The International Motorcycling Federation has updated its homologated model list for the 2013 World Superbike, Supersport, Superstock and Endurance racing seasons. The list is largely unchanged from the list released in February with the exception of a couple of additions.

The Superstock 1000 and Formula Endurance World Championship list now includes the 2013 Ducati 1199 Panigale R and the MV Agusta F4 RR. On the previous list, the F4 RR’s status was listed as being “in progress” while only the S version of the Panigale was initially homologated for Superstock 1000 and Formula Endurance.

Also worth emphasizing is the 599cc Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R remains homologated for the FIM’s Supersport and Superstock 600 championships but the 636cc version is not eligible for those classes. The homologation list distinctly includes the Ninja as the “ZX 600 R F” but not “ZX 636″. AMA Pro Racing differs in this regard, including the 636cc version on its list of eligible racebikes for 2013. Continue Reading »

Former General Manager of Ducati Corse Filippo Preziosi has resigned from the company, ending his 19-year career with the Italian manufacturer. Preziosi led Ducati‘s racing program for the last decade including its lone MotoGP championship in 2007, but the 44-year-old engineer also carries a lot of the blame for Ducati’s recent struggles including the doomed Valentino Rossi era.

Preziosi held the position of GM of Ducati Corse until last November when he was replaced with former BMW Superbike manager Bernhard Gobmeier. At the time, Ducati announced Preziosi would assume a new role as director of research and development for Ducati, tasked with developing new products.

It appears that Preziosi never actually assumed that new position. Ducati says Preziosi was to take on his new role “after a period of rest”. The company now says Preziosi has resigned due to “health reasons related to his particular physical condition”. Preziosi is a parapalegic, losing the use of the lower half of his body after an accident in 2000. Continue Reading »

Max Biaggi who? The Roman Emperor’s retirement after winning the 2012 World Superbike Championship marked the end of an era for Aprilia, with the 2013 campaign marking the first without Biaggi since the Italian manufacturer came back to the WSBK scene with the RSV4. If Aprilia misses its two-time WSBK Champion, it sure didn’t show it with a dominating display at the 2013 season opener in Australia.

Aprilia riders swept the podium in Race One at Phillip Island and nearly did it again in Race Two, taking three of the top four spots. Factory riders Sylvain Guintoli and Eugene Laverty swapped a couple of one-two finishes while Red Devils Roma Aprilia rider Michel Fabrizio added a third- and a fourth-place finish to complete a nearly perfect start for Aprilia’s post-Biaggi era. Continue Reading »

The International Motorcycling Federation has named Franco Uncini the FIM Grand Prix Safety Officer and circuit inspector. The 1982 500cc Grand Prix World Champion (pictured on the left above) takes over for the retired Claude Danis (right in the photo) to oversee safety in MotoGP.

The now 58-year-old Uncini won the 1982 World Championship for Roberto Gallina‘s factory-backed Suzuki. After retiring as a racer in 1985, Uncini managed Ducati‘s factory World Superbike team for Doug Polen‘s 1992 championship-winning campaign.

Uncini first worked in a safety advisory capacity in 1993 after being Grand Prix racers appointed him the IRTA rider safety delegate. Part of his duties involved working with Danis, making Uncini a logical choise as Danis’ successor. Continue Reading »

The International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) has released an updated list of motorcycles homologated for the 2013 Superbike, Supersport, and Superstock racing season. Notable additions include the new BMW S1000RR HP4, the MV Agusta F3 and the Superbike-spec Ducati 1199 Panigale R.

To qualify a production-based racebike for FIM homologations, manufacturers have to meet certain production thresholds. Manufacturers must first produce 125 units ahead of a homologation inspection. After that, manufacturers have to produce a minimum of 500 units by June 30 and 1000 units by December 31 of the current year, and a minimum of 2000 units by the December 31 of the following year.

Production counts include both ABS and non-ABS versions of the same model, and at least 250 units of each version have to be produced. Production models must also be available for sale in either the U.S., Europe or Japan by the end of April of the current year to qualify. Continue Reading »

Next week, I’ll be headed to the Ascari Circuit in Southern Spain, as Ducati is set to launch the all new 2013 Hypermotard to the world’s motorcycle press. To get everyone excited about the event, the boys from Bologna decided to have a little fun. Together with its factory MotoGP pilot, Nicky Hayden, and a cameo by Ruben Xaus, Ducati has filmed an exciting video to showcase what the bike can do. See it below. Continue Reading »

The Ducati Alstare team revealed the livery for its Ducati 1199 Panigale R superbike which will make its racing debut in the 2013 World Superbike Championship.

The Panigale R replaces the highly successful 1098R as Ducati‘s premiere production-based racebike. Riding the 1199 for Ducati Alstare are Ayrton Badovini and Carlos Checa who won the 2011 WSBK title on the 1098R.

The new graphics were designed by Alstare with help from Ducati and remains true to the manufacturer’s history with its Corse Red coloring. Continue Reading »

Ducati has revealed technical specifications on its Desmosedici GP13 MotoGP racer. The information is understandably vague in some areas, as manufacturers are hesitant in revealing too much information, and of course subject to change as the 2013 season progresses.

The GP13 specifications revealed aren’t too far off of the specifications revealed for the Desmosedici GP12 this time last year ahead of the 2012 MotoGP season. The GP13 is again powered by a 1000cc liquid-cooled 90-degree V4 four-stroke, desmodromic DOHC engine with four valves per cylinder. Ducati is vague in claiming the engine puts out “more than 235 hp”, but that’s at least a change from last year when Ducati claimed “more than 230 hp” out of the GP12. Continue Reading »

(Update: Ducati has clarified the Dolomites’ Peak Edition is just a one-off created for Wrooom.)

Ducati has revealed a one-off variant of its Multistrada 1200 S Pikes Peak Edition as part of the Wrooom 2013 celebrations at Italy’s Madonna di Campiglio ski resort. With the mountains of northeast Italy as the backdrop, MotoGP factory riders Andrea Dovizioso and Nicky Hayden pulled the covers of the new Multistrada 1200 S Dolomites’ Peak Edition.

The Dolomite’s Peak Edition is essentially the same as the Pikes Peak Edition, a replica of the Ducati Multistrada S that won the motorcycle class races at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb three years in a row. With the Ducati MotoGP team launch in the Dolomites, it made sense for Ducati to prepare special graphics for the occasion. The special edition models add with three-spoke Marchesini wheels, and  carbon fiber racing screen, fenders, air scoops, side extractors and engine guards. Like the European-spec Pikes Peak Editions, the Dolomite’s Peak Edition is equipped with a carbon Termignoni exhaust. Continue Reading »

Ducati North America set a new sales record in 2012, selling 10,883 motorcycles in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The 2012 sales represent a 21% increase over its 2011 results in a time where industry-wide sales have flat-lined. The growth further cements the U.S. as Ducati‘s largest market.

In 2011, Ducati Chief Executive Officer Gabriele Del Torchio announced U.S. sales had surpassed domestic sales in Italy as the company’s biggest market, a result of the company’s growth in North America combined with a fragile economy in Italy. That gulf has further widened with Ducati’s U.S. sales growing 21% in the U.S. At the same time, Canadian sales saw an increase of 25% while sales in Mexico grew at a much more modest 7%. Continue Reading »