year with MV Agusta

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Jordi Torres is one the big personalities in the World Superbike Championship, and he has done well this season on the Althea BMW S1000RR. For the 2018 season though, Torres – that’s “Spanish Elvis” to his fans – will be on a factory bike, getting a ride with MV Agusta Reparto Corse.

Torres will have big boots to fill at MV Agusta, as Leon Camier has impressed in recent seasons, putting the MV Agusta F4 RC into points positions no one thought possible. Camier leaves MV Agusta, for greener pastures at the Red Bull Honda WorldSBK team.

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Bikes

BMW F850GS Teased for EICMA Debut

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BMW Motorrad is set to debut four new motorcycles at this year’s EICMA show, and surely one of those news machines will be the BMW F850GS.

How do we know this? Well, BMW was pretty obvious about the new model in its latest teaser video (watch it, after the jump). It also helps that the revised middleweight ADV bike has been caught numerous times by spy photographer.

Also helping this conjecture is the fact that the BMW F800GS was last updated for the 2013 model year, with a visual refresh for the 2016 model year. As such, the model is due for an overhaul. 

Expected to have a bit more punch than the outgoing F800GS, the 2018 BMW F850GS should provide a bit more stratification in BMW’s adventure-touring range, which gets a bit confusing when you get to the models below the venerable BMW R1200GS.

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WSBK

2018 World Superbike Calendar Released – Argentina & Brno Added; Jerez & Lausitzring Out

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The FIM today released the provisional 2018 WorldSBK version. Just as last year, the schedule contains thirteen rounds, spread out from February to late October.

Two circuits visited in 2017 are out, Jerez and the Lausitzring, while Brno makes a return to the WorldSBK schedule, and a brand new circuit in the west of Argentina, near the border with Chile.

The schedule starts as ever at Phillip Island in Australia on 25th February, with the WorldSBK and WorldSSP classes competing. As is traditional, the race is preceded a couple of days earlier by a two-day official test.

The start of the series is once again rather fragmented, however, as WorldSBK fans will have to wait four weeks for the second round of the series at the Chang International Circuit in Buriram, Thailand.

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Bikes

Suzuki Shows Unchanged GSX-R600, GSX-R750, & Hayabusa for 2018, But What’s to Come at EICMA?

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Suzuki Motor America today sent our first view of the 2018 Suzuki GSX-R600, 2018 Suzuki GSX-R750, and 2018 Suzuki Hayabusa motorcycles – now before you get too excited, they are exactly the same as last year’s models (save for some bold new graphics).

This is of course all according to plan. We have already written about Suzuki’s plan to bring new middleweight GSX-R600 & GSX-R750 sport bikes to market, as well as a new Hayabusa.

As such, we expect still to see new sport bike models debuting from Suzuki at this year’s EICMA show in Milan, and all three bikes should arrive mid-2018, as 2019 model year machines.

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Racing

Ben Spies and the Ducati MotoAmerica Connection

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We have already reported on how Ben Spies is trying to put together a superbike comeback, with an eye on the 2018 MotoAmerica Championship. There is a long road from here to there though, and the biggest hurdle for the American road racer is finding a ride.

Our Paddock Pass Podcast colleague Neil Morrison has some news on that though, and as he reported on Crash.net, Spies could be looking to Ducati for support on his return to motorcycle racing.

Talking to Ducati Sporting Director Paolo Ciabatti, Morrison (that handsome devil) reports that Ducati is prepared to help the Texan…if he can foot the bill.

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Bikes

ARCH Motorcycle Set to Debut 3 New Models at EICMA

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Keanu Reeves is confirmed to attend this year’s EICMA show, and that’s a good thing, as his ARCH Motorcycle brand is set to debut three models at the trade show in Milan, Italy.

The first bike will be the 2018 version of the ARCH KRGT-1, which we expect to be a maturation of ARCH’s first motorcycle design.

Judging from the location of its debut, we expect the ARCH KRGT-1 to be available in the European market next year – and thus now Euro4 compliant – likely with some help from the folks at Suter.

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Bikes

This Is Surely the Suzuki SV650X, A Café Racer

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We are pretty confident that Suzuki has some interesting motorcycles for us at this year’s EICMA show. This is not one of them.

Part of the “me too” movement that the Japanese manufacturers are going through in order to have heritage motorcycles in their lineup, the 2018 Suzuki SV650X is exactly what you think it is: the company’s popular street bike, dressed in a vintage aesthetic.

There isn’t anything wrong with that, per se, as we have seen some great builds using the same formula, like the Yamaha XSR900 and more recently the Kawasaki Z900RS and Honda Neo Sports Café concept.

However, we know exactly what we are getting with the Suzuki SV650X, and it’s not pretty. With the concept already getting unveiled at the Tokyo Motor, we expect its debut for the Western markets to happen in Milan, Italy. Look for it next week.

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