Valentino Rossi testing the 2012 version of the Ducati Desmosedici is usually big news, especially with the Italian moto-press. As the nine-time World Champion logs his laps on the GP12 at Italy’s Mugello circuit today, the bigger news is the other Ducati racebike sharing the track with the Doctor.

According to GPOne.com, Ducati is also testing its new 1200cc Superbike, the successor to the 1198R. Racer Danilo Petrucci, who currently sits second in the World Superstock Championship riding the Ducati 1098R for Team Barni, is reportedly riding the new racebike in both Superbike and Superstock variants.

Ernesto Marinelli, from Ducati Corse and currently Carlos Checa’s crew chief with Althea Ducati, is overseeing the Mugello test before hopping onto a plane for Utah for this weekend’s WSBK round at Miller Motorsports Park.

Checa will likely get his turn on the new Ducati Superbike soon while three-time WSBK Champion Troy Bayliss is also involved in the bike’s development.

[Source: GPOne.com]

RSV4 Factory has to be one of the most interesting and adrenaline-inducing literbikes around, and that’s just part of why we gave it an Honorable Mention in our Best of 2010 Sportbike category.

We recently had opportunity to put on a poor but passing Max Biaggi imitation with one particularly fine example. This RSV comes courtesy of our friend Kaming Ko, who often helps us on test rides.

Our short spin on this tricked-out speedster whetted our appetite for a racetrack rendezvous with Kaming’s even more rare Ducati Desmosedici for a tasty Italian V-Four exotic vs. semi-exotic shootout.

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